wanderlust

Remember when I said I was a cautious Capricorn who never said Fuck it and booked plane tickets to faraway destinations? Turns out I can rebel every now and then.

here via pinterest

Every few weeks or so, in a frenzy of masochism, I look up the cost of flights to places like this or this and then get myself into such a funk, it’s hard to see how I’ll even be able to afford to catch the train to Melbourne. Asia has never really held all that much interest for me – I don’t know why, maybe because of its close proximity to Australia? I’m more attracted to the places that take 24 hours of travel to reach – but the other night, I idly checked the prices of flights to Vietnam and caught my breath: UNDER $600 RETURN??

My heart started racing and my fingers started shaking as I started to think that I could afford to do this. I walked away from the computer, telling myself not to be silly, that money needed to stay in the back Just In Case. I jumped around for a bit, checked that the dates would actually be quite convenient (might miss the first week back at uni but whatevs, right?), told myself a thousand reasons why spending the money was a bad idea.

But I did it anyway. I threw caution to the wind and flipped my Capricorn traits the bird. I booked flights and emitted a strangled squeal when the confirmation email showed up in my inbox. Fourteen days in Vietnam, from 23 February to 7 March. Adventure! If I can’t find adventure in South-East Asia, then I’ve no hope. Or imagination.

Have you been to Vietnam? I don’t know much about the country at all so any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m arriving and departing at Ho Chi Minh City and at the moment, I’m thinking of catching a plane on the first day to Hanoi and then making my way back down south over the two weeks, but any suggestions are more than welcome. I may have also convinced two friends to come with me. Finances are being worked through, final decision pending. I don’t mind travelling alone but travel companions are not to be sniffed at.

Vietnam! A holiday! Adventure! This is what my soul has been craving for too long. New ground to set foot on, a cure for these eternally itchy feet. But just how long is February going to take to roll around?!