Reset search
Essential Vietnam
  • Valentine Owoade
  • Valentine Owoade

Essential Vietnam

Well on the eve of another far flung trip the tension is building and I am getting quite excited, looking forward to sharing my trip with you Read more
FollowInsightsInsightsCalendarCalendarPhotosPhotosShareShareBucket list
Newest first
  • Trip start
    November 11, 2019
    Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1

    Ready set go

    November 12, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    Well all packed and leaving for the airport now,

    On the train listening to my first podcast ever, 'What's the T' Rupaul & Michelle Visage, as recommended by Megan, you know who you are

    In Stanstead all ready to lift off. Relaxing on the plane, well one of us is

    Now landed in Dubai, so half way there. And now chilling out in the Nutella cafe    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Hanoi

    November 13, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    So now in the airport at Hanoi, in the queue waiting for the usual slog through customs

    Picked up luggage and got a transfer to the hotel which is nice so gonna have a shower and a snooze till we meet the rest of out group at 6pm

    Met the group, there 8 of us in total, now time for my first viet meal, also havi g a cocktail called 'I love you' standby for the reviews

    P. S Its raining lightly but still t-shirt & flip flops weather

    ?    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    2

    Boat day

    November 14, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Early start, packed for the boat later and had a hearty breakfast, fruit, rice, spring rolls, omelette, potatoes, bacon and sausages, now ready to start the day, pictures later

    So we travelled 4 hours with a pit stop in between to Ha Long Bay, boarded the boat had a light 10 course meal and now lounging on the top deck of our boat, ready for that cat nap, chat later.

    (actually any updates will be tomorrow as no WiFi on the boat and we're here overnight

    Found some open wifi    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1

    Boat day part deux

    November 14, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Off kayaking next, so it was two to a kayak so I went with Tanya's cousin Antolina, and you kayak into kind of like an open cave or a lake surrounded by a cavern with no roof.

    There were loads of cute monkey's, after paddling around we went back to the boat, for some cocktails and we had an 'around the world' 5x liquor plus coke, very nice.

    We then had dinner after which we went up and chilled under the stars on the roof deck, we were supposed do some karaoke but the local were watching football, Vietnam v UAE, final score Vietnam 1 UAE nil.

    Then went to bed to get ready for the caves in the morning    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1

    Train day

    November 15, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Woke up this morning had breakfast, went cave exploring then had brunch. After checking off the boat we headed back to the hotel with a brief stop off at a pearl factory.

    Pearl's of wisdom gained we headed back to the hotel where are now waiting for our tour guide for the food tour.

    So completed food tour, was well nice and now on the train, everyone is grabbing last minute WiFi before we leave the station

    Also making friends with the locals, apparently my lookey likey for this holiday is snoop    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1

    Motorbike Day

    November 16, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    So we survived the train ride, our cabin was the party cabin, even had a few revellers from other cabins.

    We arrived in Hue this morning had breakfast and now waiting to start the motorbike tour,

    Now on the motorbike tour, first stop the Citadel,    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1
    1

    Motorbike day deux

    November 16, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    So the motorbike tour that I swore I was not going to go on was amazing. After the Citadel we went to the temple which had an amazing pagoda followed by a vegan lunch at a nunnery and then to a mausoleum after which we went to a village where they made incense.

    After that we went to bunker Hill where the view was stunning and we finished off with a trip to the country side.

    Came back to the hotel, snoozed, had a long long awaited shower, and now sat down with my Cuba libre waiting for dinner 😁

    Dinner was amazing, followed by a game of jenga. Loser had to buy shots, then had a green tea ice cream and now in a bar having a cucumber mojito.

    Tomorrow we are doing the hai van pass, bring it on    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    2
    1

    Hai Van Pass & other stories

    November 17, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    So having breakfast then checking out and following in the top gear footsteps

    First pit stop on the way to the pass for coffee and a break at the Lagoon.

    Checked in, lovely hotel, went on a walking tour of the village (we're in Hoi An), now having a Ban mi, which is a Vietnamese sandwich.

    Also met some of the wildlife earlier back at the pass    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    oodles...

