#Vietnam – Da Nang

On the 27th of October, 2019, we were ready for another adventure. This time we were heading to the tourist capital of Vietnam. Yes, you guessed it we jetted off on Bamboo air to explore the city of Da Nang. It’s a 2-hour flight from Noi Bai airport and the halfway point between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. We hopped in a taxi to Meliá Da Nang Beach Resort. The friendly staff checked us in quickly and kindly upgraded our hotel room to one of the villas with an outdoor garden and a hop, skip and a jump away from the pool and beach. It started raining, and the porter shuttled us quickly to our villa, where we had time to unpack, order room service before heading to see the famous dragon bridge display.

Photo was copied from Meliá Da Nang Beach Resort, on arrival it was raining.

8.30 pm the taxi was waiting to take us to Da Nang Dragon Bridge, its the longest bridge in Vietnam. Still, more importantly, on weekends at 9 pm, it offers a dazzling display of lights and the intense heat as the dragon breaths out the fire, then cools down with water shooting out of its mouth. For the best view, I would suggest booking one of the boat trips and view the display on the river away from huge crowds that gather.

I have only good reviews of the hotel, and its amenities including buffet breakfast, pool bar, dinner and room service, the staff were always friendly, kind and helpful going beyond to ensure our stay was memorable. The villa was spacious, with a large spa bath and outdoor shower, even the toilet was high-tech with seat warmer and jets from all angles, think you might need a PhD to operate 😉, the kids were highly amused to find a telephone next to the toilet. They were coming up with a different reason why one would require a phone whilst completing one’s private business🤣🤣.

Our first full day at the resort was a lazy day; the weather was perfect. We started with the most important meal of the day, a buffet breakfast with a wide selection of fresh fruits, pastries, cold meats, bacon, sausages and egg prepared on the spot, there was Asian breakfast and sushi on offer a wide selection for any taste bud. After breakfast, the children were desperate to try out all the pools and play on the beach. Unfortunately, the red flag was up due to rip tides. Hence, we settled for a beach walk and morning swim before heading out to the beautiful UNESCO town of Hoi An,

Hoi An has become my new favourite spot. I loved wandering along the bustling narrow roads of the old town, popping into all their quirky shop’s selling silks, clothes, ornaments, dream catches and more. The streets colourfully decorated with endless lanterns strung across the road and dangling from windows and doors. We walked for hours admiring all the sights and smells Hoi An had to offer. The sun had finally worn us out, hot and bothered armed with pork sausage toes we finally sat down for a sunset dinner, then jumped into a taxi back to the hotel. I wish we stayed till dark to see all the lanterns glowing. Hmmm, 🤔 I have just given myself a great excuse to return for another visit.

We woke up to a very dreary wet day, headed to breakfast in the hope the weather would magically change before the shuttle bus dropped us off at Ba Na Hills. I was ready to tick off one of my bucket list items, The Hands I mean The Golden Bridge. Ba Na Hills is a little French village about 450m above sea level and serviced by numerous cableway systems connecting gardens, bridge, town and pagodas together all found at different elevation levels over the mountain.

My missed bucket list photo opportunity, unfortunately, all I have is the google photo to imagine how spectacular the view could have been.

We knew we would be disappointed, but we could only hope the weather would change and had to give it a chance. Hey ho, looking back on the day of drenched rats we can laugh at the day’s events. I’m sure it would have been a magnificent adventure on a clear dry day—another good reason to return for a do-over.

Another wet day in Da Nang, we had a few hours to kill before our flight home, so we went exploring Marble Mountain. Marble mountain is a group of five hills named after the elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth). ‘According to ancient folklore, a dragon emerged from the water on Non-Nuoc Beach and laid an egg. A thousand days and a thousand nights followed before the egg hatched, and out stepped a beautiful girl. The fragments of the shell were left on the beach and eventually grew into the five mystical Marble Mountains’. Thankfully we didn’t have to walk up all the steps and chose a one-way elevator ride to the top and explored the mountain as we strolled down. The gardens and carving were magnificent, and I do think it’s worth a visit. By the time we were almost down the rain started to fall, and we hurried to find a taxi to take us to Da Nangs 3D and Upside down museum.

