The next day, and after looking into a bit of ‘admin’ we ventured to book a tour for the morning. The tour operator seemed to have a 1000 options for our predicament, however none of them seemed useful. Anyway, we booked. Up until this point, Vietnam has lived up to my expectations. The last time I visited I had such a warmth and openness from the people, and this has continued. Everyone seems understanding and very kind. This is what life needs. There is an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

After a bit of daytime ‘hot walking’, we passed by the famous Ben Thanh market, much to our disappointment. Why? It’s just not for us. It’s a tourist trap and plenty of places around with overpriced everything. Anyway, after literally spending no more than 2 minutes inside we started to walk to some more tourist traps. Learning from lessons wasn’t on the agenda, it was more like ticking boxes at this point.

After some more hot walking, we stumbled across the Ben Kghe Street Market - this was more like it. A little more intimate, polished rawness and 75 cent beers. Who can complain? …even if it was 11.30am in the morning.

More hot walking and a few tourist trap disappointments later, we end up in taxi heading back - however, not before walking down a dainty street of books. The heat is exhausting, and couple that with jet lag, we just need a bit of time to adjust.

Wind the clock 3 hours forward (nap time) we find ourselves on the back of motorbikes zipping around the city as we get to try various loca food. I mean, all I can really say it’s a chaos that works. Bikes darting in and around each other, but everyone seems to be on the same page. Some extreme awareness and reflexes. It was great to be part of the local world and visiting places there would be no way we would have ordinally gone to, trying dishes that you wouldn’t normally find.

Also, the English is not amazing, but they really do make the effort, from our taxi driver translating messages on a phone the day before, to opthjers writing down messages such as “you only pay for the most expensive” - basically we were told “buy one get one”, and our initial thoughts were “right, but isn’t the way buying for something works?”- I have great respect for others learning a second, third etc language. It’s hard enough speaking English at times.

We finished the day with some live music before preparing for out trip to Makong Delta tomorrow - stay tuned!

The tour was well organised, be it a little ‘touristy’, but overall it was great to see the area. We were wondering if we would get our bags back after leaving them on a bus for the best part of the day, but in the end, all good.

During a taste of varies fruit, it was slightly weird to hear a vietnamese a capella rendition of jingle bells. In general this kind of heat doesn’t seem to match well with Christmas, however it doesn’t stop them from celebrating with snow decorations - wishful thinking perhaps.

After a boat ride down the small passageways of the Mekong, we heard the extent of the rider’s English in the form of the word “Tip” (note there was no mistake leaving out a question mark). It felt kind of forceful, and many the time it felt like it was a given…funnily enough when you didn’t feel like giving it. Other times you really want to and then they disappear…anyway, more on the next blog.

After a fairly uneventful taxi to our resort near Caí Be where it was difficult to fall asleep when the driver beeped at literally every car…it’s just a think hear…we arrived. Peace. It was like finding a whole new world. Tranquil by the river, we relaxed.

Anyway, after coming back from the market, same problem in reverse. Yet another women comes over and fixes it. That’s 2 in 2 now. Ego partially shattered we continue. We find a lovely little place for an tea, which insisted on taking a photo at the end as if we were celebrities. Not before they had a cheeky but very innocent laugh between them when we asked for a menu in English - after struggling for a little while, the boss intervened and handed us one. After our delightful visit, we went outside to notice two things…one, the bikes were now in the shade - some kind soul had literally moved them for us. Secondly, the kickstand was fixed! This time the person who fixed it will forever be unknown.

Later we visited a supermarket, which was quite eventful. The language barrier is always going to be an issue, but sometimes all you need to do it smile. We were consistantly being ‘hello-ed’ by passing children and then called handsome by one of them with a yoyo, not that the second part is a crucial detail. Neither is the first one either, but it was just weird to hear it in a supermarket.

Now, guess what? Yes, the kickstand stopped working again, but yes…you guessed it…there was a saviour to help once again.

Time to chill, enjoy some swimming pool, siesta and recharge the energy after some cycling exercise.

