Visiting Nha Trang in Vietnam
Jul25

Visiting Nha Trang in Vietnam

After a few weeks in Vietnam, and even longer away from the water’s edge, Tigger and me decided we needed a beach break. I hadn’t heard many people talk about Nha Trang (pronounced like nah-chang), but our friend in Dalat really enjoyed it. We were due in Saigon soon, and since it was possible to take the overnight train from Nha Trang to Saigon, it was settled. Our landlady made a phone reservation for us for the bus. They have a...

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Information on Visas for Vietnam
Jun14

Information on Visas for Vietnam

If you’ve looked for information on visas for Vietnam, you may have found an important piece of information missing, especially from the State Department and Vietnam Embassy websites: If you’re flying into Vietnam, you can get a visa on arrival (VOA). And if you’re not sure about visiting Vietnam, I thoroughly encourage it! Overland or by Cruise If you’re coming into Vietnam by land or sea, you must have a visa in advance (for...

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Thoughts on Visiting Vietnam Today
May24

Thoughts on Visiting Vietnam Today

There are some places you visit that you instantly fall in love with, or perhaps by the time you leave you have conflicted emotions. Then there are those places that slowly seduce you and have you missing them before you’ve even left. That is exactly where I found myself during our too brief time in Vietnam. What is it like in Vietnam today? Vietnam is composed of 54 different ethnic groups. For much of its earlier history, it was...

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Relaxing in Da Lat
May22

Relaxing in Da Lat

After several days in noisy, chaotic, hot, and kind of grumpy Hanoi, we were ready for somewhere that was calmer. Lots of people recommended Hoi An, which is basically why we didn’t go there. I wanted to see a part of Vietnam that wasn’t as popular with the Western tourists. When another blogger mentioned the town of Da Lat, I was intrigued. She absolutely loved it, and it had two big requirements for us: cooler temps (homes don’t...

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Thoughts of an American in Vietnam on Liberation Day
Apr30

Thoughts of an American in Vietnam on Liberation Day

I was a bit afraid to come to Vietnam. No, I wasn’t worried about being an American in Vietnam. It just seemed like there were plenty of horror stories occasionally mixed in with the “It’s an interesting place” vague ones. Okay, yes I was a little concerned about how I would be received. Not like I expected to be attacked or anything. It’s just. . . Complicated. Even though I was very young during the Vietnam War, it was still...

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