“Keep it up, dear. I’m genuinely cheering you on. Work is important, but I really hope you can take an inner journey — one that has nothing to do with work or social obligations, just soaking in the beauty, the people, and yourself.”
I clearly remember receiving such a message. It was when I was taking a bus to Vietnam. Yes, over these past several months, I’ve been either swamped with work, busy publishing a book, or caught up in other things, leaving little time for rest, and sometimes neglecting those around me.
By coincidence, there was an HK Express ticket for just $38, so I bought a round-trip ticket to Da Nang — taxes included, the total was less than $500. I also want to thank Travolor for arranging my Vietnamese visa documents, so I didn’t have to go to the consulate but could get a visa on arrival at Da Nang Airport.
I went to Da Nang alone, departing Saturday afternoon and returning Monday morning. The time was short, but having a relaxed weekend was still a great choice. About a week before the trip, I contacted the local travel website Danang EXperience for some advice. Upon arrival, I had dinner with them. They mentioned that locals drink beer from bowls — I wasn’t sure about it, but as long as it’s fun, that’s all that matters.
The next day, Michiel from the website continued to show me around Da Nang. We had an authentic local lunch, then rode motorcycles with him to Son Tra Peninsula, and later took his hotel’s car to Hoi An Ancient Town. Originally, Michiel had planned to take me to a local fishing village and a tea house too, but he got too busy and we couldn’t make it. Still, that unscheduled day turned out pretty amazing, and I’m truly grateful to Michiel for guiding me.
On the way to Son Tra Peninsula, not only could I enjoy the mountains and sea views, but I also discovered this small patch of “flower sea” — the view was incredibly beautiful.
The road to Son Tra Peninsula is also a great spot to take in the panoramic view of Da Nang. I heard it’s also a fantastic place to watch the sunset, but unfortunately, the weather wasn’t great that day, so I missed the chance.
But sometimes, traveling doesn’t mean hitting every single attraction or squeezing your itinerary full. Going with the flow might just lead to pleasant surprises, just like what happened to me.
Back to the book — I expect the remaining two interviews will be completed within the next two weeks. After that, editing and layout will follow. I plan to introduce the project on a crowdfunding platform and hope everyone will support it generously.
Text and photos: Daneil @ The Story of a Half-Travel-Journalist