We proceeded to get the bus back to ho Chi Minh, by being dropped off by not just a boat, but then by another car…we still have no idea who’s car we got in, we were just told it would take us to the bus station. We had originally thought the bus station was at the harbour given the size and the fact it had a huge car park, for us to be taking to a street with a bus next to an office, which was aparently the actual bus station.

The bus was absolutely fine. It was comfortable, cool and capable of picking up potatoes and other random packages along the way. At one point, two people got off the bus, went into a house and seemed to pick something up, then 20 or so minutes later these would be dropped off in another town. Given it’s job, and what it looked like, it was basically as if Uber and National Express (ALSA for the Spanish readers) had a baby.

We had no idea where we had to get off until the moment we stopped somewhere and our bags were chucked off the bus…I guessed that was the moment, so we got off.

One observation so far is that getting a taxi and converting the currency can be quite similar. When you ‘grab’ the equivalent of a Uber over here, you check out the number plate which is quite a long, confusing number. Yet when you convert the currency, again, it’s often a long confusing number.

The rest of the day was all about taking in Christmas Eve. Walking the famous Bui Vien street was quite an eye opener. So many large, fun fair, theme park style buildings with everything from super loud party music to dancing girls. It’s not something I’m into, but to see it was quite interesting. We also got the chance to try more craft beers, and they do make some good ones! Hopefully today we;ll get to try some more.

Anyway, it’s Christmas day. Time to enjoy it.

In general the time in Vietnam lived up to my high expection. It’s still a por country, but it makes up for it in its rich warmth and kindness. They make you feel at home. Everywhere seems to be a business, everyone is working hard, hustling, but in an honest way. However, an important note is when ordering coffee…it’s pretty mucha 50/50 whether it’ll be hot or cold. The simplicity that surrounds is elegant in it’s modesty.

We set out for the Philippines the following day. What a change of scenery this turned out to be.

After landing in the dark, it was hard to make out the island we had just landed on. After coming straight to the hotel, we got change and made a quick turnaround to head to a ‘party’. This would be up there pon my top random parties of all time. Invited by the aunt of a good friend in Madrid, we met his various ‘mums’, had some great food, got to enjoy their gorgeous view from the house and went back in time to get a. good night’s sleep - be it with a few noises in the night. Some could say it was like hearing tigers fight over a beer while listening to an air conditioning that sounds like a plane taking off - no wonder they give out free ear plugs at reception.

In this ‘hotel’ it’s quite ‘raw’ and surrounded by nature. So far we’ve met a few Geckos, a variety of ‘roof bats’ and a gigantic month you could play football with.

We took time to explore a cave the next day, which involved quite a pleasant swim. The day in general was quite chilled, but many more impressions that differed from out time in Vietnam. From cocaine dogs to tiny to questionably sized cats, it’s a little more wild.

The night ended walking back to the hotel from a questionable ‘grill bar’ that of course, we did not eat at, watching fireworks and seeing a blood moon.

Next stop was seeing the smallest monkey in the world…and it was small. You could literally hold it in your hand. Being nocturnal animals they were asleep (how selfish for our visit), so we didn’t get to see their big bulging eyes, but it was good to see them (relatively) happy - I mean, if you let thousands of tourists into your home to take pictures of you while you were sleeping, you’re not going to be super over the moon.

After a brief visit through the man-made forrest and a wobbly walk over the twin bridges, we found ourselves on the very popular Floating Restaurant.

Chaos.

I said before there was an obsessions for photos, well the theme of the day in this place was food. Immediately upon boarding a buffet was open, and it was like seeing thousands of pigeons flock to a fish and chip shop without a roof. As the trip progressed on the boat, eventually eating, we saw the reason you get on this tourist haven in the first place, the views.

There were a few distractions on the way as people reenacted titanic like moments at the front of the boat while line dancing style dancing appeared on a floating pier.

The best part of the day was checking in to the villa we have rented for the next few days over new year. A great way to find a little quiet and think about the next year. Unfortunately we were greeted by screaming kids next door and a handful of issues - be it so, the staff at the place were very nice, and we switched villas just a night later.

