Last September I first planned to go to Vietnam.
Then my trip took a different turn.
Now I’ve finally arrived.
I like what I’m experiencing here.
First steps in Hanoi
I arrived in Vietnam with many questions.
Finally, I managed to cross a border without any problems or surprises.
However, I didn’t have mobile internet. Arriving in a huge city like this is not the easiest experience. Without internet, I can’t find information or pay. Fortunately, all problems were solved the moment I arrived, because my phone found its way.
It’s undeniable that I’m gaining more and more experience in how to live this kind of digital nomad life.
I quickly booked a hotel room and called a taxi. Within a minute, the driver arrived, who didn’t speak any English, so I had nothing else to do during the 20-minute journey, but enjoy the view of the city and have a conversation with my younger brother.
The first accommodation
I got a very nice room on the eighth floor of a hotel. Based on the pictures, I expected that there would be a bathtub in the room, so I was happy in advance that after many months I would soak myself in a tub of warm water. The last time I saw a bathtub was last August. And I didn’t use it then either.
I wasn’t disappointed, even though there wasn’t a bathtub in the room. I simply accepted that I wouldn’t be taking a bath this time either.
There was, however, a very nice and clean shower, which I immediately used. In previous accommodation, I had become accustomed to having two packs of toothbrushes and toothpaste prepared everywhere. Usually, there was also soap waiting for me. Here, there was shower gel, but it smelled so luxurious that I seriously considered taking some with me on my further journey.
What was surprising was that there was also a comb and razor prepared in the bathroom. I haven’t used a comb for about forty years, but I tried it out now, just for fun. The razor – like the one I bought for myself in Thailand last time – is below par. I simply can’t get a three-blade razor, and the two-blade razor is just not good.
Another interesting thing about my room was a large portion of sunflower seeds, a bottle of dried ginger, and two energy drinks in the fridge. I put them out for myself and finished them all by morning.
The view from the eighth floor was beautiful even at night. And in the morning it was simply magnificent. There was also a TV in the room, which I turned on – exceptionally – probably because I hadn’t done so in a year. A movie I like was on HBO, so I watched a little bit with Vietnamese subtitles and in English.
I was surprised, but the inevitable gecko was waiting in the room. Surely the little one isn’t afraid of space, if he climbs so high.
What happened was that I took the refrigerator out from under the table so that I could work comfortably, and that’s when I met the little animal.
The only downside of the room was that – despite my preparation for the big job – the wifi didn’t work properly, even though each floor had a separate router.
So instead of working, I walked around the area a bit and sat on the street looking for another place to stay the next day.
My second room
After walking a few kilometers in the morning, I arrived at the accommodation that seemed good based on my research the night before. I did not book the accommodation.
I decided to check if there was an empty room, inspect it before booking and only rent it if everything was fine with it.
For some reason, a young receptionist greeted me very happily. She spoke good English, and it quickly turned out that there was a free room.
I said that I would like to check it out, and that it was important for me to have a table and chair so that I could work. And of course, good working wifi.
I already know that one of the easiest measures of the quality of the internet is YouTube. If it works well, there should be no big problems with anything else. So, after checking the room and finding everything in order, I watched a video. Fortunately, that was fine too.
There was only one question left. How much does the room cost? The girl was pretty upset because she asked for 450,000 VND (6,400 HUF, 17.3 USD) for it. I took my backpacks and was about to leave because I wanted to find a cheaper place to stay.
I told her I was sorry, but that was a lot for me. Actually, it was 300,000 VND (4,300 HUF, 11.5 USD), which I thought was a reasonable price.
She called someone and I got the room for that much. Yay!
There is a double bed in a nook next to the door. On the other side of the door is a huge wardrobe. Next to the wardrobe are two chairs and a small table. A kitchen counter (without a kitchen) and a tiny bathroom. Working air conditioning and a fan.
That’s more than enough.
The pros of the room are that it has the same deliciously scented shower gel as the first room. The cons are that there is no hot water. I guess not everything can be perfect.
I love this little room. I rented it for 4 nights, we’ll see how many it will be.
The streets of Hanoi
I was curious to see how big the city I live in now was.