The Museum was a perfect way to kill time and stay dry. The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

We had a memorable vacation in Da Nang, and could undoubtedly imagine ourselves living happily in the area. Da Nang is indeed cleaner than Hanoi, and thanks to the sea breeze, the pollution levels are much lower. Another bucket list destination not to miss if you are travelling to Vietnam.

#Vietnam – CatBa Island

Rise and shine, we had to wake up bright and early as we looked for a taxi to take us into town, and catch the 8 am bus. Our taxi driver was efficient but impatient as he zipped through traffic, hand on the horn beeping whilst switching lanes whenever he spotted a gap. Destination Hanoi Old Quater to catch the Cat Ba Express as we headed for a short getaway to explore the Island with my parents, visiting from South Africa.

It’s a 2-hour comfortable bus ride to Hai Phong dock to catch a speed boat to the Island. We were all expecting a fast ride across the bay, but it didn’t materialise. Aiden was bitterly disappointed as the tug boat slowly chugged along as it crossed to the other side, where the next bus was waiting to take us to our accommodation at Cat Ba Sunrise resort.

We were warmly greeted at the door and ushered into the aircon lounge for welcome drinks, and cooling towels. The staff were friendly and helpful, organising our 1st night’s meal, before showing us where to find all the hotel amenities and taking us to our rooms. Our rooms were clean and comfortable with mini bar, aircon, free wifi and views over the pool and beach.

Naturally, after check-in, the children had to try out the resort pool and beach, whilst the adults relaxed at the beach bar to take in the view.

Kids revitalised and cooled after their well-deserved swim; we took a stroll down the hill to explore the town. If you don’t want to walk, you can wait for the CatBa shuttle service running along the main road for $0.45 per person. The town is as expected with many restaurants, bar and shops selling souvenirs, t-shirts, and more, but for me, it was all about the view over the bay! We tried a few restaurants during our stay, and unfortunately, we didn’t find anything exceptional, and their prices were over-inflated as expected due to being a popular tourist destination. Thankfully we were in CatBa to explore nature and not the food.

I woke up early, dreaming about the buffet breakfast, and CatBa Sunrise Resort didn’t disappoint. There was something for everyone, from eggs, bacon, pastry selection to traditional Vietnamese Pho, everyone left the breakfast bar with full tummies. Now we’re ready to explore CatBa National Park. I wanted to walk into the forest, find some interesting critters, birds and plants. As we weren’t planning to walk to the busy view point, they advised us to take a guide to explore a quieter part of the forest, not sure why, but we obliged, didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks with my parents.

The forest was alive, buzzing with energy. We saw spiders, bugs and mushrooms everywhere; it was difficult to spot any birds, nor did we spot the rare monkey. None the less I am glad we explore even a small portion of the forest.

This spider was massive, the size of my hand. I accidentally walked straight into the edge of his web, lucky for him it was a strong web the spider no damage done, but I might have done a little freaked-out dance trying to shake off any possible spiders sitting on me.

Next stop Trung Trang Cave. Essential to note CatBa National Parks entry fee includes free entry to the cave. Once you have paid It will take about 30 minutes to navigate through the cave; some areas could be difficult as the cave roof is low and you are required to bend your knees and shuffle through the channels. You can expect to see some beautiful stalactites and stalagmites which glisten in the light.

We had worked up a sweat thanks to the high humidity; we were ready to head back to the resort and relax by the pool before heading out for an evening meal.

I was up early with the sparrows, as I wasn’t going to skip breakfast that I didn’t have to make. We had an early start to catch a boat for our one-day boat trip around Lan Ha Bay, featuring over 2000 limestone karsts in various shapes and sizes topped by rain forest as well as many little secluded beaches and coves.

The boat trip was relaxing, but the weather had other ideas, it rained on and off, and the clouds made it challenging to capture the bays true beauty. We visited a floating fishing village, stopping at a family’s fishing farm, where he proudly showed off his prized catch. The fishermen always keep their biggest prized fish for good luck; he won’t part with it unless he catches something bigger. The other holding ponds contain the fish they sell at the market.