Now, it’s time to chill - we’ve gone from the chaotic ‘do it yourself’ floating restaurant to the peaceful ‘room style service’ floating breakfast.

Oh, we checked out Alona Beach as well - supposedly a paradise…not really. Hopefully our explorations on bike will uncover some hidden gems, not quite with as much ‘cutre’.

There was a stark contrast between the popular Alona Beach and the one we ended up on. Despite the out of tune rendition of Titanium (even though it’s common to do so), Dumaluan Beach was a much nicer spot with a quieter atomosphere to take in the change of the year. Don’t get me wrong, if you’re a bit more of a party animal then Alona Beach would be a much better atomosphere. Lights and music every 5 metres…but on this occasion it was a little too much.

The next day there were no hangovers…there was no time when you get woken up at 7:30am for breakfast - the rest of the day was very chilled and relaxed as we checked out another part of the island that had a completely different contrast from the living conditions to a big mall and ‘fancy looking’ beach area, not long before we checked out one of the more ‘wild’ beaches that had an amazing sunset on the tip of the western part of the island.

The next day we were up at 5am to start our island hopping tour. It wasn’t bad that by 8.30am in the morning of the second day of the year we were literally swimming with turtles. They seemed impossible to miss when every few seconds you hear the shout of “Turtle!” which consists of turning around, swimming frantically in the opposite direction, battling against snorkelling colleagues and then hitting your head on a boat on the way up. A little bit chaotic, but a pleasure to see this animal in it’s wild habitat. Early that day we also got a glimpse of a few dolphins and after the ‘turtle experience’ we visited a sand bay that would be more appropriately named ‘Nothing There Island’…by 10am we were already back to the mainland.

Anyway, we hailed a tuk-tuk, finally, after deciphering the random number system they had in place, and ventured to our accommodation via a beach and an arduous uphill journey that made us feel like we were riding a lawnmower. Nevertheless, we did arrive, and at number 8...despite only being here for 4 nights, this wouldn't be our final stop in the Philippines, but more on that later.

The night passed without much excitement, but we did gain insight into the curious "unavailable policy" that seems to be in effect here. It's the kind of policy where, when you order something, it's more likely to be unavailable. It took us back to the days of trying to buy beer at a supermarket in Panglao, only to be told "out of stock" - on what planet does beer go out of stock in a supermarket? Anyway, this time it was beer at a bar.

The next day, we set off on the most popular tour here in El Nido, aptly named 'Tour A'. There are 4 tours in El Nido; you guessed it, A-D, each covering different areas of the limestone formations off the coast. We quickly discovered that to board a boat that floats on the ocean, you first need to swim in the ocean to reach it. This explains why so many people invest in those water-protective bags, as ours were held high above our heads...unfortunately not where our dignity stood. We were the first to board a boat of 23 that had a capacity of 20...quite cozy. The day was pleasant, with visits to some wonderful places like 7 Commandos Beach, Secret Lagoon, and Big Lagoon. Unfortunately, we didn't get photos of the "secret" place...not because it was secret (far from it), but because we had to swim from the boat to the shore to reach it, and we didn't have one of those fancy ocean bags to stow our stuff in...ironically, we just swam with a bottle of water that made us feel like we were in an episode of Lost. As the day unfolded, we were frequently graced by the presence of the "floating beer people," as I dubbed them. Essentially, when the boat stopped, guys on kayaks approached with ice-cold beers. Not the most refined service, but they certainly know how to capitalise on their entrepreneurial spirit to make money in every situation, even in the middle of the ocean. Later that evening, we encountered more unavailability before retiring to bed.

The next day, we decided to hire a motorbike to explore the island and take things at our own pace. We ventured on a delightful walk through the countryside to a waterfall, complete with meandering streams, cows, and a very enthusiastic dog. Afterward, we visited another famous beach, Nacpan, and then on the way back, we stopped by Lio Beach. In our opinion, the latter was far more enjoyable. Not only did it have free parking (without any dubious individuals demanding money to park your motorbike in a public area), but it had a charming setup, a bit more untamed, and offered stunning views as the sun set.

