Life Upside Down

Flew from Hanoi to Hoi An today, and am now happily situated in the City of Light.

Hoi An is perched on the river, and near the coast. I’m looking forward to a leisurely bike ride to the beach tomorrow and ordering handmade leather goods for a fraction of what I’d pay in Australia (how this is real, I still can’t believe).

With the exception of some severe airline delays and a few overzealous market vendors in Saigon, every experience in this country has been overwhelmingly positive. This trip so been one blissful, dreamlike day to another. From the cosmopolitan buzz of Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon to the noise and markets of Hanoi to the otherworldly beauty of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam has taken any expectation and topped it with charming flair.

The country is a unique combination of Asian tradition, European architecture and ethereal landscapes. Tonight, in Hoi An, we wandered along the river underneath garlands of paper lanterns in every colour and bought small luminaries to set afloat down the river.

I sent mine with a prayer and a blessing, a benediction of sorts.

I think I’m going to enjoy these next few days in the City of Light.