"Where are you going for New Year's?"

As the New Year approaches, this question has been circulating since early December.

It is crucial to act quickly and book tickets as soon as possible, especially during festive holidays. As everyone knows, ticket prices skyrocket during these periods, and there is a high risk of tickets selling out completely.

Daughter: "Let's go to Pai, shall we, P'Pun? You've never been there, have you? I love it there."

Pun: "Hmm, interesting."

………………………………………..

Nida: "Let's go to Ang Khang for New Year's. I want to backpack and sleep in a tent."

Allow me to introduce 'P'Nida', our fellow backpacker on the legendary Sangkhlaburi trip (which we will share with you later).

Since that trip, we've been looking for excuses to travel, and it seems like Nida really enjoyed the backpacking trip.

Basin up there?............Sleep in a tent?......During the festival?

No way, there will definitely be a huge crowd.

"Where should we go?"

We began asking this question every day until it became truly urgent. We returned home and each opened our computers.

Browsing airline websites, checking out all the destinations we could fly to.

Sister Pun: "Vietnam?"

Child: "Sister Pun has been to 'Sapa' before, right?"

Sister Pun: "Let's go to Hoi An. We think it's worth a visit."

Child: "Okay, let's go! Book it!"



Suddenly, I remembered that Nida had invited me to travel for New Year's. Oh! She invited me to go to Vietnam together.

Recalling this, I messaged her on Line at 11 pm.

Daughter: "Sister Nata, let's go to Vietnam. Let's go to Hoi An. Are you going?"

Nida: Go!

And just like that, we found ourselves in Hoi An for New Year's Eve.

Let's book it! What are we waiting for? We can go from December 25th to 29th. Let's choose a date before New Year's Eve so that we can be back in time for the countdown with our families.

- Round-trip Jet Airway flight tickets from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City cost 4,000 baht per person.

  • Round-trip Viet Jet Air flight tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang cost 2,300 baht per person.

Hoi An is a city located in the central region of Vietnam. There are no direct flights to Hoi An (only to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi). Therefore, we chose to fly to Ho Chi Minh City and then take a connecting domestic flight.

Apart from domestic flights, buses and trains are also available. However, our research shows that these options take almost 20 hours, which means you'll be asleep for several hours before you arrive. Moreover, the cost of these options is comparable to that of a one-hour flight. Given our limited time, I think it's best to take a flight.

After booking our flights, we gradually booked our hotels.

  • First night, late arrival, overnight stay in Da Nang, 1 night, 660 baht per night.
  • Then moved to sleep in Hoi An for 2 nights, 750 baht per night.
  • Last night, I stayed in Ho Chi Minh City before flying back to Bangkok. The cost was 1,500 baht per night.

In summary, for the 5-day, 4-night trip, we each paid 970 baht for accommodation.

Tourist attractions and restaurants: We'll figure it out when we get there (same as always, haha).

Ready, set, go! Let's embark on a Christmas journey!



Day 1:

We met at Suvarnabhumi Airport. After checking in, P'Pun said he would take us to the food court on the lower floor. I just found out from P'Pun that Suvarnabhumi has a food court, and it's very cheap. I've been eating at the expensive restaurants upstairs for so long. Now that I know, I'm determined to go eat there.

We have checked in successfully.

Pun has checked in.

The excitement began even before leaving the country.

Ms. Nada, your reservation name does not match your passport!



The issue is that Nida has changed her name. When she booked the tickets, she gave us her new name to book with, but she hasn't changed her name on her passport yet.

The group stood at the counter for a long time, trying to find a solution. They asked if they could pay extra to change the name, but it was not possible.

Oh no! Ms. Nada was so excited and prepared for the trip. Now she's looking downcast. I'm starting to lose hope.

"It's alright, you guys go ahead. I'll just call a taxi to go home."

The feeling of excitement and anticipation leading up to a trip, only to have it canceled at the last minute, can be incredibly disheartening.

After a long wait, the only viable solution is...

Nida had to discard her ticket and purchase a new one. Not only that, she had to run to catch the counter before it closed. She had to hurry to buy a ticket in time, or else she would have to call a taxi to go home.

