Vietnam
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Vietnam introduces e-visa
I was in Vietnam in the last week of December, 2018. This was my second trip to the country, having visited, again exactly 11 years earlier, the last week of December, 2007. At that time, as a resident of Dubai, I had applied for my visa at the consulate. Once my Excel sheet itinerary had been scrutinised, and tickets checked, I was issued with a single-entry visa valid for one month. This time though, I opted for an e-visa. For those not in the know, this is something that Vietnam has just introduced for tourists from a list of 46 countries. If you are among the lucky ones, then opt…
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Sailing on the Ha Long Bay
Sailing on the Ha Long Bay after 11 years felt the same, and yet different. Things were a lot easier back then. The pace somehow felt a lot more relaxed. The boat may have been motorised, but the sails were very much old style, like the junk boats you see in picture perfect snapshots of Ha Long Bay. And it didn’t feel so crowded. But hey, that was a long time ago. This is now. We walked into the first travel agency that looked like it wouldn’t fleece us, The Sinh Tourist in the Old Quarter (there are several branches all over the city). Here, we booked an overnight package…
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Give me my bowl of pho
If there’s one dish I can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Vietnam, then pho it is for me. A bowl of pho After all that walking around the Old Quarter in Hanoi, dodging motorists on their mopeds and bikes, and generally making sure you’ve crossed onto the other side of the road safely, why not stop by and indulge with a portion of pho. Preparing a bowl of pho If there’s one dish I can have for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Vietnam, then pho it is for me. Pronounced as fe (like in fern), it’s a soup with broth, noodles, herbs and chunks of meat. Hungry eyes…
