I’m sure, for those who know me, expected my next post to be about the Oscars.  Looks like I’m changing things up a bit.

My husband and I just came back from an interesting and amazing trip in Vietnam.  We spent the first 3 days in Bangkok, Thailand, however the majority of the trip was in Vietnam.

My young son, who has been going to university it Australia, met us there and so our adventure began.  We took a lot of street food tours, which really is the best way to know what to eat.  Prior to the trip, my husband and I prepared by eating a lot of pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup), which we rather love.  But there’s more to these countries than just one dish.  The foods we tried were wonderful and interesting with different spices and tastes.  It was in Thailand that I learned how to eat soup neatly.  Prior to that I had a separate t-shirt I would wear so that I could splatter all over myself.  Now, I’m a pho pro.

My son and I even took a cooking course where we learned how to make pho, spring rolls and a papaya salad.  We had so much fun and everyday was a different foodie adventure.  But, let’s face it, it was the traffic snarls that have me talking.  Each evening I gave thanks for surviving crossing the streets.  Each morning, the terror began again.  The trick is that when you take 1 step out, you commit and the motorbikes will part, like Moses and the Red Sea (however Moses looked more confident than I did).  I almost got hit a few times.  Motor bikes park on the sidewalk, drive on the side walk and move ahead of the traffic at any red lights.  Between the sidewalk eateries and the motorbikes, the pedestrians have to walk on the road in some places, which is a nightmare on it’s own.  My husband, who doesn’t like to fly, loved the street crossing challenge.  Traffic signs are confusing but followed, crosswalks are decorative and pedestrians are hindrances, horns are a constant.  I could go on, but seems everyone knows about this, however, you can’t believe it until you see it.

We were lucky enough to see 4 beautiful cities of Vietnam, my favourite being Hoi An.  It was a little quieter for me and the weather was perfect every day.  We took a food tour that I highly recommend “The Last Great Taste of Hoi An” owned by an Australian couple.  My son had a pair of shoes made, a suit made, and got an offer of marriage for the tailor’s daughter (and a promise of free suits for life). We also took an overnight cruise to Halong Bay which was lovely, relaxing and a sea food dream.

This certainly was an adventure to remember.

And I was home in time for the Oscars….