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Lisa Glaettli

Lisa Glaettli

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia
      2

      Recovering & relaxing in Phuket

      11 de junio, Tailandia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      The journey to Phuket took us the entire day. First, our flight was delayed by 2.5 hours for no apparent reason—classic. Then, once we finally boarded and settled into our seats, the plane suddenly powered down. Lights off, AC off, everything off.
      We waited about 30 minutes before the crew announced that the aircraft needed repairs—or that we’d be changing planes entirely. Back to the terminal we went. I wasn’t feeling 100% to begin with and was already running low on patience. I tried not to show it too much, and tried not to complain (too much). But let’s be honest, mildly grumpy was the baseline.
      Eventually, they announced boarding for a new aircraft, an hour later. We boarded again, trying to be optimistic this time, and finally left Ho Chi Minh City with a 5-hour delay.
      Honestly, it wouldn’t have been that bad if I hadn’t planned to meet up with my thai friend Tam and her daughter Vela that evening. They were leaving for Bangkok the next day, so every hour counted. But luckily, everything worked out in the end.

      We had a lovely dinner with Tam and Vela that night, followed by a beautiful little boat trip with them the next morning. A short reunion, but a very sweet one.

      The next few days we embraced full vacation mode: relaxing by the pool, sipping generous amounts of cocktails, feasting on seafood, heading to the beach, and exploring Old Town Phuket. The colorful shops, the vibrant streets and yes, the very questionable “Tom Yum Kung fish soup ice cream.” Jasper says: not recommended. I say: an experience.
      For once, we made full use of the hotel facilities (for once not staying in a 10-bed hostel dorm): I did a cooking class, got two massages, and even went to a yoga class. Pure luxury after a month of backpacking with questionable mattresses and shared bathrooms.

      For our final adventure, we took a scooter for the 80-minute ride to the airport. Looking back, possibly not the safest choice. But the hot air rushing past, the chaotic symphony of motorbikes, and the endless scenery made me feel totally alive—totally free. Even as we were speeding down the highway at 90 km/h, my backpack threatening to yeet me off the seat, eyes half-shut from exhaustion, I was just... thankful.

      Speaking of thankful, I’m so incredibly grateful I got to share this trip with Jasper. Grateful that I had the chance to travel through Asia at all. It’s a privilege, and I know it. Seeing everything through four eyes instead of two gave everything more perspective.
      We had so many ridiculously funny moments, and Jasper honestly took care of me like a big brother whenever I wasn’t feeling well. Sure, we annoyed each other occasionally and had a few tiny discussions, but nothing that lasted more than five minutes. Our friendship grew stronger than ever, surviving sleepless nights on sleeper buses and fever checks during food poisoning really do bond you for life.
      Now I’m in Doha, sitting on the plane to Zurich. Going home is never my favorite chapter of the story, but it’s part of it. Reality hits, eventually.

      I know I’ll return to Thailand. The culture, the warmth of the people, it all captured me in just three days. There’s still so much more I want to see.
      But for now? Swiss mountains, I’m coming for you.
      Let’s hike it off.

      And with that, my backpacking through east asia has come to an end🫶      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      Ho Chi Minh Shitty

      6 de junio, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      As the title says our one and a half days in Saigon were not exactly great.

