Chris and I had flown back to Vietnam, and specifically Hanoi, to find work and somewhere to live for a little while. We were not ready to fly home but we were both ready to settle in one place for more than a couple of weeks. Having met some fellow travellers who had lived and worked in Hanoi for three months teaching English with little experience and no qualifications, we thought why not give it a go. We both like a challenge and love trying new things.
Besides spending a lot of time searching for work during our first week back in Hanoi, we made sure to return to our favourite food and drink spots. This included eating bun cha (bbq’d pork served in a sweet garlicy broth, to which you add rice noodles and greenery), spring rolls and pho ga (chicken noodle soup). As well as a daily caffeine fix from either drinking egg coffee or coconut coffee. It also turned out that Vietnam would be celebrating their 70th Independence Day on the 2nd November. It was a National holiday so the Old Quarter was busier than usual, and at 8pm there would be a fireworks display around Hoan Kiem Lake, at the heart of the Old Quarter. We wondered to the lake a little early but locals were already swarming around the edge of the lake for the best views. Unfortunately the weather took a turn for the worst and it started to rain. Wet, our feet aching, and everyone cramped together, we stood and watched the fireworks. There was a surprisingly upbeat atmosphere considering the conditions, but we didn’t hang around long, deciding that if we left sooner rather than later it would be easier to clamber through the crowds and back to our hostel. How wrong we were. I can only compare it to battling your way through the crowds at a festival, but then add in hundreds of mopeds with searing hot exhausts as well. It was an absolute nightmare, but with patience and persistence we made it out in one piece, unburnt but soaked through to our underwear! 

We thought we had arrived back to Hanoi just as the weather would be cooling down, but this was definitely not the case. It was ridiculously hot and humid and we certainly made the most of the air conditioning in our room at the ‘Kangaroo hostel’, where we based ourselves for the first week or so. Kangaroo hostel was located in the Old Quarter with easy access to a variety of street food and coffee shops.
Within just a few days, after only contacting a couple of people, we had a demo lesson organised at an English centre, with the hope of a job offer afterwards. Not having the faintest idea of how to go about a demo lesson, we asked if we could observe a class one evening. This helped a little bit, but when we were emailed the lesson plan the following day, which consisted of just six vocab flash cards and one structure to use, we panicked. For example, the list of vocab; rain, wind, snow, sun, hot, cold, and the structure; what’s the weather like? How were we going to teach this for 45 minutes? Neither of us ever imagined we would be teaching English as a foreign language during our time in SEA. But what was the worst that could happen…..

This thought was exactly what kept us going through our first demo lesson. As we waited at ‘Summer School’, an after school English centre, both of our hearts were racing, our hands sweating, and we looked at each other and said ‘what the hell are we doing?!?’ Even more so as we individually walked into a classroom full of seven to eight year olds, their Vietnamese class teacher, and an assessor sat staring blankly at us, what were we letting ourselves in for! Yet, we must have done something right as we were both offered a job after the gruelling 45 minutes teaching.
The next day we (or should I say Chris, with me navigating) tackled some of the busiest roads we have ridden on, to make our way to another English centre, ‘American Academy’, otherwise known as ‘AMA’, situated about 5km from the Old Quarter. I had seen an advert on a Facebook group called ‘Hanoi Massive’ for a class teacher for four to six year olds, and had been asked to an interview. Hanoi Massive is a group for selling, buying, and advertising anything and everything, as well as asking questions and starting discussions. It has been our means of finding work, transport, accommodation, the best street food, and various other things.
The interview at AMA wasn’t an interview as we know it, but it was more for them to see if I was a white native English speaking female (yes, race is an important factor for them), and to know my availability. The job was literally handed to me, and it was me that said I would like to see how the first lesson goes before committing to anything. It seems the demand for English ‘teachers’ is so high that even me, not qualified, no real experience, but a native speaker, can land myself a class of sixteen four to six year olds, to teach for two hours twice a week, at a reputable English centre. I will say no more….
It even turned out better than we’d hoped, as Chris was also offered a one-on-one tutoring job at AMA which would be at a similar time to my teaching hours.

