postcard from saigon <3

"I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." — Robert Louis Stevenson

i think that quote encapsulates perfectly how i view travelling. most of the time, i travel just to be somewhere else, to feel my feet moving, not on the land i was born on, but on lands far out of reach, only able to be visited by either boat or plane.

romanticised as it may sound, i fear my tendency to travel aligns closely with vacationers rather than the modest traveller. i go to different countries because i want explore past the sunny beaches under our australian sun and into new lands, but i do so with comfort and convenience.

so far, ive traversed only the tiniest portion of the earth; united states, japan, seoul and new zealand to name a few, and that number will surely grow [granted the flights can get ever so slightly a bit cheaper]. this time round, after our very busy sydney pop-up, i would dip my toes into the world of vietnam for a well deserved break.

saigon is a place where every crevice of the city was roaring with life; scooters poured out from every intersection, its sound humming through the street, vendors huddled on sidewalks, sometimes in between the masses of popular stores, or hiding in the cracks of dark alleyways awaiting for you to have a taste of what they offered. 

and in the center of it all, a stream- no, a river of people, tourists and locals alike, weaving in between the flow traffic and footpaths. and one rule of thumb i’ve learned was, remain cautious, walk steadily, the vehicles will flow and ebb around you, it will adjust.

it’s a city rising from it’s colonial, war-torned history and towards modernity. from the french  architecture to the cu chi tunnels, remnants of the vietnam war, to the gleaming skyscrapers. saigon is the epitome of resilience and determination in the face of adversity. 

i had the pleasure of exploring the city for a few days with my mum. we were both seeing the city with curious eyes for the first time and as south-east asians ourselves, we were better accustomed to the heat and humidity. though, not as accustomed as the locals who some, covered themselves from head to toe to protect themselves against the sun.

throughout our days, we indulged in what most of saigon had to offer. we took a day tour to the cu chi tunnels and mekong delta river, and ate the local cuisine to our hearts content [my mother, more than me]. 

we perused and haggled at the markets, both for fake goods and food alike, [again, my mother, more than me]. we drank our weights in different drinks, iced choccys [mainly for me] to fruit teas [mainly my mother]. and at the local boutiques, brands and international stores, shopped till our pockets hurt and our luggage grew heavy [me more than my mother]. 

everyday was something new, something different. we’d get up at 7-8am, eat a light breakfast at our hotel till we’re off on the streets till late, because as the saying goes, no rest for the weary. even the days where we pampered ourselves with new nails or a freshly cleaned scalp, at the end of the day we were exhausted. but, what a privilege it is to get to experience that.

now that i am back in the comforts of my own home [and unfortunately in the cold], i’m still eager to explore more, if that may be vietnam or another corner of the world i wish to be there. 

hopefully, after our next popup i will have gathered the courage to explore solo. but alas, that is a problem for future me.

till next time folks,

ren

itadaki's social media gal