      But let me start from the beginning.
      We took the bus from Can Tho to the city, checked into our very nice hotel – Annie House – where we finally got a clean and large double room (hallelujah). Then we went for lunch at what’s supposedly the best Pho place in HCMC. And I must say it was actually really good.
      Next stop: Annam, a delicacy supermarket – and you know my thing for supermarkets. I was honestly overwhelmed (in a good way) by all the gluten-free stuff. A mini happy moment.
      Later, we went to a beer tasting where jasper quickly turned into a beer sommelier, I documented everything precisely and then headed back to the hotel to get ready for the night.
      Matching outfits on, we fought the chaotic traffic to reach a fancy rooftop bar, had a Vietnamese dinner afterwards, and strolled down Bui Vien Street, a bar street, also called crazy street. But… wow. That place was next-level crazy. We looked at each other and decided, Nope. We weren’t that kind of crazy.
      The next day: the misery begins.
      We woke up, had an açaí bowl and coffee, and set off to do the touristy stuff.
      But something was off. After the coffee, we both felt like someone had punched us in the gut. Still, we went to the War Remnants Museum, where my nausea really kicked in – but I chalked it up to the gut-wrenching content. Seriously, the images were horrifying – torture, prisons, corpses. It was heavy.
      We moved on to the Post Office – one of HCMC’s “must-sees,” but honestly, surrounded by skyscrapers, it just looked kinda sad. Like a lost grandma in a techno club.
      BUT: I got to send my 11 postcards. Victory? Almost.
      We had a minor crisis: I had to lick 33 stamps. And I really didn’t want my tongue to touch those things. But here came Jasper, immune system of steel, who took over licking duty while I prepped the stamps. Fifteen minutes, some tears, and possibly PTSD later – we were done.
      Then we ordered lunch from a gluten-free restaurant/bakery, yayy. I finally got my first Banh Mi! We shared everything so I could try more. A moment of pure joy.
      Followed by disaster.
      After lunch, my unwellness reached new heights. We ran to Starbucks because I needed a toilet to throw up – and yes, it was that bad. And yes, it got worse.
      We Grab’d back to the hotel, where I fell into bed, proceeded to throw up multiple times, and tried to relax. Tried and failed.
      Jasper went out to find a pharmacy. Did I mention it was monsoon season? He returned soaked to the bone, but with probiotics and ginger tea in hand.
      After one final full-on vomit performance, I started to feel slightly better. Still, everything hurt, I was freezing and sweating at the same time, and my breathing was all over the place, like a broken accordion.
      Jasper stayed by my side the whole time, comforting me, trying to make me laugh – and actually succeeding now and then. Especially when he decided I was about to die and started singing church hymns and performing last rites like I was a medieval pope. Honestly, I think I laughed-cried through the nausea.
      The horror show went on for about 12 hours.
      At 1 AM, I woke up and felt... not good, but slightly human. I even managed to sleep a little.
      And the wild part? Jasper wasn’t feeling great either – but he still did everything to take care of me…
      This morning, I woke up dehydrated like a raisin and with a giant headache – but the nausea was gone, so I considered that a win.
      Now we’re sitting at the airport, waiting for our 2.5-hour delayed flight to Phuket.
      Onwards, with hope... and probiotics.      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      When things got out of Hand