While Nida was running to buy tickets, the two of them ran to exchange money. They were like, "Chill, we haven't exchanged money before. We have plenty of time, we'll just exchange it at the airport." In the end, it was a day of running around like a hamster on a wheel at the airport. Needless to say, there was no time for the Suvarnabhumi food court. They didn't even have time to buy a sandwich.

After exchanging money, she ran up to Nida. In short, she had a flight, but she would fly after us. Sigh, okay, we found a way to go, and we looked at the clock.

Boarding time! This is our boarding time with P'Pun! Oh no! Now it's not P'Nata who will miss the flight, but it's both of us!

Run! What are you waiting for?

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

We finally made it to the gate and settled into our seats on the plane. Phew, my legs are still burning from that sprint to catch the flight. (- -“)

This is our first time flying with Jet Airways, and we just realized it's an Indian airline.

The service was excellent. There was food on the plane, which looked strange. I don't know if it was delicious or not, but I was very hungry at that time, so I ate it all.

The sky from the plane today is very beautiful.



We soon arrived at Ho Chi Minh City International Airport. After getting off the plane, we were confused and didn't know where to go or what to do next. We saw foreigners queuing up to get immigration forms, so we followed them. But where could we get the form? We asked an officer, who told us, "Thai people don't need to fill it out. Just go to the immigration line." Oh, that's how it is.

While waiting for immigration clearance, P'Pun took a few snaps. A Thai person in another queue whispered, "It's forbidden to take pictures here." Oh well, we just showed our "Thailand Only" style.

After clearing immigration and collecting our luggage, we were left to navigate the airport on our own. We were a bit flustered, as we needed to catch our connecting flight to Da Nang. The international and domestic terminals at this airport are located in separate buildings, but we were able to walk there with our luggage. It wasn't too far.

Upon entering the Domestic section, I was astonished. It felt like I had been transported to Mo Chit bus terminal in Bangkok. I swear, it was an airport, but it was packed with people. The building, the counters, and the overall organization were eerily similar to Mo Chit.

Seeing the long, winding queue of people, we began to worry whether we would be able to check in on time.

"We decided to approach the staff and inquire about our options, given the extensive queue for our flight."

They told us to line up and wait for our flight to be called. Someone will hold up a sign when it's time to board. This is truly the local way of doing things.

Looking at the situation, we joked, "We're lucky we came here together. What about Nata?"

We finally made it to the gate. Today is really crowded. I forgot that it's Christmas Eve and almost New Year's Eve. Everyone is traveling home, aren't they?

We grabbed a bite to eat at the airport. The food seemed more expensive than back home. We got a sandwich and a Pepsi.

The Vietnamese Pepsi can is aesthetically pleasing, but its price is not as attractive. This can costs 20,000 dong (36 baht).



It turned out that all our rush to catch the connecting flight was in vain, as the flight was delayed by more than an hour! And there was no announcement about the delay. It was like they were flying on their own schedule, taking off whenever the plane arrived. Hello, Vietnam...



We finally arrived in Da Nang around 11 pm. We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel. After checking in at our first hotel, the Bach Khoa Hotel, we went downstairs to find a 7-Eleven to buy some necessities. However, it was dark and quiet, and all the buildings and houses had their lights turned off. Not only could we not find a 7-Eleven, but we also couldn't find a single minimart. So, we started walking randomly across the street, enjoying the fresh air and empty roads. And then, we found the sea!

Wow, there's a beach right near our hotel! There are even food carts along the beach. We couldn't resist and immediately headed over.

While there are food stalls set up along the beach, unlike in Bangsaen or Pattaya, the crowd here is mostly young people who are not loud or boisterous. The beach is also clean. Additionally, the sky in Da Nang is very bright, even without artificial lighting, allowing for clear views of the surroundings without any darkness.



We opted to order food from a street vendor using sign language and pointing at the ingredients. The menu was in Vietnamese, and even though it included English translations, we had no idea what the dishes looked like. In the end, we received the meal that is shown in the picture.

The cockles soup (I think it's cockles) has a very delicious broth with a slightly spicy kick. This dish is delicious, but as you eat it, you'll notice that the bottom of the bowl starts to turn black. It's probably just dirt from the clams, haha. But it's safe to eat, we tried it!