With work sorted, much more easily than we ever imagined, it was time for us to find somewhere to call home. We had been happy living at the Kangaroo hostel, as we had bartered a very good rate, which included breakfast each morning, but we really needed something more permanent. Through Hanoi Massive we contacted several people and viewed a fair few rooms across the city. Unfortunately we missed out on the nicest room we had seen, as it happened to be the first room we viewed and therefore we had nothing to compare it to. We were gutted and it really got us down as we could only then compare every other room we viewed to that one.
We spent most of our days on Facebook, keeping an eye on every room/apartment/flat advertisement, and our persistence eventually paid off. We viewed a room in a shared house, near the West Lake and about ten minutes from the Old Quarter. It had an en suite, balcony, fridge, flat screen TV, a ‘traditional’ bed meaning the mattress was rock hard, a shared kitchen, a small ‘gym’, and a lovely roof top terrace. It ticked all the right boxes and we left feeling extremely excited to move in the following day.
Everything had come together quite nicely and it was time to start our new chapter, living in Hanoi.
We didn’t want to rush into committing to too many hours at Summer school as we were completely in at the deep end and didn’t want to be struggling to keep our heads a float. So we eased ourselves in gently, which was challenging enough. We spent our days researching on the internet and speaking to experienced friends and family (thank you Beth and Rache!) for any advice or ideas we could get. We found plenty of time to drink many ‘café sua da’ (iced coffee) along West Lake, trying out the local eateries, and absorbing the local life. However the intense humidity and powerful sun did keep us inside a lot and we soon found ourselves taking on a local habit of afternoon napping.
Soon enough we were able to put our teaching research into practice. Although we felt like complete fools we started to receive positive feedback from the Vietnamese teachers, and were asked if we could up our hours and even offered a pay rise. Luckily for us we had a very good and worthy excuse to not up our hours for another couple of weeks as we had family flying over from the UK to visit us…

My mum, Ron, Harry, and his friend Sinee visited us in Hanoi for a week. They stayed centrally in the Old Quarter, so on the evening they arrived we scooted in to meet them. We managed to time it perfectly with them arriving in the taxi and us arriving on our moped. It was amazing to see them all, especially my mum, after 6 months apart. Although social media and FaceTime have helped massively with homesickness, nothing can beat a physical hug!
Despite their long travels, excitement took over and we stayed up late catching up in the hotel bar. Unfortunately for us, the heavens had opened, the rain was pouring down and there was an impressive storm. The rain was so heavy that with no exaggeration I can say that the roads were now in fact rivers. The water was up to our knees as we rode back to our house. It was an ‘adventure’ as Chris had put it!
We spent the next three days showing them some of our favourite sites around the city, as well as visiting a few of the more touristy sites that we had not had a chance to see. The Hoa Lo prison, Temple of the Jade Mountain, and the Citadel helped us all understand and learn more about Hanoi. Of course there were many coffee breaks in between sightseeing and lunchtime was always accompanied by a beer, or two.
Keen to show where we usually eat, we took them to one of our favourite bun cha eateries in the heart of the Old Quarter, as well as a road side café where we sat on small stalls and sipped away at egg coffee and egg hot chocolate. I was very impressed that mum was enthusiastic to eat at a street food stall, however I know mum preferred the cleanliness and hospitality of a restaurant. We visited ‘Essence’, a top rated restaurant, on a couple of evenings, and ate some nice, beautifully presented Vietnamese food. It was very nice to be treated to upmarket restaurants and it made us feel as though we were on holiday as well.  
After a busy few days sightseeing and braving the hustle and bustle of the Old Quarter, it was time for some ‘fresh’ air and a trip to Sapa, nearly 300km away.