      5 de junio, Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

      We arrived in Can Tho two hours too early—at around 4 am with almost no sleep and the brain activity of overcooked noodles. We took a Grab to Ms Ha Homestay, and even though it was insanely early, we knocked on the door just to try our luck. To our surprise, the woman actually opened up. Without skipping a beat, she asked if we wanted to visit the local floating markets.
      We agreed—because we were already awake, and honestly didn’t have a clue what else to do at 5:30 a.m. So off we went, just the two of us and Ms Ha, on a tiny motorboat down on of the Rivers of the Mekong.
      Now, Ms Ha is a very cool old lady. But wow—she’s persistent. She INSISTED on taking dozens of pictures of us in every imaginable pose. I’m pretty sure she usually gets the Instagram influencer crowd who live for this stuff. Jasper and I? Not so much. Half the time we were cringing like crazy, and the other half we were laughing so hard we almost fell overboard.
      We visited the local market and actually helped her with her weekly shopping. And not like, one or two things—she went full-on grocery mode. It was really cool tho walking around with a local, seeing how people shop, what they buy. She kept buying food for us, and by 8 a.m. we were already three meals deep and in a slight food coma.
      Then she brought us to a place where they produce rice noodles. I even got to help out, which was fun! Jasper, however, had to watch from the dry zone because his super slippery sliders were NOT made for wet floors.
      We also saw how soy sprouts are grown and walked past some local families. And then, because apparently this is just a thing you can do, Ms Ha walked into a house, picked up a baby, yes, a real human baby, and handed it to me. Just like that. For the next 20 minutes, I was walking around holding this tiny, squishy, silent bundle, sweating and desperately hoping it wouldn’t cry or spontaneously decide to yeet itself out of my arms. But honestly? It was also kind of cute and wholesome. That said, I was definitely relieved when she took it back.
      Eventually we returned via boat, completely destroyed by the day. We collapsed for a two-hour nap that felt like five minutes. We also realized our average sleep per night is about 5 hours and 30 minutes, and that every third night we basically sleep like garbage, either on a bus, or by waking up stupidly early for something "fun."
      After the nap we forced ourselves to walk around the city, even though we were still so tired we felt like someone had punched us in the stomachs and then played drums on our heads. The city itself? Honestly? Not really giving... anything. Seeing the Mekong was nice, we finally got to see the sunset from a rooftop bar, and we had a solid, gluten-free-safe dinner.
      The actual highlight of the day: at the night market, we got T-shirts printed with photos from our trip. Possibly the most touristy thing we've done so far—and we loved it.
      Then we fell into bed and prayed to every god that we'd sleep forever.
      Well. Guess who’s awake at 6 a.m. again?      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      Fast and Furious Da Lat

      3 de junio, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

      Our journey to Da Lat wasn’t just another travel day — it was an action movie, a comedy, and a small miracle all rolled into one.
      It all started in Nha Trang, when the bus organization casually texted us that the transfer bus to Da Lat couldn’t wait for us anymore. We were already running late, and their genius plan? “Get off your bus and take a taxi to catch up with the Da Lat-bound bus on the highway“ Right.
      So basically, Fast & Furious: Vietnam Edition kicked off there. We jumped into a random cab, used Google Translate to explain our ridiculous situation to the driver (because of course, no English), and hoped for the best. Imagine: some foreigners telling you they need to chase a bus down and no, they’re not paying for the ride because some bus company with only a WhatsApp number is supposedly covering it.
      And somehow—somehow—it worked. The taxi driver called the bus company, they yelled at each other over the phone for a bit, and 10 minutes later we were sitting safely in the Da Lat bus like nothing ever happened.
      When we finally arrived in Da Lat, cold and starving, we went for bun bo and I impulse-bought a hoodie at the market because I was freezing. Turns out, that hoodie is now my favorite thing ever. Cozy, cute, and will forever remind me of that wild entrance into Da Lat.
      After food, we went to a coffee farm where they showed us how to make that delicious Vietnamese drip coffee Jasper and I are obsessed with. We're still trying to crack the code to recreate it at home—some combination of patience, technique, and magic, I think.
      Dinner was early-ish, and we went to bed exhausted but excited for the next day.
      And what a next day it was. Before breakfast, we headed to a waterfall adventure park at 7 a.m., did an alpine roller coaster and ziplining—all while being the first visitors of the day, which meant we got the waterfall views all to ourselves. Total VIP vibes.
      After that adrenaline kick, we scooted to town to meet Ladina for breakfast (best smoothie bowl with gluten-free granola ever, no exaggeration - i even vought some to bring with me from now on). Then it was off to the famous Mario Kart racing track. We each raced against each other wearing funny helmets to film the race and yes, I won the second lap against both Ladina and Jasper, thank you very much. After that, we rode our scooters back into town, jasper driving and me doing my best Google Maps voice from the back: “Turn left in... never mind, missed it.”
      That evening, we met up with Ladina for Indian food, then wandered into Maze Bar—a bar that is literally a maze, designed by the daughter of Vietnam’s first president (who also designed the famous Crazy House we visited earlier that day).
      Next day = new adventure: canyoning! Aside from a brief shoe-size crisis (jasper vs vietnamese feet), it was pure fun—waterfalls, rappelling, slides... the whole. Afterward, we visited the Da Lat winery, the biggest in Vietnam. The wines were, let’s say, charming but humble, but the experience was great regardless.
      The scooter ride back from the winery, though? Monsoon level. It rained like mad. My socks were so wet I’m honestly considering throwing them out instead of letting them continue their sad, soggy existence.ä
      And now, here we are. After our second round of that same amazing Indian food (yes, same restaurant, no regrets), we’re hopping on the sleeper bus to Can Tho. Bye-bye mountainy Da Lat, hello hot and humid Mekong Delta!      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia
      1