The state has shrunk a bit. Hanoi has 9 million people, and 20 million people including the agglomerations. Its area is 3,350 square kilometers.
It is six times larger than Budapest and has more than twice as many people as the whole of Hungary.
I will not visit this city. I think I have accepted this by now. .
I have wandered around the surrounding streets for three days now. Based on my experiences so far, I have to say that I love this city.
There are a lot of sights around here. All kinds of shops, restaurants, lots of cafes. Huge skyscrapers, I can’t help but take pictures of them. I have already seen poorer neighborhoods. Roads full of street vendors.
There are an awful lot of motorbikes on the roads. It is almost impossible to get from one side of the road to the other. Neither drivers nor motorbike drivers pay attention to pedestrians. In such a big city, it is quite a strange experience that motorbikes wanting to get ahead faster come after me on the sidewalk and meet me.
So it is true that I have to be extra careful when I am a pedestrian. This is not unusual for me. But I have a feeling that this far surpasses my previous experiences.
There are also a lot of people in uniform here. You can see police officers constantly at major intersections. And for some reason they are not bothered at all if people cross in front of them or vehicles run red lights.
There are a lot of financial institutions in my area. There are guards sitting outside on the street in front of them everywhere. And in many places where I don’t even understand why they are there.
Maybe this also turns out to be true from what I have read beforehand. Maybe their presence is simply necessary to increase public safety.
Which I can’t say anything bad about, just like I couldn’t before. Apparently everyone is at peace with each other on the streets.
The food
The food here is also a great experience for me.
In the usual and much-loved way, lots of vegetables, rice and pasta.
I usually eat my fill for 50,000 VND (700 HUF, 1.9 USD). Since I eat a maximum of twice a day, eating here is quite economical. You can have a good coffee for half that.
For some reason, the restaurant owners are very kind to me.
They always show me what to pour on, spread on and generally how to eat the food. They tell me, then check if I did it “right” and tell me a second time if necessary.
Yesterday I squeezed a small citrus fruit on my salad and the restaurant owner came over and picked the seeds out of my salad with her spoon. Unbelievable!
The food I eat is very tasty. Today I had lunch again, staring at the Vietnamese menu with my eyes closed, because I couldn’t choose otherwise. They laughed at me, but I thought I had won their hearts. And I was lucky, because some incredibly delicious cabbage spring rolls were chosen for me by chance.
In the morning, I stopped by a café and asked the young English-speaking owner to choose a good coffee for me. This way, I managed to drink such a delicious drink that I had to go back to that place in the afternoon, because I had to taste it a second time. Of course, the young man recognized me and was very happy that I returned.
My dinner yesterday was also so delicious that I told the owner several times that it was very delicious, and I even wrote her a description at the end. And – in addition to picking out the seeds – she surprised me with some delicious fried topping for my dinner. She even asked if I would accept a plate of coconut soup as a gift. But I had so much dinner that I had to turn it down.
I’ll try it tomorrow.
I really enjoy these culinary experiences. I don’t even want to think about what else might be waiting for me here.
People on the street
What is perhaps most important to me is that most of the people here are incredibly nice and smiling. They greet every smile with a smile. They give it of their own accord, and for that I am extremely grateful.
This morning I wanted to buy one of the most expensive fruits. An apple. It costs about as much as a main course. But I didn’t have enough money. Interestingly, the saleswoman wasn’t angry that she had measured it and entered the price into the machine in vain.
When I go into a shop, people often ask me how they can help. These experiences never tire me.
I see a lot of people doing sports on the streets and in the parks. It’s a great experience to see them playing foot tennis, working out, running, walking, practicing tai chi, badminton, etc.
Young and old alike. Next to my hotel there is a large area equipped with street fitness machines. There is always a group working out there.
People sit in the cafes day and night, talking. They play.
This city is full of life.
And now I’m a part of it. Day and night. I love this bustling bustle. I’m grateful to live here now.Buy me a coffee?
If you enjoyed this story, you can buy me a coffee. You don’t have to – but it means a lot and I always turn it into a new adventure.
Buy a coffee for Steve
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