I’ve been away from Steemit for a short while. In that time though, a bit has happened. I’m currently living in Hanoi Vietnam. I’ve gone from my shitty night shift job at an Amazon warehouse to being back in Vietnam with my friends.
The flight here was 33 hours. 12 hours of that was layovers. The most difficult part was going from working nights for 9 months, then switching back to days for 1 week to visit people in America before I left, then going to Hanoi, where the time is 12 hours ahead of my hometown in the US(basically, back to nights).
It did my head in a bit and took me about a week and a half to readjust properly.
It has been great being back in Hanoi. I was surprised to find myself feeling the same as when i return to my hometown after being gone for a long time. That first day being back I was so happy. Taking a bus then a motorbike taxi to get to my friend's house.
My first two weeks here were spent taking the bus to see as many friends as I could. Usually one a day. Taking the bus here can be a bit slow but it has A/C, sometimes WiFi, annnnnnnnd you don’t have to drive in the traffic. Which can be pretty crazy here. Although since I bought a motorbike I have remembered how much I love driving here....danger aside.
Probably one of my least favorite intersections in Hanoi. A bit dangerous.
I spent 4 days in Da Nang with a few friends of mine. There were a few small hang ups but we all had a lot of fun. I’ve never traveled like a tourist before, so booking rooms, organizing, planning…..I suck at all of that. My inner hobo is still a strong force in my decision making, maybe I should say "lack of" decision making.
My friend Lan and I at the beach. And no, she's not my girlfriend.
The view during an island tour.
Our fresh seafood dinner. Two types of clams, fried squid(my favorite), crab, and vegetables. About $30 total.
In Da Nang we went to see Ba Na Hill(the Vietnamese equivalent to Disney World). The cable car ride high up into the mountains to this fantasy world was pretty fun. But I don’t think I’d go again. Something about being in a extremely fake place that seems mostly built for selfies. And if you happen to be with a friend that loves taking selfies....lets just say that by the end of the day my fingers hurt from operating her phone.
A view from the cable car.
Cruising around Da Nang on some rented bicycles and a motorbike was fun, as well as sitting by the beach with a good book. Being next to the ocean, Da Nang has a lot more fresh air than Hanoi. It was a nice change.
I was a bit sad coming back to Hanoi. Even though I have no job or anything as of yet. A vacation from my vacation, if you can fathom that.
To be completely honest, the bulk of my time has been spent in cafe’s with friends catching up and enjoying our time together. Seeing some movies, hanging out at friend's houses, sitting by the lake talking or drinking beer. All is well.
One year later I finally get to see my friend Mopar.
Linh and I talking about life.
Probably my favorite cafe.
A little thing I think I should mention for those who wear glasses. While quickly putting on my raincoat as a big storm was starting, I knocked off my glasses. They broke, but....I was certain I could fix them with some 502 super glue here. After ruining my shorts, gluing my finger to my glasses, and getting glue all over the lense, I decided I don't know what the hell I'm doing. So, I went to get a new pair. 522,000 vnd($22.88 usd) for a new pair of glasses with frames. Crazy. And the shop owner cuts the lenses for you right there. They were ready in 10minutes.
Also, I might add, next time I will be doing something different with the photos. I want to add a lot, but well....I'm being lazy. So you get the full sized, slow loading, yet high detail photos for this post.