It was a long six hour journey, North West from Hanoi, to reach Sapa. For Chris and I this was our second time visiting Sapa, however first time around it was in January and the rice terraces had been harvested. The timing was just right this time around and the harvest was in progress. This enabled us to view the jaw dropping scenery of glowing yellow rice terraces as we wound our way up the mountains to Sapa town. Despite having seen the exquisite rice terraces in the Philippines early on in the year, Sapa was just as spectacular second time around.
Ron was the only one of us to enjoy and take in the six hour journey through the countryside, the rest of us got some shut eye, as waking up at 6am was a bit of a shock to the system!
The minivan took us to the 'Hmong Sapa hotel', up the hill from the main town and with stunning views over the valley. The temperature was much cooler in Sapa and it was delightful just standing on our balcony and breathing in the fresh clean air.
All hungry and needing some caffeine, we strolled to the main town and stopped for some lunch at ‘Nature View’ restaurant. Again the views were incredible, and a perfect spot to enjoy a Vietnamese coffee and chicken noodle soup (for me), a mixture of fried rice, noodles, tofu, for everyone else. Oh and chips for Harry who was already, after just four days in Asia needing some western food. Lunch was leisurely but there was an active afternoon ahead.
Cat Cat is a tribal village within walking distance from Sapa. It is extremely touristy but we were keen to have mum and Ron experience the difference between here and where our trek would take us the next day. The paths are lined with tribal ladies selling all sorts of souvenirs, but the nicest aspect is all the baby animals running around; from puppies, to kittens, to piglets, to chicks.
It took us nearly an hour to reach the waterfall hidden in the valley of the village, and due to time constraints we had to head back the same way we had arrived. Mum and Ron were not best pleased, it was a lot of steps to climb, as well as a long uphill walk to reach Sapa town. So after a refreshing drink at the top of Cat Cat, mum and Ron jumped on the back of a motorbike taxi and were taken back to the hotel. We 'kids' walked and Sinee couldn't help but do some more shopping on our way back.
The time restriction was due to a meeting with Hoa and Phil at ‘Ethos Travel and Spirit’. For us there is only one way to experience Sapa and that is through them. Having had a life changing experience with a 2D1N trek back in January, it was with no question that we wanted mum, Ron, Harry and Sinee to share a similar experience. So we arranged for a one day trek through them with a local Hmong lady. I think mum and Ron were a little apprehensive about the experience, however after meeting Phil and Hoa for a briefing, and also meeting Little My (pronounced ‘me’), a sixteen year old Hmong native, they both seemed excited for our adventure. Mum immediately felt a connection with Little My and asked if she would be joining on us on our trek. Little My was delighted to be asked but had to speak with Phil and Hoa to check her schedule.
It happened to be mum and Ron’s second year wedding anniversary, so we went for a special meal at ‘The Hill Station’. Besides a lot of things not going very smoothly (no cold champagne, only three cold beers, no trout), the food was delicious, and we had the champagne for dessert!


After a hearty ‘trekkers’ breakfast at the hotel we were met by Ker, our Hmong guide for the day, and much to mum’s delight, Little My. Unfortunately, we were not so lucky with the weather, and the spectacular views we could see from our balcony yesterday were gone. All we could see was cloud and sadly it had begun to rain.
We climbed into a minibus which drove us a few kilometres to the local market. Here, Ker and My helped us choose and purchase the fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats for our authentic lunch. Ker threw the goods into her backpack basket and handed us all a bottle of water for the day. Back in the minibus we were driven out of the touristy area and to our starting point. It was a real shame that we couldn’t see any views as we drove along the mountain roads. The raincoats, and poncho for Ron, were out and we set off along a small track towards Ker’s house. Due to the weather and abilities of our group the ‘trek’ was a relaxed walk for around an hour.
We were greeted by cheerful Hmong children on their break time from school as we climbed the slippery, muddy pathway leading up to Ker’s house. As Ker opened up the wooden doors and shutters around her traditional house, the animals came barging out. Dogs with a puppy, chickens with chicks, pigs with piglets, and cats with kittens! Ker and My grabbed some dried corn and started feeding all the animals. We soon joined in and it was lovely to watch all the animals interacting with no quarrels. Over the next few hours a feast was prepared. Ker was a fantastic cook. We all helped make spring rolls, and kept Ker’s children occupied.
As we sat on the tiny traditional stools around a small table, the rice wine was poured into shot glasses (ceramic cups) and we cheered and thanked Ker for an incredible lunch. She had prepared some delicious dishes, and as always there was way too much food. But nothing ever goes to waste and Ker and her family would’ve been able to enjoy the food for another few meals. This is a special treat for them as they rarely get to eat a lot of meat or a variety of vegetables and fruits, since their main diet consists of rice and whatever veg they grow on their land.
Absolutely stuffed we collected our belongings and were led down a narrow pathway through the rice terraces. It was extremely slippery from the rain and all of us were struggling to keep our balance. Mum was holding on to both Ker and My, Harry was being led by Ker’s daughter who had grabbed hold of his hand and taken the lead, and the rest of us carefully watched our step. Ron slipped a couple of times adding a suspect brown patch to the back of his beige shorts, but we all managed to get down. It was great to be immersed in the rice terraces and for everyone to experience the tranquil setting and authenticity.
We had an hours walk back along the road to reach our collection point. Luckily the rain had stopped and the road was clear from mud. It allowed us to speak more with Ker and My, learning and understanding further about Hmong and tribal life.
Back at the Ethos centre, we sipped away at their delicious warming tea and tucked into some guava. Myself, mum, Harry and Sinee couldn’t help but take a quick look in their workshop, which of course led to a few purchases. What made it more special was that Phil and My were able to explain the stories hidden in the detail of the fabric of a jacket Sinee had bought, and the bags which myself and mum had bought.
All feeling tired, cold, and wet, we couldn’t wait to get back for a hot shower at the hotel. Ron was still suitably full from our feast at lunchtime, but the rest of us fancied a little bite to eat so we walked into the town centre. We found a small restaurant to share a couple of beers and various Vietnamese dishes to end our time in Sapa.


