Off to Da Nang (Well, Hoi An), Vietnam
My friend and I decided to take a trip to Da Nang. My friend had plenty of vacation days left, and I had some free time between changing jobs. I was worried I might end up going all by myself again like I did for Kota Kinabalu, but thankfully, the two of us actually made it this time. I can't even remember the last time I boarded a plane with a travel buddy...
Unlike me, who barely prepares for trips, my friend researches everything from hotels to food and activities, which honestly makes me feel a bit overwhelmed. I rarely find people with my exact travel style, but this friend isn't just somewhere in the middle—they are the complete opposite of me. Even with our opposite styles, I'd be really grateful if they just searched, found, and decided on things for us. However, my friend is so indecisive that it took over a month just to click the hotel payment button. I, of course, am the type to click the button first and think later. Usually, a situation like this would cause worry and stress, but since we've been friends since childhood, I just thought, "It'll all work out somehow," and excitedly set off for Da Nang.
As you can tell by the date, it was almost the last week of November. Probably because of that, everyone, including us, entered the airport heavily armed with coats and long sleeves. And then we boarded the plane exactly like that. It was a moment where I realized how scary the force of habit can be. After that, an invisible war of nerves broke out on the plane between people complaining it was too hot and people complaining the AC was too strong. I could see endless fatigue in the smiles of the flight attendants who had to deal with it all. Sitting in my seat and pondering the situation, I realized I've been living too much by force of habit myself.
Stepping off the plane—which was too hot for some and too cold for others—we were greeted by a warm breeze at the airport. I had pictured something like the airports in Bali or Cebu, but I was genuinely surprised by how unexpectedly clean and large it was. It's the first time in Southeast Asia I've seen such a nice airport in a tourist city that isn't even the capital, but rather the third-largest city. Looking at the design and facilities, it's better than some small European airports. I had imagined Da Nang as a quiet, rural town, but the moment I arrived at the airport, I realized I was completely wrong.
After exchanging money at the airport (the exchange rate was bad, just like many blogs said) and swapping out our SIM cards (SIM prices go up every year, and it's now $8 for 7 days), we hopped into a vehicle provided by the homestay we booked in Hoi An. After driving for about 20 minutes, we arrived in Hoi An. Even during this process, we ended up waiting in different spots and wasting 30 minutes. We played it cool, but we're actually in the middle of a pretty chaotic trip. Still, unlike traveling alone, I feel quite a bit of mental breathing room.