      Charming Cham Islands

      31 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

      If my skin tastes like salt, sweat, and sunscreen, I know I’m in the right place.
      The thing about backpacking is: you have to be spontaneous. You see a chance, you take it. It’s a rollercoaster — the highs are sky-high, but the lows can be pretty low. All you’ve got is what’s in your backpack, your feet to carry you, a good friend by your side, and sometimes a wildly unreliable bus — with either ice-cold aircon set to 15°C, snoring seat neighbors, or roads so bumpy you end up headbutting the ceiling.
      But still, it’s a free way of traveling. You don’t leave anything behind, you don’t really impact your surroundings — except the people you meet. You get to see places, at least to some extent, through the eyes of the locals. And that’s what I love about it.
      Over the last few days, one thought kept repeating in my head:
      "I’m so incredibly free."

      We spent two wonderful days on the Cham Islands.
      We stayed at a cozy homestay with the sweetest host. Only about 30 tourists stayed overnight — the rest were locals. Within the first ten minutes, Jasper managed to break half the balcony (but it was old anyway, so we’re not blaming him... too much).
      We rented a scooter, checked out a few beaches, and made it all the way to the most remote one — only for the scooter to break down. Luckily, a kind guy drove us back to the village. No data, no help otherwise. On another road, the pavement was so wrecked we had to push the scooter — and then turn around and push it uphill, which honestly felt like punishment for being adventurous.
      One of the absolute highlights was diving.
      Two dives, each around 50 minutes (but felt like 10), and we saw puffers, lionfish, moray eels, lobsters, and coral that was still surprisingly colorful.
      We spent loads of time on the beach, surrounded by palm trees, monkeys, and sunshine.
      It looked like paradise.
      And the seafood? Incredible. We went to this small restaurant and decided to come back the next evening after watching a gorgeous sunset.
      Only downside: the waiter couldn’t read or write, and honestly, it felt like he barely spoke Vietnamese. After some classic miscommunication, I ended up getting glutened. But hey, me and my stomach got over it.
      After those two exciting, never-boring, yet still peaceful and beautiful days on the islands (Jasper didn’t even want to go at first — now he admits it was amazing), we had to say goodbye.
      We picked up our clothes from Bich’s place, had dinner, and headed to the bus station — ready for our next adventure: the night bus to Da Lat.
      Plot twist: The bus was overbooked. They just told us, straight-faced, "No space."
      Coolcoolcool.
      So we sat around like sad backpackers do — until Jasper, the legend, started texting and calling every bus company out there. After juggling a few options, he found a route: Hoi An → Quy Nhon → Nha Trang → Da Lat.
      We even considered flying the next morning to avoid the 18-hour chaos... but backpackers are also budget warriors.
      With two hours to kill before the bus, we found a bar with live music. By pure coincidence, I ran into Ladina, a friend from ski school who had the exact same problem. We booked the same bus for her, had drinks, laughed, and enjoyed the music. It turned out to be a perfect night.
      Then came the bus — 35 minutes late, of course. We sat on the sidewalk like total outcasts, but somehow felt so good. So free. So alive.
      Eventually, the bus showed up. Tiny beds — absolutely no room. Ladina and I didn’t sleep at all. Jasper managed to snooze a bit (shockingly). And now we’re on our second bus, the roads are horrific, sleep is a distant dream, but... in 6 hours, we’ll be in Da Lat.
      And we’ll see what happens next. :)      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      From styes to styles