The menu also included corn stir-fried with butter and garlic, which had an interesting flavor. Additionally, there were regular fried meatballs, similar to those found in Thailand.

A relaxing meal by the sea breeze, very satisfying and delicious. I don't know if we were just hungry or what. 555

We had almost finished eating when my brother, Nat, called me on Line. Oh, I forgot to mention that when we got off the plane at the airport, we bought a temporary local SIM card. It allowed us to use 3G internet and make a few calls, but we didn't really use it for calls throughout the trip.

We walked back to the front of the hotel to wait for Nata, and then I walked up and passed out.



Day 2:

After waking up, showering, getting dressed, and packing our belongings, we checked out of the hotel and left our luggage at the counter. We then went for a walk to take pictures by the sea and grab something to eat before continuing our journey to Hoi An.



The sky in Da Nang is truly bright. It's almost 11 am and there's still no sun. The weather is great. Along the way, we found baguette stalls every meter, even more frequent than 7-Elevens back home (which we haven't found any of here yet).

P'Pun and P'Nadda each finished a baguette. It was delicious (I snatched some from P'Pun!). The taste is similar to Vietnamese bread sold in Vietnamese restaurants in our country.



After taking photos, we went to find food. There were many seafood restaurants in the area.



"This place? It's crowded, so it must be good."

"Indeed, there are fresh seafood in front of the shop. There must be a variety of dishes to eat."

Upon entering the restaurant, we were surprised to find that there was no menu available. Additionally, the staff seemed unable to understand our inquiries. It appeared that the establishment operated on a system where customers were expected to select their desired seafood and then inform the staff of their preferred cooking method. This presented a challenge for our group of three, as we found ourselves at a loss for how to proceed.

"Let's get up and change restaurants." 5555

Finally, we arrived at another seafood restaurant on the corner. This restaurant was better because it had a menu with pictures that we could point to order.

We clicked.

Crab fried rice



Stir-fried meat



And then there's the fish (something) boiled in fish sauce. For this dish, the staff scooped it fresh from the front of the shop and showed it to us, saying, "This one?"



Today, we were so full that we could barely move. Even while we were eating, motorbikes kept coming by offering us fruit for sale, one after another, until finally...

"Oops, I'd rather have durian."

Nida bought more durian. Okay, let's go for it. Let's eat until we're full. 555

After finishing our meal, we stopped by a minimart, which was incredibly difficult to find here, to buy some necessities. Looking at the sign in front of the store, it said that they closed at 4 pm. So, I ask you, what would you have found if you had arrived at 5 pm last night?!

We then retrieved our luggage and asked the hotel to call a taxi to Hoi An.

The journey from here to Hoi An is not too far, but the taxi driver drove very slowly, wanting us to enjoy the scenery along the way. It took more than an hour to reach Hoi An.

The taxi fare, if I recall correctly, was around 1,000 baht. Splitting it three ways, it was quite reasonable.

And then we arrived at 'Base Camp Hotel', our second hotel. At first, we were a little worried about the price, wondering if it would be good value. But hey, it was great! It's a small, terraced hotel with a slightly Chinese style. Our room was on the first floor, and the hotel is located right in the old town, making it very convenient to walk around. After we put our things away and rested for a while, we went out for a walk in the old town.



Hoi An is a truly pedestrian-friendly old town. Within the old quarter, you'll only encounter bicycles, motorbikes, and a multitude of pedestrians. The number of foreign tourists is simply overwhelming!

The weather during our visit was excellent, with temperatures around 24 degrees Celsius and no sunshine. This made for a comfortable walk.

Walk 5 steps and stop to take a picture.

Walk forward three more steps and stop to take a picture.

Walk two more steps and stop to take a picture.

Stuck in front of the hotel, unable to leave. Then, P'Pun said...

"Let's walk around first, it's getting dark. There are many more places to take pictures."

5555



We had not even left the hotel's perimeter when an aunt carrying fruit, beaming, rushed towards us from the other side of the street.

"Take photo, take photo, no money."

He then placed his carrying pole across our shoulders, took off his hat and put it on our heads, and smiled broadly.

"Take a picture."

"Wow, this place is incredibly friendly! It's truly a tourist's paradise!"



Once they finished taking photos, they returned the carrying pole and the woven basket.

