Our next stop was
Hue. We took a sleeping bus which was very comfortable and was worth the extra
money. The driver did not speed which came as a surprise. After a 4 hour ride /
sleep, we arrived in another ancient city of Vietnam.
We checked in to Hotel Nino which felt more like a house than a hotel. Our room was pretty
small but comfortable. The day continued with a wonderful lunch at the Confetti Restaurant. Our waitress was very friendly and provided
great tips on places to visit in this historical town.
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| The Forbidden City |
The Forbidden City was
our first stop. Although half of it was destroyed during the war, it
is still an incredible place where you can spend a couple of hours full of amazement.
The following day, we
rented some bicycles and visited the tombs of the emperor (Khai Dinh Tomb), some pagodas and the
city centre. Biking is one of the best ways to visit Vietnam apart from the big
cities. On that day we rode around 25 km under the heat and were exhausted at
the end of the day.
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| Khai Dinh Tomb |
The breakfast at 6am next
morning was followed by a 4 hour bus ride to the Paradise Cave. It was an
organised excursion and there are many companies offering the same tour with
different prices. Do not hesitate to talk to multiple agents to get the best
price. It was the most impressive cave I have ever seen. The ceiling is about
80 metres high and inside temperature is between 18-20 °C. You can walk 3 km inside
of the cave and see incredible limestone formations. It is stunning! Here is a
link to some images.
After a 2 hour visit, our tour was heading
back to Hue. We said goodbye to them and got off at Dong Hoi to visit the Phang Nha
Cave the following day. It is a 45 km drive from Dong Hoi. We rented a scooter
from our hotel and started our adventure in the early morning. I have to admit
that it was my second time riding a scooter and I was fearful. Fear is a very powerful emotion and sometimes it can be life saving. However, irrational fear can also hold us back from having experiences that can bring joy and growth in our lives. One of my goals in this trip was to face my fears.
Most of my fear and anxiety is
related to self defeating beliefs of “I am not good enough” and “I can’t do it
on my own”. These irrational beliefs were developed during my childhood and were ingrained deeply in my subconscious. My psychotherapy studies, individual and group
therapy sessions helped me to become more aware of these patterns. This awareness enabled me to make conscious choices rather than having blind reactions. Many of us have these subconscious blockages that restricts our lives. Are you aware of yours?
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| A smooth ride! |
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| Boat ride to Phang Nha Cave |
The ride back to Dong Hoi was
challenging. It rained the whole way till we got back but luckily everything
worked out well. After a hot shower and a nice meal at the hotel, we drove to
the station to catch our train to Hanoi.
The trains are quite comfortable in
Vietnam, and if you book a sleeper you can easily doze off and wake up at your
destination. Our trip to the capital took 9 hours. We arrived at 5am and took a taxi to the Rising Dragon Hotel.
This was the best hotel we stayed in Vietnam. The staff was very helpful and
friendly, the rooms were great and the rates were reasonable. They had the
best breakfast buffet during our time in Vietnam. They also organised a good deal
for our Halong Bay excursion.
Personally,
I liked Hanoi more than Ho Chi Minh City. There is less traffic and pollution.
The people are friendlier and the food is better. During our time there, we
visited the Literature House, National History Museum, parks, pagodas and of
course Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum.
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| Alex getting interviewed by students in Hanoi |
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