      29 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

      Sorry this is a long one but its super cool so read until the end:)

      We arrived in Hoi An in the late afternoon, went to the hostel where we were greeted very warmly by Ernest, the owner, and took a little stroll around the old town before meeting Xaver and Jana for dinner at Silent Garden. Such a funny coincidence that one of our days in Vietnam overlaps—especially because they're traveling from south to north!
      The next morning, I woke up at the hostel after a long and very good sleep… but with an eyelid the size of a balloon. I immediately texted Jasper that I had to go to the doctor and that this shady antibiotic thingy—which honestly looked like a knockoff perfume—had not worked at all. Quite the opposite, actually.
      Jasper had already gone for a walk, but he came back prepared: he had Googled and found a good hospital. We walked there and I immediately felt very well taken care of.
      The doctor was British, spoke perfect English, and led us to the Vietnamese eye doctor. We had to wait a little and fill in some forms. I told Jasper he could leave and that I'd text him when I was done—but he didn’t leave. And honestly, I was so thankful for that, even though I didn’t admit it at the time.
      When we entered the eye doctor’s room, he asked (in very Vietnamese-English, mostly Vietnamese) what hurt, and I told him that even touching my eyelid was super painful. Well, this man did not CARE. At all. He squeezed and pressed and twisted my eyelid—tears started flowing immediately (partly from the pain, partly because the whole situation was a bit overwhelming). I was really suffering.
      After five minutes, the nightmare was over. He smiled and just said “Okay,” then led me out. I was completely confused but figured he knew what he was doing. A nurse explained I had a stye, and if I took the medication, it should go away in a few days. I was handed two different antibiotics and an antihistamine. My bag felt like I'd just finished a day of shopping.
      Obviously, I deserved a treat—so we bought a super nice shirt for Jasper (my suggestion, hehe—slightly jealous because it looks amazing), a top for me, and then went to Ellie’s Café for a delicious smoothie bowl.
      We wandered a bit more through the city, and honestly, Hoi An is the most beautiful and authentic city I’ve seen in Vietnam so far. Since most tourists were just there on day trips, it was pretty empty and peaceful.
      After the obligatory postcard hunting session, we went to Bông Taylor, where Bich is the shop owner—we’d heard great things about the place. She was super welcoming, and when we told her we were Lara’s friends (the one who had recommended the shop), she was thrilled and even gave us a good price! She took our measurements, which was actually quite funny for Jasper and me, and then we discussed what we wanted to get made (stay tuned for the big reveal).
      We tried white rose dumplings for lunch (a local specialty), checked out of SnapStay Hostel, and moved to Wanderlust Hostel at the beach. Finally, we got to enjoy the sun, tan by the pool, and chill with another cute little doggo named Boogie (who didn't bite me this time, yay).
      In the evening, we grabbed a ride back to the city center, had a cocktail, and then dinner at Morning Glory—super nice restaurant with great food and a lovely view. Ordering was, once again, a challenge. The waitress had to tell me five times that the dish I wanted wasn’t possible gluten-free.
      Since it was Thursday, and Thursday is party night, we tried one of those wild “buy two, get four free” deals… but we still ended up just having two cocktails for the price of one. Totally fine. We went home a little tipsy and happy.
      Jasper was super tired, but I wasn’t, so I started doing my nails (seriously overdue) and sat by the pool, just thinking and daydreaming. When Jasper came out, I told him to sit and enjoy the silence with me. It was such a peaceful and magical moment that I spontaneously suggested going to the beach.
      We walked down, and although we weren’t the only ones with that idea, it was still so calm. We hardly spoke—we just watched the sea. Wave after wave, never stopping, never tired. It was probably the most recharging moment I’ve had in months.
      I want to be like the ocean. No matter what happens in the world, it’s so tireless, always in its rhythm.
      We went to bed around 12:30, after I did a little happy dance (yes, there's a picture). And yet, I still woke up at 5:15—with no alarm. So I thought, let’s see the sunrise and enjoy the calm, empty beach.
      HAHA. Little did I know. The beach was packed with Vietnamese people doing tai chi, playing volleyball, digging holes in the sand, and just lying around. A group of Vietnamese people asked me if I wanted to play volleyball with them, so I joined for 30 minutes—and I absolutely loved the experience. We couldn’t really communicate because of my poor Vietnamese, but we understood each other well enough. It was such a heartwarming moment.
      Now, Jasper and I are drinking coffee at a beach café and getting ready to try on our clothes at Bich’s tailor store.      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia
      1