She grabbed the fruit and stuffed it into a bag, then shoved it into our hands and immediately demanded payment.

We have reached the point where we have taken the photos and there is nothing more we can do. So we said, "Let's just take this one bag of oranges and return everything else."

Three oranges for 70,000 baht pickled (127 baht)? Are you kidding me? Did you pick them from the Himalayas?

This is the Pro Fee charge for the photos we took, isn't it? There's nothing we can do, so we have to pay it.

The first day in Hoi An, the reputation I had read about online in Vietnam was already fading.

I didn't really want to eat the oranges I was forced to buy, but my friend Nida kept munching on them noisily the whole way. 555

Daughter: "Is it delicious, Ms. Nada?"

Nida: (Chewing with her mouth full, replies with a deadpan expression) "It's alright, but a bit bland."

A human who can eat all the time, really? Haha.



Keep walking, Hoi An is a lovely city. Every corner of the city is photogenic. Almost every nook and cranny of the city is a cool cafe.

The architecture and decor here have a distinctly Chinese style, with a strong emphasis on the color yellow.



Following the road to its end, we encountered a river spanned by a bridge leading to the opposite bank. According to the hotel, this is a pedestrian street.

"Where should we go next?"



"Left, please."

We haven't crossed the bridge yet, but we continue walking to the left.

As dusk settled, street vendors began setting up their stalls, and the lights of shops flickered on, illuminating the roadside.



A food cart selling unusual-looking snacks on the side of the road.

Child: "Wow, what is this? It looks interesting."

“Try a piece of bamboo with me.”

Nida: "I'm in too."



- 20,000 dong (36 baht) per piece of cake

Deep-fried crab and banana fritters (the sweet ones, which are delicious and Pai's favorite) are best enjoyed hot.



As dusk settled, we ventured across to the other side, where the bustling night market awaited.

The walking street here is mainly selling lamps, with many shops right at the entrance. The rest are souvenirs for sale to foreigners.

As we walked, we heard what sounded like loud concert music coming from the end of the street. We couldn't help but wonder...

Wow, we came to Prachuap and got to see a Vietnamese concert!

Upon arrival at the event site

No!

It's a wedding!

A heated argument erupted on the pedestrian street, with the perpetrator now singing boisterously on stage, mimicking the rockstar Toon Bodyslam.

You must be using this composition as your debut work, right? Speak!

Wandering around after the wedding, I stumbled upon a local pho restaurant by the roadside. Hunger pangs hit, so I sat down without hesitation.

Wow, this is delicious! And the price is very reasonable too.

Unfortunately, Ms. Nada could only watch with wide eyes as it was a beef pho, and Ms. Nada does not eat beef.

Don't worry, Nida will be fine. She'll find something to eat eventually.



We found that the pedestrian street on this side was relatively quiet, with more to see and do on the other side where we were staying. After a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, we crossed back to the other side.



In the middle of the river, there are boats with lit krathongs, waiting to take customers for a boat ride and photo shoot. Even on the side of the road, these lit krathongs are sold. Looking at them at night, it's beautiful.



Hoi An is another popular city for pre-wedding photoshoots. Even late at night, you can see couples taking photos.



Upon crossing back, we are greeted by the sight of vendors selling spring rolls and skewered grilled chicken along the riverbank. Tables are set up for diners, filling the entire edge. Every stall looks tempting, so we decide to try them all, consequences be damned!



After finishing our meal, we continued our walk and came across a dessert shop. It resembled a street vendor with wooden barrels placed on the ground, similar to the "Chua Kway" stalls in Thailand. We decided to try it out. The shop offered two main desserts, both commonly found in such establishments. One was a deep black dessert, tasting like sweetened ground black sesame, while the other was a white dessert served with syrup, reminiscent of "Tao Hoo" in Thailand.

- A cup of dessert costs 18,000 dong (32 baht).



“Let's walk a bit more and then find a coffee shop to relax in before checking into the hotel.”

And then we stopped at a good-looking coffee shop called 'Hoi An Roastery'. The shop looks good, the stuff in the shop is good, but!

  1. You are not concerned with what the guest has already ordered.

2. You still make a face at me, like when will you order? Then ask abruptly, like this.

The concept of "service mind" is irrelevant in this context, as the employee's behavior suggests a complete lack of understanding or consideration for customer service principles.