After the farm, we cruised around some more before throwing down the anchor ready for lunch. Some brave soles dived off the boat into the calm emerald water while the rest relaxed on the deck. Once everyone had a chance to swim, we headed off to rent some kayaks to venture through some caves where boats were unable to go. If only I had a waterproof case I could have taken my phone; there were plenty of photo opportunities that I missed.

The fishermen keep dogs to help protect the fish from Hawk’s and sea birds trying to feed on their catch.

It was a relaxing day out and a perfect way to end our holiday. Bags packed we caught the bus back to Hanoi.

CatBa Island and Lan Ha Bay should be on your bucket list when visiting Vietnam. For more pictures https://www.instagram.com/tv/Bzn6mbdnJx6/?igshid=84e01ega8mvc

#Vietnam – My Bubble

I always wondered how it would feel living in a ‘bubble’. Now, I know!

When we relocated to Vietnam, my husband accepted a job in urbanisation called Ecopark. It’s situated on the outskirts of Hanoi and boasts 500 hectares of land. We were overjoyed to find comfortable and affordable accommodation, only 5 minutes walk to his work. Ecopark is continually growing, with daily developments of villas, semi-detached houses and apartments.

Ecopark has expanded tremendously over the years, and I am at a point whereby I have no reason to leave the urbanisation because I have access to most items I require daily. Of course, we go out, but only to explore somewhere new and exciting.

There are banks, ATMs, hospital, University, vet, schools, themed old town, cinema, pools, clubhouses, gyms, playgrounds, golf facilities, parks and recreational gardens along with a variety of shops, restaurants and much more all within walking distance, or short buggy ride.

I feel safe in our home and able to walk freely without fear. You can walk and bike ride day or night around Swan Lakes lit pathway and enjoy watching the colour changing bridges. During the day, you can have a picnic with friends and watch the swans while the children explore the rustic playgrounds and sensory play area. For the energetic enthusiast, you can hire a bicycle, exercise on outdoor gym equipment, kayak or fish from the various decks dotted around the lake. Ecopark never gets boring as they are continually upgrading the gardens with seasonal flowers, tying in different festive events. I am thankful to live in a peaceful green space far away from the cities hustle and bustle.

Ecopark is my ‘bubble’, and while I live in Vietnam, my ‘bubble’ suits me down to the ground. I need a safe green space for my children to be free running, jumping, kicking a ball or flying a kite, far away from crazy smog-filled streets in the city.

Instagram video on our life in Ecopark https://www.instagram.com/tv/Bzn543XnFjJ/?igshid=1cwp4zi150bvk

#South Africa – Leaving our beloved Country

How did we land in Vietnam? A place I would have never considered as my temporary home. To be honest, it wasn’t my first choice for even a holiday destination. How wrong and closed-minded I was!

My husband and I were on a mission. We desperately needed to emigrate and leave South Africa for the second time. We kept kicking ourselves at how stupid we were to have returned to South Africa in the first place after we had successfully managed to make a great life for ourselves in the UK and then Spain for nine years between 2000 and 2009.

My husband had his ten-year Spanish residence card. Next would have been a passport. Why did we give it all up? It started when the recession hit Spain, and it became exceedingly difficult with many companies closing down, a record number of redundancies and friends forced to return to the UK. We had just welcomed our beautiful daughter into the world, and we began to convince ourselves to give our beloved country a second chance. The only country we would unconditionally love like a toxic love affair impossible to end. We tried to pretend all was good and tried to forget all the wrong as we were willing it to become a country where we could feel safe, be close to our family and make a comfortable life for ourselves and our children. With heads in the clouds, we hoped ‘Mzansi could stand together as one and fight all evil’. I mean South Africa is a beautiful country, from scenery to culture and cuisine, not to mention our great climate and the big five, the number of talented sportsmen and women to name but a few. Unfortunately, the brutality is just too ghastly to accept. We had to get it out of our system. We had to accept, we would never have the freedom and security to enjoy its full beauty without fear. We could never be free from the bars we had to hide behind each night.