The return journey to Hanoi was just as long and tedious, but again most of us managed to get some shut eye. Chris and I were dropped off at our place as unfortunately we had to work that evening. The others went back to their hotel then spent the afternoon visiting the B52 museum and the remains of a B52 in a small lake hidden amongst a maze of narrow alley ways. Sinee had to catch a flight back to Bangkok early evening and we had arranged for mum, Ron, and Harry to join us at a restaurant near where Chris and I are living. We rocked up straight from work but there was no sight of mum, Ron, or Harry. We sat waiting and looking at the menu and eventually I received a phone call. “Get your glad rags on and catch a taxi over to the Metropole” were mum’s exact words. It was with no surprise that they were “stuck” drinking cocktails at the poshest hotel in town.
We felt very embarrassed as we climbed out of a taxi in our flip flops, however once inside it was clear that there was no strict dress code. We joined the party and were handed a ‘Metropole Memories’, the signature cocktail. Mum decided that since it was our final night together in Hanoi that she would treat us to an extra special meal, and it was exactly that! Cocktails, wine, olives (which were not far off Thame’s Umberto’s olives), lamb for me, sea bass for Chris, the most incredible chocolate mousse, and a baileys to finish. It was fair to say that we were well and truly stuffed and my taste buds didn’t know what had hit them! It was a truly sublime dinner with top class service, a delightful atmosphere and all for a similar price to a gastropub meal at home.


