Kham Duc to Hoi An, Vietnam

Today was one of the more beautiful of the days on the road, with panoramic vistas, water buffalo, and glassy mountain lakes surprising me throughout the afternoon. It began as an upward climb, back and forth, through the eastern portion of the Annamite mountains. The overcast weather lingered, but I was fortunate that visibility wasn't much affected. Through the damp mountain air, I coupled the sights of the Ho Chi Minh trail with the sounds of 1960s classics and let my imagination wander. In doing so, I didn't stop to take as many pictures as I should have. Only after descending the innumerable hairpin turns did I stop to take pictures; which, of course, brought me the attention of local children looking to practice English, take selfies, and relentlessly ask if I had any sweets. Apparently the "don't take candy from strangers" concept is lost to the far east.

When I arrived in Hoi An I came across a hostel with a $5 dorm, pretty standard for me this year. Yet, when I was shown my room, it was this private little cupboard. Feeling a bit like Harry Potter but my room is the attic above the stairs, not the closet below them.Read more