We recommend good restaurants and avoid recommending bad ones.

The hotel reception was closed by 10 p.m. when we returned. Everything was quiet, and everyone had gone to their rooms to sleep.



Day 3:

We stumbled out of bed early in the morning, brushed our teeth, and walked out in our disheveled state to have breakfast together.

Initially, upon arriving at the hotel, we were unsure of the breakfast location. Despite searching, we couldn't find a dining area. The mystery was solved when the reception informed us that breakfast was served at 'Hotel Thanabin 3'.

I just realized that there are three Base Inn hotels in total. The one we're staying at is Base Inn 1.

Strolling through the streets of Hoi An in pajamas, glasses, and messy hair on the way to breakfast. 555

The original text reads: "The situation at that time was terrible. The people who were riding bicycles and motorcycles were probably thinking, 'What are these three doing? Did they just wake up? I've already been awake for hours and done a lot of work.'"

The third base hotel is much bigger than ours and even has a swimming pool! Come on, it's a fair trade-off for being close to the walking street in the old town. It's like saying you'll swim in the pool, isn't it? - -“

After finishing our meal, we walked back to the hotel to shower and change, preparing for our next stroll.



The weather in Hoi An is very strange. In the morning, the sun is very strong, but after noon, there is no sun left. The weather is very cool and comfortable. Today, we plan to walk through the alleys and small streets that we didn't walk yesterday. We will walk through all the small alleys and streets.



At midday, we crossed the river and tried to find a restaurant on the walking street side that we had eaten at the night before.



During the day, this side was very quiet. We tried to choose a restaurant to enter, and our lunch today was very basic.

Fried rice with mixed seafood

Translation:

This is an empty paragraph.

Seafood Stir-Fry

This is a direct translation of the Thai phrase "ผัดทะเลรวมมิตร".

Here are some additional details that may be helpful:

  • "ผัด" means "stir-fried" in Thai.
  • "ทะเล" means "sea" in Thai.
  • "รวมมิตร" means "mixed" in Thai.

Therefore, "ผัดทะเลรวมมิตร" literally translates to "mixed seafood stir-fry". This dish typically includes a variety of seafood, such as shrimp, squid, mussels, and fish, stir-fried with vegetables and a flavorful sauce.



Fish (type unspecified) with sauce



And then



After finishing our meal, we crossed the street to relax and wait. On the way, we saw a street vendor selling snacks, surrounded by a crowd. However, we were already full, so we didn't try any of the food.



This evening, we will cycle out of town and head to the sea!

We spent time at a coffee shop that had a unique design. The front of the shop was covered by a roof, but the center of the shop was open to the sky. This provided a shaded and comfortable space to relax, even without a complete roof.



Around 3 pm, almost 4 pm, it's time to go cycling. We walked to rent a bicycle at the corner next to our hotel.

- Bicycle rental costs 20,000 dong (36 baht), but you have to return it by 7 pm.

Nadan is very relaxed. He often cycles around his neighborhood, and his cycling skills are excellent.

We have P'Pun, why would we bother doing it ourselves? 5555

Translation:

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

Once you cycle out of the city, the air becomes even better, very chill. The roadside views are fields, pure nature.



P'Pun: "Hey, that corner over there is beautiful. We should take a picture."

Daughter: "Should we stop by on our way back?"

Pun: "We're worried the light will run out before we're done."

Okay, let's turn around. Let's cycle into the middle of the field. Wow, the sunset is so beautiful. We stood and took photos in the field for an hour. We must have taken 100 photos.



Wow, Hoi An is truly beautiful! It offers a complete experience with charming towns, picturesque rice fields, and stunning beaches.



We kept cycling, but our destination seemed to be getting further away. Looking at the map, it didn't seem that far. We started to wonder if there was really a sea at the end of this journey.

Despite our initial skepticism, we trusted Google and were pleasantly surprised to discover a real sea!

The sea wind is incredibly strong, almost blowing me away.

On the beach, there are several large, cup-shaped objects that resemble woven wood.

This is the type of boat that local fishermen use to go fishing.



It was already late when we arrived. We took a leisurely stroll and took some photos. After a while, we decided to head back as it was getting dark and it would be difficult to cycle back.