    November 18, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Yesterday was a late one, up this morning had a nice breakfast and then went to get measured for a suit, had a coconut ice-cream coffee and now a quick snooze before riding off into the country and learning to make noodles

    Having a quick iced tea before noodle making and cycling in the countryside

    So learnt how to make a type of noodles and then ate them, then served a delicious meal.

    Then went cycling in the countryside, met a lovely old man and learnt about farming, drank tea, and banana wine as well as taking a trip in a small round boat followed by a bigger one down the river    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Oodles cont...

    November 18, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After getting off the boat headed home to get ready for dinner, had a little walk round after and then went back to the hotel for an early night.

    A few more highlights of the day in pictures

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    1

    Downtime in Hoi an

    November 19, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Had a nice leisurely breakfast and just going to take it easy today, chillax do a bit of shopping, go for final fitting at tailors and see where the wind blows us

    Had a little dip in the pool too.

    Now getting the double whammy, a pedicure and reflexology, boy it's painful but in a good way

    Had second fitting at tailors and now sitting down for a spot of lunch.

    So pretty much had an easy day, pottering round the shops, went back to hotel and finished reading my book, had a lovely dinner with Moroccan Mint tea and honey, but of a sore throat from all the a/c and back for and early night.

    Tomorrow Saigon here we come    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Saigon here we come

    November 20, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So we've had breakfast and now busy compressing our essentials into our luggage for take off.

    Now in the Da nang airport waiting to board, asked fir a small black coffee and got the smallest coffee in the world, literally

    Arrived lovely hotel with a mechanised toilet, all singing all dancing

    So we've been out for a light lunch, quick walk around and been to the bakery and now out having dinner, I know it's all about the food    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Tunnels

    November 21, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    So had a quick breckki in the morning before heading off to see the tunnels the Vietnamese resistance used to hide from the Americans during the war.

    Was taken round the area by the guide and saw the lifestyle of the Vietnamese during the war and got to go down the tunnels which were very claustrophobic being built for men of a tiny statureRead more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade
    2

    Mekong Delta

    November 22, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    So we have had breakfast and now have 6 new people join the group, now on the bus on the way to the river to get on a boat and try a lot of fruit from the tropical fruit garden

    So we saw how the different tropical fruits were grown, and then had a taste. After this we went to the bee farm, checked out the bees, tasted some honey from the hive followed by some honey tea.

    We then got back on the boat to go to the coconut farm/factory and saw how the coconut was farmed and opened and stripped.

    Also watched the woman making the candy (very nimble fingers).

    We then went on to taste the coconut wine, banana wine and rice wine which just happened to have cobras and scorpions in the bottle's    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Before the border

    November 23, 2019 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Today we're checking out and waiting for the public bus that is going to take us across the border to Cambodia.

    So now we're on the bus for the first part of the journey this side of the border

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    After the border

    November 23, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ 🌙 28 °C

    Yay managed to cross the border no incidents apart from a $1 bride on the Vietnamese side to leave and the grumpiest official ever on the Cambodian side to get in

    Got to the hotel had a little break then took a great trip on the bike tuk tuk stopping off at random places for tourist infoRead more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Killing fields

    November 24, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    A bit of a sombre trip today to see the killing fields where the people of Cambodia were killed during the was followed by the museum which is a former detention center.

    Dentention center used to be a school and prisoners were tortured there before being sent to the killing fields.

    There were two men there who were actual survivors of the detention center and hearing their story was hard but I believe sometimes this is necessary so we don't fall into complacency and repeat the same horrors all over again.

    Obviously not many pictures from this morning.    Read more

  • Valentine OwoadeEssential VietnamValentine Owoade

    Spiders & other bugs

    November 25, 2019 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today we are enroute to Siam Reap, 6 hour journey in the bus but will. Be broken up by breaks.

    On the first break we might meet some spiders

    So the first break introduced us to the Cambodian delicacies, namely Big Big spiders and bugs.

    And in case your wondering spiders taste like pork and silk worms and small crickets taste swishy

    Next stop was for lunch at a restaurant on stilts, I had beef with red ants in the Lotus leaf with avocado smoothie, it was lovely    Read more

  • 2026© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Help Center
  • Legal notice