Mum, Ron, and Harry’s final few days with us were spent on a Halong Bay cruise. Due to us booking on to the trip at a later date we had a different transfer from the others. Luckily for us we were collected outside our house. However they were early so we didn’t have time to eat our breakfast, which was torture as we drove around the Old Quarter collecting others passengers and seeing all the street food vendors and hawkers selling their produce. 
A couple of hours later we stopped off at a large tourist shop where we were reunited with mum, Ron, and Harry. Thankfully there was a small café so Chris and I tucked into some chicken noodle soup (pho ga) and ordered a much need coffee. We joined mum’s minivan for the remainder of the journey to Halong Bay, along with a very informative tour guide.
Much to our delight we had been upgraded to a private boat for our trip around Halong Bay. The boat had three customer cabins, all very exquisite, and a crew of five. We were welcomed aboard with a refreshingly cold flannel and a tasty sweet iced tea. After the excitement of exploring the boat we set off through the bay and sat down for lunch. We couldn’t keep our eyes off of the cascading limestone karst surrounding us, despite it being mine and Chris’ second time in Halong Bay. This awe-inspiring natural wonder will never fail to impress.
Lunch was a banquet of seafood fit for a king! Oysters, prawns, calamari, and fish were served throughout the seven courses! We washed it down with a Bia Hanoi then took to the deck to absorb the magical scenery.
After a couple of hours cruising we stopped off at ‘Dark and Light cave’ where myself, Chris, and Harry jumped in some kayaks, and mum and Ron climbed into a small bamboo raft, along with our host. They were paddled around by a local lady whilst we youngsters used our own man power to kayak along the water. It was a perfect day; clear blue sky, bright sunshine, and the competitive splashing from Chris and Harry was quite welcomed!
As we kayaked through a cave, being careful to dodge the stalactites, we were presented with a beautiful opening surrounded by even more immense limestone karsts. Harry decided he was tired so sneakily tied his kayak to the back of the bamboo raft. The sweet lady rowing the raft did eventually notice but didn’t seem too bothered as Harry lay back in his kayak to relax. It was particularly peaceful out on the water but soon enough our competitive natures took over and myself and Chris gave Harry a race back to the boat – we won of course!
Back aboard we cruised a little further and stopped off for some swimming. The water is not particularly inviting in Halong Bay but this didn’t stop us jumping in from the top of the boat. Our host was in despair as she nervously and worryingly watched us jump. Each time we climbed aboard she would ask willingly if that was our last jump. It was the perfect temperature for mum as well, who is a warm water swimmer!
The sun was beginning to set and the thought of a gin and tonic called us back on board. We cruised a little further to an enclosed bay for the night along with a number of other junks. Then at 7pm it was time to learn how to make spring rolls (for the second time in one week!). The best bit of course was eating them! To follow we were served another seven course meal, each course was absolutely divine. To finish off our feast, Rose (her English name), our host had arranged for a cake for mum and Ron for their anniversary. She took myself, Chris and Harry to the kitchen, rounded up the crew, and we all paraded into the dining area in the darkness with the cake. It was a little bizarre but she meant well, and the cake was delightful.
Mum had booked a foot massage and was ushered away shortly after dinner. The rest of us sat around drinking and playing cards with Rose. There was a little spot of squid fishing from Ron and Chris, who even managed to catch something…..a plastic bag! Well done Chris, at least you caught something.


Reluctantly Chris, mum and I were up for a 7am Thai Chi class on the top deck. If I am honest it was difficult to follow and not something I would rush back to do, but it was nice to experience as the sun was rising over Halong Bay.
Rose had told us that we would be served a small breakfast as after a visit to another cave we would have brunch at around 10.30am. Expecting a little bit to eat we were all shocked to see a plate placed in front of us with a fried egg, sausages, bacon, toast, a croissant, cheese, yoghurt and fruit! Perhaps they don’t understand what little means?!?
Stomachs full again, we were taken over to ‘Surprise Cave’ via the small shuttle boat. It was heaving with other tourists and unfortunately we had to join in the queue to climb the steps to reach the entrance to the cave. Surprise cave is considered the most magnificent cave in Halong Bay and hence why most trips will make a stop here. Its name comes from the reaction of visitors when they first visit the cave, and the surprise that there is not one cave, not two caves, but three caves, each one larger and more spectacular than the other. It was a shame about the crowds, but the cave itself was very impressive and with some (mostly a lot of) imagination it was possible to see various animals, people and objects in the stalactites and stalagmites.
Back on the boat we had some time to pack up our bags and regroup around the dining table for brunch, not that we were remotely hungry. Overwhelmingly we were actually served a plate piled high with seafood fried noodles. We all managed to eat something from the plate, but it was definitely forced down and seemed such a waste of delicious food.
Before we knew it we were back at the port and in the minibus. Our trip was without doubt a once in a lifetime opportunity and an experience we will never forget.
Unfortunately the day went from one extreme to another as we had to say our goodbyes to mum, Ron, and Harry at the airport. Inevitably it was emotional, and for the second time this year we were saying goodbye and not knowing when we would all see each other again. Mum, Ron, and Harry were off to Hoi An and had another couple of weeks travelling through Vietnam and Cambodia.
Chris and I arrived back to our place, with me feeling emotionally drained, and prepared ourselves for a weekend of teaching.


It was less than a week before Richard, Chris’ dad would arrive, and in the meantime we had to settle into our life in Hanoi….