We returned the bike just in time and were feeling hungry, so we went for a walk to find a restaurant in the old town.

Driven by hunger, I turned to a pizza restaurant with a 'Trip Advisor' sign in front. "This is the place," I thought.



The restaurant 'Casa Italia' was packed. We ordered a large pizza and a Caesar salad. Everything was delicious!



Full of food, we can continue our journey.

We had barely passed the pizza shop when we spotted a cart selling delicious-looking grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves. We couldn't resist trying it.

Seller: Korean?

No, no. I am from Thailand.

Seller: Thai football is very good.

The Thai national football team has arrived in Vietnam. 555

We each ordered a skewer to try, as we were already full from the pizza.

  • Five thousand pickled betel leaves for only 9 baht!

As I walked away, I started to regret not ordering more skewers because they were so delicious. When I went back, the vendor was gone. 😭

Line told his mother about it. His mother said, "Be careful not to get dog meat. Vietnamese people eat dog meat."

Mom..................... (- -“)

Translation:

This is an empty paragraph.

Day 4:

Today, we woke up feeling groggy and disoriented, and headed to the 3rd Air Base for breakfast as usual.

Translation:

The plan is to try "Street Restaurant," which we pass by near the hotel every day, and to have tea at "Reaching Out Tea Time." Both restaurants are Trip Advisor Recommended! Especially the tea shop.

However, we are still full from breakfast this morning, so we will take a walk first. Today, we will walk along the small alleys and nooks that we have not yet explored.



And then we walked around the world, just a little bit outside the city, on a path we had never walked before.

Outside the old town, it's just like any other city, with no interesting photo spots or cute buildings.

Besides bicycles and motorbikes, Hoi An also has another mode of transportation: 'rickshaws', which are specifically for tourists to enjoy. We think it's similar to riding a horse-drawn carriage in Lamphun.

Translation:

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

The weather today was quite hot, and I started to sweat. I realized I needed a hair tie, but surprisingly, it was difficult to find one. I walked until I came across a small grocery store and asked if they had any. The shopkeeper said no, but then went to search behind the counter and found a cute pink hair tie. I asked how much it was, and she smiled and said, "Free, free."

Wow, they are so cute!

Exhausted from our walk, we decided to head back to 'Street Restaurant' for dinner. We were so hungry that we didn't manage to take any pictures of the food, but it was truly worthy of its Tripadvisor recommendation. The food was delicious, and the service was exceptional.



We only managed to capture the dessert, which was coconut ice cream served with stewed pineapple. It was delicious!



After finishing our meal, we opened Google Maps to search for 'Reaching Out Tea Time' shop.

On the way, we saw some kind of grilled snack. We had been eyeing it for days, but didn't buy it. Today, with Nadda, we went straight up to ask.

A true foodie indeed! 555

Upon realizing it was "ping", I immediately craved it, but I was too full at that moment.

However, this fullness didn't stop Nida. We went and snatched her food. 5555

The dish was not as delicious as expected. It tasted like a combination of "man" and "ba-bin" (Thai desserts), which were then grilled. I prefer to eat "man" on its own.



And then, we finally found it!

‘Reaching Out Tea Time’ is a traditional tea shop with almost every table occupied. Despite the full house, the atmosphere is remarkably quiet. The clientele, predominantly Westerners, are engrossed in reading and sipping tea in peaceful silence.



“What is this? This cute little wooden stick.”

Only when the waiter brought us the menu did we realize that...

The staff at this restaurant are all deaf and mute. They use paper and pencils to communicate with customers.



We were deeply impressed by this establishment. The concept of the restaurant, with its diverse tea sets tailored to each menu item, and the accompanying simple yet delectable snacks, left a lasting impression.

  • Desserts are $2 per plate.

The prices at this shop are comparable to those in Bangkok, and arguably even cheaper. For what we ordered, we each spent around 300 baht.

This is a highly recommended restaurant.



The taxi ride to the airport took some time, as we had to leave the hotel early to catch our 2 pm flight back to Ho Chi Minh City.

The taxi was late, arriving after 6:00 AM. We were restless and repeatedly asked the staff about it. The staff seemed flustered, but the taxi was nowhere to be found. We didn't know what to do until we gave an ultimatum that if it didn't arrive soon, we would hail a taxi ourselves.