      Quick Stop in Hue

      28 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

      Our night bus to Hue stopped in Tam Coc, so we grabbed dinner (roasted duck!) and a couple of drinks to mentally prepare ourselves for the long ride. We left at 7 PM and decided to watch Anyone But You, squeezing together into the same bunkbed — worked surprisingly well.
      Sleeping however did not work: the night wasn’t as restful as I’d hoped. I probably slept about six hours total, but it was pretty disturbed sleep — the kind where you wake up not knowing if it’s 2 AM or Tuesday.
      Next morning, my eye was swollen again — super glamorous. So our first stop, at 6 AM, was the pharmacy. We ended up checking out three different places in total, and all of them agreed: some kind of bacterial infection. I got some eye drops that should help… let’s see.
      We left our backpacks at a hostel we’d booked for the night — only 2 euros! — and went off in search of breakfast. That turned into a mini comedy show:
      “Gluten-free, please. No gluten. Zero gluten. Gluten I cannot. No granola, yes flaxseeds. No sugar in the coffee. No condensed milk. Yes toast — but no gluten. Gluten in bread. Gluten BAD.”
      Honestly, it was a fight. But we won. Avocado toast, smoothie bowl, and Vietnamese coffee — victory.
      Reinforced and finally caffeinated, we headed to the Citadel, where Jasper — like his dad — slipped right into tour guide mode. He explained everything about the gates, the buildings, the history… he’s great. I pay him in my company. ;)
      After all that cultural input, we visited the biggest market in Hue, then went for another coffee. Jasper had a banh mi, and we walked back to the hostel to grab our bags.
      We didn’t stay the night after all — instead, we booked the next bus to Hoi An, where we’re currently sitting. A short but nice visit to Hue, and honestly, I’m really glad we shifted our plans a bit to see the old capital.      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      Two rice grains in Pu Luong

