First Day in Vietnam

Next Chapter >>

Vietnam was my first real adventure abroad, and it started with a midnight flight from Guwahati to Hanoi, with a layover in Kolkata. My girlfriend Missy, who's from the northeast of India and has those same oriental features I’ve always admired, was my travel companion for the trip. I’d been looking forward to Southeast Asia—and especially Vietnam—for so long, with its motorbikes, exotic food, and endless bustling streets. I’d watched enough vlogs to feel like I knew the place already.

We landed in Hanoi at the delightful hour of 2:30 am—the kind of time that makes you question all your life decisions, except I was too excited to care. We exchanged 20 USD for the local currency and picked up a Viettel SIM card. It was a great deal—about 1,000 INR for a week of data. I was already winning at this travel thing.

Our bus to Old Town wasn’t until 6 am, so we parked ourselves outside the airport around 3:30 am, dodging some pushy taxi drivers. "Nope, we’re bus people today," I told them, settling on a bench for what would be a long wait. The wait was long, but we were buzzing with the thrill of being in a new country. Even the unfamiliar smells were interesting, though I couldn’t tell if they were food or just the air of Hanoi itself.

Finally, the bus rolled up on time. It was super cheap—just 2 USD for the 45-minute ride to Old Town. I couldn’t stop staring out the window, marveling at the sea of scooters and the coolest helmets I’ve ever seen. Some of them had little gaps for women’s ponytails. "Now that’s a design choice I can get behind," I laughed.

We got off near Hoan Kiem Lake around 7 am, and the city was already alive. The air was thick with the smell of street food, and I could practically taste the Pho from a mile away. “I need Pho,” I told Missy, who was practically sleepwalking by now. She was too tired to argue, so we crossed the street and found a small eatery where locals sat on tiny stools, eating breakfast like they had all the time in the world.

We ordered Pho with “lots of meat,” and let me tell you—it was everything I imagined and more. Pho’s healthy too, with rice noodles and fresh veggies, unlike the usual white flour noodles I’m used to back home. Missy was barely awake but still managed to enjoy it. I was already in love with Vietnam after that first bite.

The walk to our homestay, Amor Fati Homesaty, took about 20 minutes. The weather was warm, and we were sweating a bit, but it didn’t matter. Everything was new, and I was soaking it all in. We even passed a massive cathedral, a towering European relic amid the motorbikes and food stalls.

At some point, I decided to buy a cigarette because why not? I only wanted one, but the shopkeeper handed me an entire pack. “Well, I guess I’ll take it,” I thought, realizing how much cheaper it was than in India. I lit one, making sure it was okay to smoke in public. The shopkeeper didn’t seem to mind, though she didn’t understand a word I said. Turns out, English isn’t as common here as I thought.

Following the detailed step-by-step instructions from our homestay owner, we found our way easily. It was tucked away in a narrow alley, a simple place that made me feel like we were living among the locals. The streets were lined with doors that led to other homes, and I felt like we’d stumbled into the heart of Vietnamese life.

We keyed in the lockbox code, climbed upstairs, and collapsed into our room. It was time to recharge for the real adventure, and as I glanced at Missy already half asleep, I couldn’t help but grin. The day was going to be amazing. Vietnam had only just begun to surprise us.

If you enjoyed reading this post, watch the vlog on YouTube.

Next Chapter >>