And then he came, stepping on the gas pedal. It was like a scene straight out of Fast & Furious.

Upon arrival at the airport, Ms. Nada's ticket encountered another issue. It was a duplicate booking. She walked around and inquired at various counters before the problem was resolved and she was permitted to check in.



Our dinner today is at Burger King.

Upon returning to Thailand, we realized that Burger King does not offer Cheese Sticks like it does in Vietnam. We were disappointed to miss out on this treat.



Upon arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, we hailed a taxi to our final hotel, the Vien Dong Hotel. During the booking process, we noticed on Agoda that the hotel was situated in the heart of the community, making it an ideal choice for convenient travel and access to nearby attractions.

It turns out that the community in question is a nightlife spot, similar to Khao San Road in Thailand.

After packing our belongings, we decided to take a walk downstairs to explore the area. We were greeted by a multitude of street vendors selling various goods. One particular stall caught our attention - a vendor selling a wide variety of shellfish. We eagerly joined the queue, anticipating a delicious treat. However, to our dismay, the vendor seemed oblivious to our presence, despite our attempts to engage in conversation. Disappointed, we decided to move on, accepting that we wouldn't be indulging in the shellfish after all.



As you stroll along, you stumble upon a delightful dessert shop specializing in sticky rice treats. The enticing display of sweet delicacies is sure to tempt your taste buds.

Did you see that? Nata bought a box of it! It looked delicious, but it was actually very bland. Our traditional sticky rice with custard is much tastier.



Phai and Pun went to a noodle shop and shared a delicious bowl of noodles.



Full from the previous meal, I was walking back when I stumbled upon another oyster stall. Oh my, they looked incredibly tempting! So, I stood there waiting, just like before.

Instead, Nida turned to the two girls and asked them to order for her. That's how we got to eat.

While waiting for the oysters, there was a thrilling incident (which P'Nadam later told me about).

Adjacent to the oyster cart, a bar with scantily clad women sat waiting for customers. Ms. Nada raised her phone to take a picture.

After a while, two women approached Nida with a confrontational attitude, saying something along the lines of:

"Don't you know it's forbidden to take pictures here? How did you take it? Delete it now."

Nod replied to him that

The two women initially appeared reluctant, but ultimately retreated for an unknown reason.

At that time, Phai and P'Pun were focused solely on the shellfish, completely oblivious to what was happening around them. 5555

The oysters were truly delicious, so much so that I wanted to order more. However, we no longer had the two young ladies to help us order. This experience taught me that having money alone is not enough to enjoy a meal.

Translation:

The provided text is empty. There is nothing to translate.

After buying snacks, I returned to the hotel to prepare for my flight back to Bangkok tomorrow.

We woke up a little late today because there was no breakfast provided here. Nida had to catch a flight at 5 pm, which meant she needed to be at the airport by 3 pm. As a result, we couldn't go far, so we just walked around the area looking for something to eat.



Ho Chi Minh City looks a lot like Bangkok, except for the massive number of motorbikes. At intersections, when the light turns green, they all surge forward in a chaotic rush.



We entered a Vietnamese restaurant with a pleasant appearance and ordered from the menu using the point-and-order method.

One of the dishes was a delicious tom yum soup with crab meat.



After finishing our meal, we spent some time at Starbucks before returning to the hotel to call a taxi to the airport.



As Nida had to go through the gate before us, we had a lot of time to kill at the airport.



I don't want to go back yet. I wish I had bought a through ticket until after New Year's Eve. The countdown here is better. After all, I won't be able to go back home to Lamphun anyway because the tickets are expensive.

Translation:

P'Pun: "Should I buy a connecting ticket to Hanoi?"

Luuk Phai: (Turning to face him) "Seriously?"

Pun: "Let me check the tickets first."

Daughter: "Or should we go to Laos?"

The situation became increasingly chaotic, ultimately forcing me to fly back to Bangkok due to the exorbitant increase in ticket prices.



I miss it so much. I want to go again.

Let's go on another trip together.

Translation:

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See more trip photos at

http://www.facebook.com/wherewegopage

See you next trip.

#hoi an#vietnam
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