One thing that has truly surprised us on this trip is the food...if it is available, the food is usually not a letdown and quite tasty indeed. However, one observation is that the whole country operates a bit like Wagamama in that you eat when you receive it and in whatever order.

As for the accommodation, it was fine, although we really wanted to be in a more relaxed place with pool access so we could savor the last few nights here. Plus, we found out that our flight to Manila was delayed until 11 pm, so we switched resorts. As I sit here writing this now, I am reflecting on the entire experience. So, now it's time to unwind, chill, and I'll be back once we have a little more to share about our final destination, Abu Dhabi.

We’ve not long been here, but we’ve managed to already see the Presidential Palace, which is more impressive than you’d imagine. It also acts as a ‘part-museum’ to give you a little lowdown on the country’s rise to fame and extraordinary fortune. Its 50+ football field size is overwhelming, but certainly would make a great game of ‘Hide & Shreik’…get it?

An afternoon walk along the ‘topless’ beach turned out to be a little disappointing. I called it topless because there was literally no one ‘on top’ of it. An upcoming festival had caused a halt to most of beach life along Corniche as it was fenced off. So, we made our way to the one slither that was available to access and watched the burning and beautiful orange sun setting over the palace.

A few days ago we embarked upon a trip to the desert, which almost seems like a must when you’re here. As you are taken miles out into the middle of nowhere, you realise you have to really trust these people, even when the driver pulls up and gets out the car with what looks like a sharp object and says nothing. Using a little common sense, we quickly worked out he was letting down the tyres before ‘dune bashing’. This term is essential the activity of going up and down dunes in a 4x4 as you hang one tightly and trying to keep down your food from earlier. It was pretty fun…especially sliding down them.

As we reach the desert camp, we were treated to a few local specialities such as tea, henna tattoos (not me), sandboarding (this one yes), and the popular camel ride. It’s short but sweet, but the main entertainment comes from getting on and off as the camel goes from a chilled sitting position to an upright one. One note to self was to not take it personally when thr camel let out a huge groan when I ‘boarded’ it. Ok, yes yes…I have eaten more than usual, but I think he was exaggerating. The reverse going upright was quite the experience. The guy told us he’ll be quick; he didn’t however tell us whiplash was a high possibility.

After some evening entertainment in the form of dances, including a very impressive Egyptian one, which for the life of me I can’t remember it’s name, we finished by looking up at the stars in pitch darkness. It was a peaceful (internally) moment.

Just shortly before heading back I manage to capture what is possibly the best picture I have ever taken. For me it’s kind of a representation of the next stage in my life, but more on that in a bit.

This is very random, but something I had to try fit in, but essentially when someone says “thank you” here, it seems more of a polite way to say “get out”.

On the second to last day, we headed to the Grand Mosque, and grand it is. The entrance starts you off in some kind of underground mall, that feels like you are travelling to your airport gate before arriving to the entrance above ground. It was beautifully ornate and wonderful to see, although when you’re finished, it feels like you’ve only seen about 5% of this architectural wonder.

Our activity for the afternoon was quite different. Abu Dhabi is fairly famous for three things, the Mosque, the desert and the theme parks, in particular, the fastest rollercoaster (cue Jeremy Clarkson)…in the world.

It may have been the fastest, but incidently it was pretty much the only rollercoaster in the world we could access that day. Plenty of the more popular ones were closed, which caused a big disappointment. Anyway, we tried to make the most including embarking on a couple of the more ‘baby rides’, anyway, it didn’t seem to spoil the fun.

This more or less leads me to this point, the final part of this travelogue. For one last reflection as this travelling adventure comes to as close, I feel from the many that we’ve seen, it’s like the sun setting just for another sunrise to appear; another journey soon is surely on the cards. And as I mentioned before, I want to share with you once final photo, which has not been edited in any style as per the rest, it’s a raw shot taken right from the desert after sunset. For me, it resembles finding calm amongst the hills you’ll need to climb, a journey, hope, breakthrough as the light is still there. I’m pleased to have shared this with you, and for myself to have this memory for years to come. I hope you enjoyed spending this time with me and I can’t wait to share the next. Thank you for reading.