{Editors Note}: I’ve now realized it will be near impossible to catch up to my actual location in real time on the blog, so I’ll write these as I can from where I am in the world. Not that it feels like a chore writing about my travels through Vietnam from the Greek islands while planning itineraries for my next stop in the South of France (flex), but it does take time and I’d rather be exploring these regions instead of spending too much time on my Surface.
Where Was I?
Vietnam
Total Flights: 2
Ho Chi Minh City 🚌 Vinh Long 🚌 Ho Chi Minh City 🚆 Nha Trang ✈ Hoi An 🚌 Hue ✈ Hanoi 🚌 Halong Bay 🚌 Hanoi
When Did I Go?
Nov 25 – Dec 10
Currency
Vietnamese Dong
Vietnam was one of my favorite countries to visit and I was able to spend about two weeks travelling through the different cities. It’s a country with a troubled past, but I sensed plenty of optimism from the locals about their present day situation and where the country was heading.
The Best Thing I Saw in Vietnam
Hoi An was my favorite stop in Vietnam and while it was picturesque throughout the day, it really came to life at night. The city sits right on the coast and lies about halfway in between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in central Vietnam.
The lanterns in Hoi An light up the entire city and were hanging throughout the area known as Old Town.
From Hoi An, I visited the Golden Bridge, and while it may scream tourist trap, actually provided a really nice view and was worth the journey out to the Ba Na Hills.
A tip if you’re travelling out to the Golden Bridge: stop at Marble Mountain on the way. There were some great caves to walk through and it’s a good way to break up the drive.
Other Highlights
Halong Bay
Just east of Hanoi sits Halong Bay, a group of beautiful islands with crystal clear water. I took an overnight boat out on the water with my group and I’d highly recommend making the trip if visiting Vietnam.
War Remnants Museum in HCMC
The War Remnants Museum, a museum in Ho Chi Minh City dedicated to what Americans call the Vietnam War, was a powerful museum experience. As an American citizen, it was incredibly difficult to walk through and see the damage done by the U.S. in this part of the world. The museum showed very vivid and graphic imagery, which regardless of your stance on the war, can be tough to witness as a human. While it was difficult, it was interesting to see the museum from a Vietnamese perspective and I’m glad I was able to visit.
Nha Trang
Nha Trang was a nice stop on my trip up the coast. It had a Miami feel to it and featured a lot of hotels and resorts on the beach.
Vinpearl Land
In Nha Trang, one of the most visited attractions was Vinpearl Land. It’s a giant amusement park that also houses a zoo, some beautiful gardens (featured above), a water park, and a beach. The only way to get there was by cable car, and once you pay for the cable car ride you receive access to everything in the park. I thought it was good value and since I was with a large group, it provided something everyone could enjoy.
Hue
We made a quick stop in Hue and visited the Citadel and the Forbidden City. It’s a place with a lot of historical significance in Vietnam and also had a lot of great photo spots.
Hanoi
Hanoi, our last stop while traveling up the coast, was one of my favorites. It’s the largest city in the north of Vietnam and was bustling. The streets were so crowded and there were motorbikes coming from all directions. I was convinced they didn’t have traffic laws in Vietnam and just made up rules on the road as they went. For a tourist, it’s certainly scary at first, but after a few times crossing the road I felt more comfortable watching the cars and motorbikes weave around me.
We were lucky enough to be in Vietnam during the AFF Cup semifinals, a major soccer tournament in this part of the world. Vietnam defeated The Philippines 2-1 in the semi-finals and then we watched as the streets of Hanoi turned into absolute pandemonium. It’s always great to experience these kind of celebrations in person and the timing couldn’t have been better.
I explored the streets of Hanoi, saw the famous puppet show, did a street eats tour, and ate the best Banh Mi sandwich of my life. It’s a city I’d be happy to return someday.
The Sugars
Highest high: 243
Lowest low: 41
Avg Morning: 108
Avg Afternoon: 109
Avg Night: 147
Insulin Pods: 5
Avg Basal Rate: 1.10
Emergency sugar supply: Skittles, glucose tablets, energy drinks
I was very happy with how I controlled my sugar levels while in Vietnam. I ate more new foods and a lot of high carb dishes with rice and noodles and still managed to stay in a good range for a majority of the days.
Similar to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, there was a lot of moving around from city to city, which meant a lot of packing up my insulin, using my Frio bag, and keeping the insulin cool while in transit. By this time of my travels, I was used to doing all this so it became very much a routine. The first thing I did at each hotel was unpack my insulin and store it in the refrigerator.
While on my group tour, we did spend a night at a homestay which had to be reached by boat. When staying at these remote places, I needed to make sure I was prepared before I arrived because finding a drug store or any medical aid would have been very difficult. I brought some extra supplies with me when we went for this night and I chose not to drink alcohol while there. I usually make these decisions on the spot and they are made out of precaution. I’ve never had a situation where I needed medical assistance from drinking, but I wouldn’t want the first time to be while on this remote homestay on the Mekong Delta.
There was also a kayak trip off the boat in Halong Bay. These excursions can be tough because it’s hard to know if I’ll be gone for 30 minutes or 2-3 hours. It’s also hard to gauge how much energy I’ll need to exert while kayaking and how that will affect my sugar. I didn’t have a waterproof bag with me and I never want my diabetic stuff to get wet, so I left most of my gear on the boat, brought a pack of M&M’s with me in the kayak, and ventured out into the water. I usually overcompensate and will eat some sugar before going on these kind of trips to make sure I’ll avoid a low. The whole thing ended up lasting just around an hour and my sugar was fine, but I felt prepared if anything were to happen.
By the end of the Vietnam portion of the trip, I had been on the road about 10 weeks and felt good about what I had accomplished. My four-week group tour ended in Hanoi, which meant I’d now be doing more true solo travel and would need to find all the transportation, accommodation, and food on my own. I still had a good amount of supplies with me, but I also knew I’d have to start looking for some more insulin in one of the countries I was to visit before returning to the U.S.
I packed up one more time in Vietnam and flew back to Bangkok where I’d prep for my next stop on the islands of Thailand.
Keep the sugar levels steady
Jeremy
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