      27 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 21 °C

      The next stop on our journey: Pu Luong.
      Right in the middle of endless rice fields. No tourists. No bars. Barely any restaurants. No highways. Just rice. After the chaos of Ninh Binh, it felt like paradise.
      On the day we arrived, we just wandered around aimlessly, tried (and failed) to open an unripe durian, threw some sticks, and generally fooled around while exploring. We stopped at a café for another absolutely delicious Vietnamese coffee, and Jasper called his parents while I wandered a bit more. I ended up playing with a small boy and chatting with two other kids—while their parents filmed us (which was kind of weird). I considered telling them to stop… but hey, if I randomly show up on Vietnamese TV, let me know. Maybe that’s how I become famous.
      We tried harvesting rice ourselves—grabbed a stalk, cracked it open, and voilà: our first self-harvested grains! Then we hit a little existential crisis where we didn’t know what to do next. Relaxing is not our strong suit. So naturally, we rented a motorbike.
      Since all the helmets were too small, Jasper was given a firefighter helmet, which was honestly iconic. Twice we drove straight into dead ends and got laughed at by locals (fair enough), but eventually we found a gorgeous road with panoramic views over the rice terraces.
      Back at our hotel for dinner, I have to mention: this place was amazing. Infinity pool overlooking the fields, giant windows in our room with a stunning view, and—slightly awkward design choice—a toilet and shower separated from the rest of the room by only a glass wall. So yeah, you can literally lie in bed and watch the other person poop. But at this point, Jasper and I have transcended embarrassment. We truly do not care anymore.
      Dinner was two kinds of fish, veggies, and rice. Huge portions. Big shoutout to Jasper, the human compost bin, for never letting food go to waste. We didn’t play Kniffel that night—instead, we watched Les Intouchables. What a movie.
      Oh, and I forgot to mention: I had and still have some kind of eye infection, which explains why I look especially gorgeous in all the pictures. You’re welcome.
      The next day, I finally got my birthday present: Jasper had secretly organized a trek through the rice terraces and a hike into a giant cave, guided by Tom, the hotel owner. The whole tour was breathtaking. We learned so much about the region, the people, the rice farming traditions, and the local culture—all while soaking up some of the best views of our entire trip.
      Fun fact: In Pu Luong, elderly married women often have completely black teeth, which they get by chewing on certain plant leaves and charcoal. It’s a traditional sign of marriage and stains their teeth permanently. Also, people in the area live almost entirely self-sustained. They rarely use money—just occasionally to buy clothes—and they live together in tight-knit communities.
      Pu Luong was closed off to tourists for a long time, so it remains beautifully untouched and quiet. We even saw the oldest village in the region and visited a local school. The cave we hiked into was absolutely massive, and we descended all the way down. The hike in total took about three hours. It rained, but honestly, who cares?
      Back at the hotel, we had lunch, one last strong coffee (naturally), and then left Pu Luong by bus—on the bumpiest road known to mankind. Somehow, I still managed to sleep.
      And now? We’re on our way to Hue. Back to civilization.      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia

      From dreamy to dead cats

      25 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

      So far, we had only seen the pretty parts of Ninh Binh—and there was still more to come. But by the end of that day, I saw things I wish I hadn’t, and that will leave me genuinely traumatized for the next few days.
      We woke up at 5:30 AM and rode our bikes for about 20 minutes to be the first ones on top of Mua Cave. And yes—it was totally worth it. We felt a bit like a couple in their 50s: going to bed super early to beat the tourist crowds in the morning, then spending the rest of the day reading, eating, and chilling at the hotel. Early retirement vibes. After breakfast, we headed to Dong Van Wetland Nature Reserve. While Trang An had been super busy and touristy, Dong Van was the complete opposite—run entirely by locals, barely any people around, pure quietness, and just idyllic nature. We could observe so many birds and floated peacefully through the wetlands in a little wooden boat with Louane, a local woman who rowed us around. I even spoke a little Vietnamese with her and told her the place was xinh đẹp, meaning beautiful. She smiled—either touched or just politely amused.
      Then, somewhere in that calm and peaceful moment, my brain decided it was time to panic about the dog bites on my leg. I asked Jasper what he thought I should do, and that’s when the drama began. He started googling and asking ChatGPT everything about rabies—which, obviously, only made me more terrified. We read that dogs with rabies often have paralyzed back legs and—guess what—the neighbor’s dog? His back legs don’t work. I freaked out. I got really quiet and scared. When we got back, I lay by the pool, headphones in, listening to podcasts and trying to ignore the doom in my head, while Jasper went for a run.
      At lunch, I finally asked the woman at the hotel what I should do. She just shrugged and said the puppy is too young to be vaccinated but that he always bites playfully and that nothing would happen. That was a huge relief. Like, instant pressure-off-my-chest kind of relief.
      The afternoon plan was to head into Ninh Binh city to check out the walking street and get dinner. The walking street? Pretty touristy, kind of okay, but honestly, not something I’d go back for. Then I had the genius idea to visit a real local supermarket, and we found one on Google Maps. But on the way there, we passed a market near the stadium and decided to walk through it. It was wild. Super busy, super crowded, and honestly overwhelming. People were mostly on motorbikes, zig-zagging through the market like it was a drive-through. At first it was kind of fascinating—but it got denser and denser, and we could barely squeeze through the crowd. I started feeling a little dizzy and off.
      And then I saw something that completely shook me: a table with the skinned head of a dead dog, its body laid out next to it, and—on top of it—two dead cats, eyes wide open and empty. I instantly put my hand over my mouth and speed-walked in the direction of what I hoped was the exit. As soon as we got out, the tears came. I just couldn’t help it.
      To recover, we went to a normal supermarket, and I bought some VEGETARIAN yogurt for the next morning—because honestly, I had been craving yogurt with fruit like crazy. Also, emotional support yogurt. We grabbed two bottles of soju (rice wine) and, even though I wasn’t really hungry anymore, walked toward a restaurant we found on TripAdvisor (one of only three open). We sat down, quickly realized it wasn’t going to be good or safely gluten-free, and thankfully decided to call a Grab and head back to the hotel—for a very good last dinner and a few comforting rounds of Kniffel.      Leer más

