1 week to go until I fly out to Vietnam and I cannot express how excited I am for this trip! This time, unlike Mexico back in June, I won’t be going alone. No. I will be going with my best friend. I must admit, am I nervous? Yes, yes a little. Why? I hear you ask, well to be quite honest with you, it has been a while since I have gone on a holiday with a friend, let alone a trip like Vietnam. Do I think me and him will be fine? Yes, 100%. That is not the reason why I’m slightly nervous. Does good old Typhoon Kajiki has something to do with it? Ohhh yesss she does! Apparently Kajiki has caused for mass evacuations throughout the area which we will be travelling through – time and place Kajiki! Was I aware of rain/monsoon season during the month September in South East Asia? Yes your honour, I’m guilty. Did this hold us back in making a decision whether to go or not? No, no it didn’t. Will we regret going? Who knows, I guess you have to stay tuned and find out for yourself – but let’s be real, mst likely not.

I am pretty sure we will have the best time regardless of what happens. Yes there is a chance we might get blown away like Mary Poppins, or Dorothy and Toto by Kajiki, but hey whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day it is all about the experience and memories we make, right? And if we do get blown away like Dorothy and Toto by typhoon Kajiki, I’m sure we land somewhere safe eventually – will that be the magical Land of Oz? Who knows, most likely not, but I’m sure whatever the weather, we will be absolutely fine. We’ll always have each other. Well… for the majority of the trip at least. Have I decided not to join on the Ha Giang Loop? Yes and to be quite honest with you the reason being, is that we are only there for a short amount of time and even though I would absolutely love to see as much of Vietnam as possible in as little time, I also know myself. Meaning, that I don’t think I will be one happy gal on the back of a scooter after a 20 hour travel day and then an additional 6-7 hour bus drive to go up north, to then hop on the back of Long (my imaginary Vietnamese driver) his little scooter and being at risk of battling through Kajiki and her bipolar weather tantrums – I rather pass. And hey, no offence to Long as I know in Vietnam this name means dragon and symbolises strength and nobility, but I rather take it easy and skip the noble dragon ride and spend the extra days exploring different bits of Vietnam. Call me anti-adventurous, call it #BecomingOfAge, but I call it me not crying into my helmet after no sleep.

The majority of the trip has now been planned and we’re finalising the last couple of bits. This also means that this coming Wednesday we are getting our Typhoid shots (which by the time you’re reading this, we’ve already had). Trust me when I say that I am not the best when it comes to needles (says the woman who loves herself some Botox every once in a while and sits through a tattoo session like it’s a little spa day out), but I’m also not a fan of being stuck on the toilet for 2 weeks straight and feel like absolute shit – quite literally.  And let me tell you, after my little Mexico trip I think I rather get the shot than go without (side note my vaccines were still in date – just in case all the Shirley’s of the internet are coming for me, thank you very much). Not that I had typhoid after I came back from Mexico, did it feel like it? No clue. But if typhoid is anything close to sprinting to the toilet like Usain Bolt every 5 minutes while questioning your life choices, then yes I’ve had the pleasure. So now that all the bits and pieces are coming together and that this trip is actually leaving the chat I’ll have to say that it still doesn’t feel like it’s actually happening. How so? Probably because I have yet another week of work, I also haven’t been paid and have yet again dipped into overdraft and to top it off, we haven’t booked our flights… The flight is the thing which, in all honesty, I’m least worried about, perks of staff travel babes. The hardest bit, is probably not to panic and remain professional when there is only a couple of seats left.

So, what am I expecting other than Typhoid and Typhoons? I’m expecting a serious sensory overload. Pure chaos in the best way possible, scooters coming from left, right and centre, street food galore (I think my body percentage will consist of 80% Pho and spring rolls) after I come back), Vietnamese iced coffee, cause we all know after my last post what happens if I don’t get my daily dose of caffeine and with, of course, the occasional egg coffee (look at me living on the edge and being all cultured). I’m also looking forward to visiting Ninh Binh as I’ve heard its like stepping into a postcard, with rice paddies and little boats sailing on emerald lakes and rivers (maybe I’ll be landing in the magical Land of Oz after all). But most of all to be spending 10 days with my best friend, exploring a new country and making some fun and memorable memories.

One week out, waiting for my rain poncho to arrive, typhoid shots scheduled, typhoon warnings present and a suitcase still very much empty. Will Vietnam blow us away? Yes and yes, at this rate it might literally. But will it also feed us the best Pho and noodles of our lives? 1000%. Will me and my best friend still be speaking to each other at the end? To be confirmed, but most likely yes. And hey whatever happens, happens. One thing is definitely guaranteed and that is that I will be back with more stories, a belly filled with noodles and hopefully not a parasite that needs its own passport.

Love,

Rose