In September 2018, my husband accepted a position in Vietnam. It was unexpected as we never imagined a job opportunity in Asia, and we were excited to explore a world we had not encountered before. An excellent way to share it with our children. We finally realised we were living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. We were unable to settle down in one particular country or place, we seemed to be moving every 3 to 4 years. Looking for a new opportunity and new challenges. So why not embrace our lifestyle and explore a new part of the world. The experiences our children have world schooling, learning to respect different cultures, their ways of life and belief systems they come across as they interact with people of all ages

Everything steamrolled quickly. We had to give in our notice at work, sell our home contents, cars and source the countless documents required to be authorised, apostle stamped and then translated. My husband needed to be in Vietnam in October, which didn’t give us enough time. We decided that he should leave ahead of us while we remained behind to finish all tasks, and the children could complete their academic school year.

I need to give myself a big pat on my back. I did it all on my own. Ok, it wasn’t my first rodeo. We had relocated from Johannesburg to the UK, then the UK to Spain, Spain to Johannesburg, Johannesburg to Mosselbay, Mosselbay to Cape Town and now Cape Town to Hanoi. The only difference this time was the added pressure to sell the entire contents of our home, assist my daughter with her first year-end exams, organise a joint pool birthday/farewell party, and plan our final road trip from Cape Town to Johannesburg with our worldly belongings piled high in the car.

The day arrived 1 more day till we left our home in Cape Town. My wonderful mom flew in to join us on our road trip. One last night sleep in an empty home, with two beds and a washing machine waiting for collection on departure day. We enjoyed a final walk on Fish Hoek beach and finished our day off with a fabulous dinner in Kalk Bay.

With the sun shining bright we were ready. Last items dropped off at salvation army, car packed to the brim every inch of space taken up by worldly belongings. We waited for the final buyers to collect beds, washing machine and head out of Cape Town on our 1450km road trip.

Our first stop a hidden gem off the N1 Matjiesfontein! It is only a two and a half hours drive from Cape Town. The perfect pitstop and an excellent excuse to explore the restored little Victorian street. We stopped for a bite and stepped back in time.

Tummies filled and legs stretched we continued onto Beaufort West another 230km drive for a well deserved night sleep. We book the Greys House through AirB&B, the accommodation was spacious, clean and exceedingly comfortable, with indoor pool and garden to keep the children entertained.

After a restful sleep, we were ready for the next leg of the journey, approximately 500km drive to Kimberly, to visit the worlds largest diamond mine and the deepest man-made pit in history. We decided to stay two days as we wanted to explore the town and its history.

We chose to stay at Jungnickel Gastehuis in Kimberly. The guesthouse service and English breakfast were excellent. Thankfully they had a pool and shaded outdoor space for my mom and I to relax and keep an eye on the children as they cool off after a busy morning in the Karoo heat.

Our final leg and feeling very cramped in the car we couldn’t wait to see our family in Johannesburg. I needed a holiday and spend quality time with my mom, dad inlaws before flying to Hanoi.

D-Day, 20th December 2018, we were ready to start our new adventure but oh how I dislike saying goodbye! There were no dry eyes at the airport. Filled with mixed feelings of excitement, sadness and guilt as we left our loved ones behind. We had to look forward and board the Cathay Pacific flight, looking towards the unknown future, but eager to reunite with my husband. It was the longest separation we had ever had to endure, but thankful it was coming to an end.

Tired of waiting in the long queue to check-in

Jhb to Hong Kong, short layover and connection to Hanoi

As challenging and as stressful as our move was, we managed it! We all settle into our new home and the children have adapted well to their new lifestyle.

If you are lucky enough to be given a chance to move to a new country, don’t look back, don’t live in the past, but be prepared, as every country has its pros and cons, and the 1st move is never easy. The reward for trying will be making a new life, exploring a new country and enjoying the adventure along the way. I can admit our 1st move was the hardest and took about two years to settle down, but with each move after that, it has become notably easier.