Prior Experience

My previous trips to Vietnam happened 16 and 12 years ago. On my first trip, I was 17 years old. I could go into details about my experience (but I'll save myself from repeating all of the embarrassing details of a teenager). I do remember stepping off the plane and getting hit by the humidity and heat, and a very distinct smell that I've grown to associate with the country. I do miss this smell.

It was July of 1996 when I first arrived to Sa`i Go`n. I was shocked & surprised by the poverty and unprepared to see the stark contrasts between rich and poor, side-by-side. And the religiousness of both the country and my family. I spent four weeks traveling with my family (American and Vietnamese) from Saigon to Rat Gia, to Da Lat and back to Saigon. At the beginning of that trip, I wanted to go home after just a week. By the end of it, I could have easily stayed another month. The food was amazing, among my favorite dishes were a caramelized pork dish called thịt kho eaten at a tiny road-side restaurant on the way from Saigon to Da Lat and another called Ba'nh Xe`o in Saigon.

Four years later, I returned to Saigon, with my sister and two friends. We spent two weeks in Nha Trang and two weeks in Saigon. We did some charity/volunteer work with the indigenous folks in the mountains by Nha Trang and then my sister and I spent two weeks with my family in Saigon. I developed a taste for soda chanh (lemon soda) and also was introduced to an amazing dish call Banh Trang Phoi Xuong (thin sheets of rice dried over bones, used to wrap vermicelli noodles, boiled pork, herbs & dipped with an aromatic fish sauce).

The experiences from both trips were so memorable, though I'm sure my memory of them has changed over time. This time, I'll keep this blog to help me organize my memories & experiences.

I'm curious to see what it'll be like as an adult female, traveling in Vietnam. Partly by myself, partly with family, partly with friends, and mostly with Rob. A different perspective, a different experience. 16 years after my first trip, I'm sure I won't be able to recognize any of the places I've visited before. And I'm eager to try some of the dishes from my last trip as well as a few more dishes that are my favorites even here in the states.

P & P

Planning & preparation for a 5 week trip to Vietnam. Where does one begin?

I'm a planner & worrier by nature (the former project manager in me). I love to travel, but I hate to plan for travel. It really stresses me out. I thought I'd make it easier on myself by having a travel agent help me book hotels & the tour. Though after a few exchanges with a travel agent based in SF, I realized a few things:

1. It's not cheaper to book hotels via travel agents. The travel agent added about 5-10% on top of hotel price and assured me that this was the cheapest rate, that it's high season, and I would not find anything less than what she found. Sounded like a typical sales pitch to me. After a quick check online on the hotel websites, I found much cheaper rates and plenty of availability. 
2. Booking with Travel agents means following the tourist herd... sightseeing, tour-buses, or very expensive private tours of the same type of thing. Very boring. 
3. To customize a fun (more adventurous) yet comfortable 5 weeks in Vietnam, I would have to do the planning myself. 

My natural instinct is to book my hotels in advance. A balance of 3.5 - 5 star hotels... but there's a part of me that dares me to be a little more adventurous... 

Things accomplished 3 months in advance:

1. Dates: 5 weeks Nov-Dec
2. Round-trip flights booked: SFO to Seoul to SGN
3. Vaccines: Tdap & Flu
4. Agree on rough itinerary

Things to do in the next couple weeks

1. Apply for 3 month visa
2. Book hotels w/ free cancellation
3. Book Ha Long Bay cruise/junk boat tour
4. Book domestic flights