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    • Lisa GlaettliViajeroBackpacking through East Asia
      1

      Rain, Temples and Goats

      24 de mayo, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

      We were both super excited to arrive in Ninh Binh because – for once – we had booked a really nice hotel: Fairy Mountain Retreat, with a huge pool and a big garden. We’d be sleeping in our own little bungalow with a private bathroom – pure luxury compared to our usual stays.
      But first we had to survive the journey: a four-hour bus ride in a very small (even for me!) van, completely packed and full of mosquitoes. By the time we arrived, I was bitten at least 4 times. Jasper managed to kill one, but it had sucked so much blood it looked like a massacre.
      So walking into this peaceful little oasis felt like entering heaven. And then – the highlight – we were welcomed by the cutest dog ever (see pic). I was already thinking about how to snuggle him home… until, while playing, he suddenly decided that “let’s bite Lisa” was the game of the day. He bit me four times in the leg and left me bleeding. I‘m 90 percent sure he doesnt have rabies.
      It was raining a lot when we arrived, so we were a bit unmotivated at first. But then we thought, “We’re not made of sugar,” grabbed two bikes from the hotel, and rode the 6 km to Tam Coc. On the way, we stopped for a delicious sugar-free coconut coffee (yum!) for me and a smoothie for Jasper. The streets were more like rivers at times, but that just made it more fun.
      We saw a lot of goats along the way – I couldn’t get over how cute the baby goats were just casually hanging out on the street (see video).
      Back at the hotel, we enjoyed the pool and made the most of the 3-for-2 cocktail happy hour (hihi). For dinner, I got to roll my own grilled fish spring rolls – probably my favorite dish so far!
      Next morning: early wake-up to go to the Trang An boat tour at 7 AM – again by bike. We got the front seats on the boat and had amazing views, with almost no other tourists around. Later, we saw where the crowds had gathered and were really glad we started early.
      It rained on and off the whole time, but our captain came prepared with umbrellas. The caves and karst mountains were breathtaking, but honestly, the entertainment highlight was the other two tourists on our boat, who spent the entire trip taking selfies and watching TikToks. We couldn’t look away.
      Right when we got back to the dock, it started raining like crazy. Jasper said, “Well, if we have to bike back in this, it’s gonna be a vibe.” And a vibe it was – we were absolutely drenched by the time we got back.
      After warm showers and a delicious breakfast, we took it easy for a bit. Since it was still raining, we both got hot stone aroma massages at the hotel (Jasper fell asleep). Then we just relaxed, read on our veranda, and later decided to visit Bai Dinh, the biggest pagoda in Vietnam.
      We expected tons of tourists, but because of the weather, we were almost alone. It was super impressive – the size of the statues, Buddhas, and towers was just insane. After reaching our 10,000 steps, we headed back for dinner, where we tried local goat meat (who would’ve thought). I really tried not to think about the baby goats from the day before.
      Now, after a long day and two rounds of Kniffel (I lost…), we’re more than ready to go to sleep :)      Leer más

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