As I get ready to head back home, somehow I ended up taking a trip to Vietnam. Crazy, right? Vietnam wasn’t even on my original list of places I planned to visit, but sometimes those are the trips that end up being the most memorable.
A friend of mine mentioned that they were going to Vietnam, and since it was always a place I had wanted to visit and experience for myself, I figured, why not? I was already in Bali, and Vietnam was only about a three-hour flight away, so it wasn’t a huge detour or a complicated trip to make. Before I knew it, I had booked my flight and added another country to the journey.
So far, Vietnam has been completely different from what I expected. I’m currently in Ho Chi Minh City, and the atmosphere here is nothing like Bali. Bali has that tropical, laid-back, paradise feeling, where you can slow down, relax, and spend the day near the beach. Ho Chi Minh City is the complete opposite. It’s fast-paced, crowded, energetic, and constantly moving.
The city is filled with skyscrapers, restaurants, businesses, motorbikes, and people going in every direction. There is always something happening around you, and even when you’re standing still, it feels like the city never stops. You can almost compare the hustle and bustle to Los Angeles. There’s that same feeling of a major city where everyone seems to be on their way somewhere, whether they’re heading to work, meeting friends, grabbing food, or simply trying to get through the traffic.
One of the biggest things I noticed right away was how different the traffic is. There are motorbikes everywhere, and watching people navigate through the streets is an experience by itself. Coming from Bali, I thought I was already used to seeing a lot of scooters, but Ho Chi Minh City definitely takes it to another level.
What’s interesting about traveling this way is that I’ve learned to stop expecting every place to feel familiar. Every country has its own personality, and Vietnam definitely has one of its own. I’m only here for a short time, but I’m enjoying the opportunity to experience something I originally never planned for.
That’s honestly one of the best parts about traveling full-time. Sometimes the best experiences aren’t the ones you planned months in advance. Sometimes you hear a friend mention a place, say, “Why not?” and suddenly you’re booking a flight and figuring out what the next adventure looks like.
Vietnam wasn’t on the list, but I’m glad I decided to add it.
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