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Flora's Vietnam
Diaries of a solo trip in my father's homeland
(Original travel blog written in 2013-2014
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Flora Le
Mar 6, 20221 min read
The Beginning
I am the daughter of a Vietnamese man. The daughter of a man who left his country to make a better future for himself. When he left, with...
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Flora Le
Feb 10, 20222 min read
Meeting at the Embassy
I went to the Vietnamese embassy yesterday morning. I had to go and get the document that will allow me to enter the country with my...
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Flora Le
Feb 9, 20222 min read
Final Preparations
It is Sunday evening. My bag is packed and I am ready to leave. The chaos of the last few days has finally stopped and I enjoy the...
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Flora Le
Feb 8, 20223 min read
False Start
I tried to go to Vietnam today but I didn't make it. My plane left without me this morning. Yet, I had planned everything. At 3am, I was...
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Flora Le
Feb 7, 20223 min read
Looking for a Motorcycle in Hanoi
Hanoi is a frantic city. The noises and smells here are defined by the traffic, which is omnipresent, noisy and suffocating. From dawn...
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Flora Le
Feb 6, 20222 min read
Done Deal
At 9am the next morning, I head to the Offroad Vietnam office, located a few blocks from my hotel. To find the address, I have to go into...
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Flora Le
Feb 5, 20222 min read
The Route
After spending a few hours exploring the streets of Hanoi on my motorcycle, I headed back to my hotel. Around 3pm, I went to meet my...
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Flora Le
Feb 4, 20222 min read
The Big Start
When I arrived at the store the next morning, Anh Vu and Trung were busy with the last preparations. They take care of everything: they...
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Flora Le
Feb 3, 20223 min read
Arrival in Nghia Lo
During the last hour of driving, we entered the Hoan Lien Son mountain range. The north of Vietnam is very mountainous, and that's part...
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Flora Le
Feb 2, 20223 min read
The Road to Sa Pa
The night had succeeded in dissipating my worries. When I woke up, I felt ready to take on the challenge of the 250 km drive to Sa Pa....
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Flora Le
Feb 1, 20223 min read
That Evening, in Sa Pa
That night, Trung and I slept in separate hotels. Trung had once again taken us to a hotel that was not heated. And I had once again...
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Flora Le
Jan 31, 20223 min read
The Harsh Reality of the North
My visit to Sa Pa was short. The small village was flooded with tourists who had arrived from Hanoi by night train. After driving two...
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Flora Le
Jan 30, 20222 min read
The Nameless Road
We arrived at Ba Be Lake at nightfall. Our lodging, operated by a H'mong family, was located in the edge of the majestic lake. The second...
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Flora Le
Jan 25, 20223 min read
Christmas at Ba Be Lake
There is no hotel at Ba Be Lake, but rather a myriad of homestays run by H'mong people. Ours was absolutely charming. It looked like a...
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Flora Le
Jan 23, 20221 min read
Last Day in the North of Vietnam
From the beginning of our trip, Trung and I followed a strict schedule. A typical day consisted of a six to seven hour drive, followed by...
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Flora Le
Jan 22, 20222 min read
Goodbye at the Gas Station
Trung and I had a great collaboration during our five-day trip. We had traveled almost 1000 km. We rode, laughed and ate together every...
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Flora Le
Jan 20, 20223 min read
A Lesson of Humility in Ha Long Bay
I celebrated my first 1000 kilometers and my first oil change at Ha Long Bay. Satisfied to have successfully completed the first part of...
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Flora Le
Jan 19, 20221 min read
A Little Adventure in Cat Ba
I arrived at my hotel in the early evening. After dropping off my luggage, I immediately went to the office of Asia Outdoors, a company...
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Flora Le
Jan 17, 20222 min read
The Deadly Road to Ninh Binh
After spending four days in the area of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island, it was time to leave. The next morning, I took the road to the...
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Flora Le
Jan 15, 20222 min read
Breakdown
On the road, I replayed in my head the images of the accident. I thought about the risks of my trip. On my bike, I suddenly felt so...
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