By motorcycle through Vietnam

Yes, you heard right - me, who swore never to ride a motorcycle in my life and who complained about every single motorcyclist who effortlessly passed me on my racing bike while I was struggling up a pass somewhere in Austria, drenched in sweat and panting, and then enjoyed a three-course meal at the top of the mountain hut without burning a single calorie.

Travel opens your eyes, shows you new possibilities, encourages you to do things you have always resisted - and in this sense, I have overcome my inner demons and decided to explore the highlands of Vietnam primarily by motorcycle and scooter, together with Markus.

Over a week ago, we landed in Hanoi, and I have found it difficult to write a new entry for my travel blog, as Myanmar was so impressive and authentic. Arriving in Hanoi, we were almost overwhelmed by the impressions that this vibrant metropolis offered us. Hundreds of tourists, primarily young backpackers, crowded the narrow streets, while locals tried to sell overpriced souvenirs, fruits, and freshly brewed Vietnamese beer for 60 cents per glass on every corner. Everything completely unfamiliar to us from Myanmar. Living in the middle of the backpacker district, we experienced the never-sleeping Hanoi and its nightlife up close. Unlike in Yangon or Mandalay, where clubs or nightlife hardly exist, and finding a small local bar is a challenge, Hanoi is filled with karaoke bars and nightclubs.

Since the weather forecast for the Hanoi area was pretty bad, we decided not to do a tour of the famous Halong Bay - the number one tourist destination in Vietnam - and instead headed toward Hoi An, a small coastal town in the middle of the 1600-kilometer-long country. With its many small bars and restaurants nestled along the small river, Hoi An immediately reminded me of Venice. Small boats weave their way through tiny bridges, tourists stroll through the alleys, market women offer fresh dragon fruits, banana cakes, fried frogs, the famous Vietnamese Banh Mi baguettes, and all kinds of (sometimes unidentifiable) dishes. In the evening, the old town lights up due to the hundreds of lanterns in various colors and lights. This town, which was spared from the war and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the place where travelers from all over the world gather, with different countries, cultures, and travel routes. Each of them with new impressions, travel experiences, and insights into their everyday lives...that fascinates me the most about backpacker life. And the most beautiful thing is when your paths cross again with a fellow traveler. And I had that experience with Rosanne, a Dutch girl whom I met at a yoga retreat in Thailand back in mid-October and have kept in touch with, hoping to meet her again somewhere on my journey. And Hoi An is the place in Vietnam that no traveler misses; it is located right in the middle and is the meeting point for all travelers heading from north to south or from south to north. It was exciting to find out what the other person had experienced in the meantime, which countries they had traveled to, and what stories they had collected. Together with Rosanne, Ilse, another Dutch girl, and Joel from England, we set off on a scooter towards Hue, passing by beautiful bays and viewpoints where we could see the skyline of Danang and the fishing boats. The most fascinating part for me was crossing the Hai Van Pass (including a scooter breakdown and 1.5 hours of waiting for repair, unlike in Myanmar, this did not happen for free) - an ascent that made my racing cyclist heart beat faster. The mountain road winds its way up curve after curve, with breathtaking views of the coast and the surrounding beaches.

In the evening, we took the night bus to Nha Trang, a beach town that, in my opinion, is anything but beautiful and is dominated by Russian package tourists. Still not fully captivated and convinced by this country, we decided to explore the highlands by motorcycle as a "last try" to let a bit of Vietnam's charm, nature, and people into our hearts. The Easyriders, motorcycle gangs that offer tours for adventurous tourists, provide the perfect opportunity for this. With Jack and Luu, two lively Vietnamese guys whose hearts beat for their motorcycles, Vietnam, women, beer, and coffee, we experienced three beautiful tours from Nha Trang to Dalat, an old French town in the Highlands, and Di Linh, a small village in the middle of the rice fields, to the sand dunes of Mui Ne. The tour allowed us to get to know the real Vietnam, with coffee and tea plantations as far as the eye could see, lonely mountain passes, sleepy farming villages, lush green plateaus, dragon fruit farms, and deserted jungles. In the evenings, we sat together by the campfire, listening to Jack playing guitar, and enjoyed a wonderful barbecue. The beautiful nature and the many stories about war-stricken, historically fascinating Vietnam that our two guides told us brought us closer to Vietnam. And what I can definitely say after three days on the motorcycle: motorcycling makes you hungry, even if you don't burn as many calories as cycling. In the future, I will no longer look suspiciously and with a hint of schadenfreude at motorcyclists who enjoy their cheese spaetzle at the mountain hut. :-)

After three days on the motorcycle, we arrived in Mui Ne yesterday, a beach resort west of Ho Chi Minh, and enjoy the fact that we will stay in the same bed and have backpack-free hours for the next two days.