Month Eleven in Chiang Mai: Goodbyes & Nomadic Roads

Month 11 offered goodbyes by the plentiful. But it also offered hellos to new countries, new cultures, and a new nomadic life.

I said goodbye to my best friend Robin as she went back to South Africa. It was SUCH a painful goodbye because she had become my family over this year. But I have hope that I will see her again soon in Chiang Mai, and if not, then it gives me more incentive to visit her!

I finished teaching an entire year at a Thai school! Wow, can’t believe it. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t ready for this chapter to close. I will miss my students and my friends, but I’m ready to move on. I am fully ready to be nomadic again. I am fully ready to explore new countries in Southeast Asia.

Time To Travel!

Would you believe it if I told you I hadn’t left Thailand in 11 months? It’s true! I always had a new island to explore, a new Thai town to travel to. I was comfortable in Thailand, I knew the ins-and-outs of the culture, of the airports, of the currency and transportation systems. The opportunity to leave came up, but I wanted to wait until I finished working so I could properly travel for a long time.

That time has come! Me & Maksym are currently on our epic 6 week trip to Vietnam & Cambodia. I spent the last two weeks of month 11 in northern Vietnam, stimulated by the hustling streets of Hanoi to the gorgeous limestone cliffs of Ninh Binh to the magnificent mountains of Sapa.

Vietnam, Oh Vietnam

Vietnam is … different to Thailand. You see a strong sense of nationalistic pride here. You see nationalism in Thailand too, but it’s bigger here. The reminiscence of French colonization, Chinese impact, and USSR influence is everywhere. From the food, to the architecture, to the temples. Maksym says that northern Vietnam reminds him of his home in Ukraine. He says it’s in small things. In the uniforms of security guards, or in the street signs. The USSR influence here is fascinating to me.

The Vietnam War still casts its shadow on this place. The iconic red Vietnam flag with the lone yellow star is proudly raised at every home, every shop, every street. These people have suffered immensely, yet they are so proud to have become independent from outside influence.

The French colonization of Vietnam was a tragedy, and I had no idea of the suffering until I went to museums in Hanoi and educated myself. It’s a heavy history, but one that is important to learn. Same with the Vietnam War. So much suffering on both sides. It’s especially interesting to learn about it as a US citizen. I went to the ‘Hanoi Hilton,’ where both Vietnamese prisoners were kept during French colonization, as well as US soldiers during the Vietnam War.

We also went to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, where we saw the famous north Vietnam leader’s body behind glass. What fascinated me most was the amount of children there. I think it’s a mandatory school field trip, because thousands of Vietnamese children showed up to the mausoleum the same time we did. It’s important for them to pass along this history to the next generation.

One more note I’ll make is on the food. I haven’t been eating meat for a while and I found so many delicious vegan & vegetarian options here! Vietnamese cuisine rocks! Also the coffee is freaking delicious! Special shoutout to Banh Mi & Bun Cha. So fresh, so yummy.

Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is a small town ~2 hours by train from Hanoi. It has one of the most unique landscapes I’ve ever seen! There are massive rice fields everywhere, but what’s amazing is that hundreds of massive limestone cliffs jut out of the ground everywhere you look. It’s surreal, and absolutely stunning.

We stayed 4 nights at a peaceful homestay with a wonderful Vietnamese family far away from civilization. They didn’t speak English, so GoogleTranslate helped us communicate. We rented bicycles from them and rode around, gazing at the wonderful nature that surrounded us. We went on a beautiful hike and a wonderful river cruise. The weather was misty and cool. I loved the feeling of cycling in this weather, as my cheeks became rosy from exercise and the cool air refreshed me. I haven’t felt that in a long time. It was relaxing, cozy, and tranquil. Just what we craved after crazy Hanoi.

Sapa

The next place I wanna talk about is Sapa. It requires an overnight bus which was living hell lol. I feel like all travelers have an overnight bus story in Vietnam. This is the first bad experience I’ve had with Vietnamese people. I realized that some (not all) can be harsh and mean to foreigners. But after that absolute craziness, we arrived to the drop-dead gorgeous mountains.

We actually stayed in a village near Sapa called Ta Van, which I would recommend as Sapa itself was pretty touristy. Here was where I truly felt like I was in heaven. The homestay we stayed at was the best of my entire life. We had a little bungalow nestled in the mountains, where I sat on the terrace and journaled for hours. I felt so inspired in this space. The mountains were gigantic, so huge that you couldn’t see them all with one eyespan.

You could tell how much loved was poured into this place, and the brick and wood in the bungalow made me feel so comforted and cozy. The family had a 4 year old, who ran around the beautiful property with their dogs when he got back from preschool. It felt so incredibly nostalgic for me, and I feel like I truly had a spiritual experience here. Plus, the hikes were beyond beautiful! I felt like I was stepping back into time as we traversed the mountain.

I had a homemade lime soda everyday, as well as an apple mojito with dinner. The herbs were grown in the garden, and the drinks were the best I’ve ever had in my life! And the food was freaking incredible too! We ate the family’s homemade food with every meal. My favorites were the spicy eggplant dish, tofu stuffed with mushrooms, and the yogurt granola breakfast bowl. Like I said, it was the best experience ever! I will always hold this place in my heart.

Cat Ba

We also went to Ha Long Bay, specifically to a place called Cat Ba. The weather was really bad to be honest, and we didn’t have the best time here. It was overcrowded and we had seen similar (and better) sights in the islands of Thailand. I feel so guilty saying this, but it’s ok not to absolutely love every single spot you visit! That’s part of the traveling experience. This trip isn’t supposed to be a relaxing vacation, it’s a lot of hustle and bustle. We are traveling and moving and exploring new places every day. You’re bound not to love every place. But we did have a few good moments shown in the pics above.

Harry Styles Concert in Bangkok

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot earlier this month I also went to see Harry Styles in Bangkok! It was a quick 24 hour trip with my friend Ruth from Singapore.

I had to get back to Chiang Mai to move out of my apartment, but I just squeezed in enough time to see Harry perform live. He’s a great live performer and it was awesome! I’m a big fan of his music so this was epic for me, especially to see him live in Bangkok! I never thought I’d be doing that lol. Interestingly enough, not a lot of Thai people stood up to dance during the concert which I thought was strange haha. Cultural differences I guess!

Ok, I’ll Shut Up Now.

Wow, that was a long blog. If you made it this far, THANK YOU & I love you! I’m currently on month 12 exploring more places in Vietnam. I’ll update you on my travels in my ONE YEAR anniversary moving abroad. Time has flown, it’s so crazy! I really miss home, especially being in person with my family and friends. But I will be home in a few months, and I’m so excited!

xx Gracie