Hoi An, Vietnam

We booked two places (3.50 euros per person) at the “Duck Leader” via GetYourGuide – a small farm where you can feed ducks.

You're given flip-flops so your own shoes don't get dirty when the ducks keep waddling over them. With Simon's big feet, it wasn't easy to find a pair of shoes that even halfway fit.

An employee showed us how to feed the ducks in the most spectacular way possible and then handed us the bucket – which immediately drew the animals' attention. It was really very cute how they waded around us, searching everything for food: the ground, the toe strap of our flip-flops, and of course, our toes themselves.

The organizers were very nice and enthusiastic guys, and we hadn't expected the activity to be so popular – there were quite a few tourists there. Since everyone had their own time slot, the visitors were well spread out, and it was definitely worthwhile. The ducks looked healthy and, in my opinion, weren't too fat.

Afterwards, we walked towards the beach and took a short break at a small restaurant. We walk considerably shorter distances here in Vietnam than in Germany – the heat, and especially walking along the road, is quite tiring. The restaurant owner asked us, somewhat surprised, if we had walked, since we had arrived without a taxi or scooter – us exotic creatures again. It really is noticeable here when someone gets around on foot instead of standing on the sidewalk or sitting on a scooter. The Vietnamese are practically glued to their scooters: when they're not using them for riding or even sleeping, they leave them on the sidewalk or inside their house so they're always within easy reach.

After that, we walked the last few meters to Coconut Beach. There are lovely sun loungers with parasols there, which can be used all day for 30,000 VND per person – an offer we took advantage of several times during our four weeks there. Snacks and drinks are also available, the beach is clean, and the water is clear. There are hardly any tourists, but there's a beautiful view of the Cham Islands, and you can watch the moored, round coconut-wicker boats bobbing merrily on the waves.

It's truly impressive how the locals maneuver these boats – not only with oars, but also with a motor, without them constantly spinning in circles. Incidentally, these boats originated in colonial times: they were invented to circumvent the tax on fishing boats levied by the French colonial rulers.

In the evening, we went out for a bit with our neighbor Ben. He's American and this is his third time in Vietnam. He sold everything in the US and emigrated with just hand luggage and his cat, and now works as a freelancer in IT and AI.

He took us to Minh's Kitchen Restaurant, where the food is exceptionally good and you can also play with the house's little dogs.

Afterwards, we strolled along the street a little further and admired the vibrant seafood on offer: shrimp, bass, and giant sea snails.

In the evenings, Vietnamese people like to picnic on mats at the nearby beach, where local food such as rice porridge with mussels or meat is offered.

We stocked up on a few cans of the local Huda beer at a mini-market and spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the lobby of our accommodation.

Ben showed us many great spots in and around Hoi An during our four weeks there. We competed in billiards and proved together that none of us should aspire to a career as a professional player. We also eagerly awaited the arrival of an available Grab driver (sometimes no driver had accepted the request or suddenly canceled) and philosophized a lot about AI projects. Even his cat, Cherokee, occasionally ventured out of the room and sniffed everything.

One evening, Ben took us to the Yang Smile Beach Bar, a popular spot for expats and also run by Ben himself. Besides Ben's American friend, we also met a Polish couple and a French woman. It was fascinating to hear about their various business plans and the challenges they face as expats. There was a lot of drinking and even more smoking – but late that night, everyone hopped on their scooters and headed home.

During our time here in Vietnam, we've deliberately taken some relaxing days without planned sightseeing, because traveling can be quite tiring in the long run. You want to see everything, but you can only absorb so much. We're planning to revisit some places to take the pressure off. Shorter flights from the Philippines will be possible in the future – so we can definitely take a quick trip to Vietnam.

On one of those quiet days, we ended up at a small restaurant near our accommodation and enjoyed coffee and lemonade. The hostess was very attentive and eager to show us her homegrown herbs – she fed us basil directly from her hand, offered us a lemon leaf to smell, and even tucked a flower into my hair. The aromas were truly intense and delicious, but personally, I prefer a little less attention from the host when dining out. To add to the entertainment, her seven-year-old daughter, who was seated between us, sang children's songs and practiced her English with us. I was quite relieved when the food finally arrived.

It was quite common for parents to send their children to us or other tourists to practice their English. The language is becoming increasingly important for the Vietnamese – both in tourism and in dealing with international business partners. Since 2008, English has been a compulsory subject throughout the country, starting in the third grade.

In general, we're increasingly struggling with the fact that more and more clothes are getting ruined – especially holes in trousers and shirts, which we constantly have to mend. I've already replaced most of my T-shirts with second-hand items, and I was able to stock up again in Hoi An: I now have some very pretty tops from Korea and Japan. My beloved polarized sunglasses from the Polish market also sadly met their end when one of the arms broke. But I found a replacement at Coconut Beach – I hope the new one lasts just as long.