We knew four weeks was a long time to travel away from home. Nevertheless, off we went on a month-long adventure during May, the hot and rainy season in Southeast Asia.

 

My husband, Kelly, and I joined a group of 14 other strangers on a wonderful tour of Vietnam from Hanoi to Saigon, including Ha Long Bay, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nah Trang, and Dalat. We added a 5-day extension to visit Cambodia because we always wanted to see the infamous Buddhist temple Angkor Wat. Our favorite city was Hoi An, known for its colorful lanterns and well-preserved trading port. And if you’re wondering, we really liked all of those “strangers” who quickly became friends.

 

Our amazing tour guide’s name is Phuc, but he asked us to call him Phil. With a wink, he kindly told us that “Phuc is difficult for Americans to pronounce.”

Our trip was filled with adventure, often placing us out of our comfort zone to experience real life as the locals do. We toured farmhouses, homes, apartments, and huts, often dining with the host families who sourced and cooked us local dishes. They were usually open-air dwellings complete with dogs, cats, and chickens running around our feet while we visited and ate together. But we never got sick and always felt safe.

 

We toured temples, museums, parks, cemeteries, caves, ancient ruins, and even stayed overnight on a “junk boat” in Ha Long Bay. We learned about a culture of people who honor their ancestors, respect their elders, and believe strongly in family ties.

We visited many local “wet” markets, which include items that Americans typically won’t eat, such as pig snouts and tails, live eels and frogs, dog meat, various organ meats, tarantulas, and other squiggly things…most of which were still squiggling! The sights and smells were cringeworthy, but we appreciated seeing how people live on the other side of the world.

 

One of the delicacies we tried is called “weasel poop coffee.” The local civets (weasels) eat the juiciest coffee beans at the top of the trees. The farmers collect the weasel poo, dry it, soak it in red wine for some strange reason, and then roast it. We each had a cup, and it tasted like…(drumroll, please)…coffee. It’s very expensive due to all that digesting, collecting, soaking, and roasting!

 

We visited the prison known as Hanoi Hilton, the War Museum in Saigon, and the Cu Chi tunnels where the Viet Cong hid during the American-Vietnam War. All were quite sobering, but we never felt animosity toward Americans. A highlight for us was meeting two North Vietnamese generals who are now in their mid-80s. They explained how one had carried the other for 28 days after he had been injured, and then they lived in the tunnels for seven months while he dealt with infections and other maladies. They shook the hand of one of our group members, an American veteran who had been an interrogator during the war, and they welcomed him from their hearts.

 

One day, we took sampan boats down the Mekong Delta and visited the Cu Chi tunnels. My husband gladly descended into the claustrophobic tunnels through a 2-foot square entrance, and I broke out in a sweat just watching. Soon enough, he emerged a little bit muddier than when he went in. He said he had to crouch the entire time, and his arms were often touching the walls. Some horrific booby traps on display were used to keep the enemy at bay.

 

Was four weeks too long? Yes, it was. But we are so glad we did it. We were happy we also visited Cambodia, and Angkor Wat is a bucket-list site to see. We always felt safe (apart from the petrifying scooter rides), and the people were warm and friendly. We highly recommend this trip, and our friend Sandy McMillen from Andaggio Vacations is happy to arrange it. Be sure to include a stop at the weasel poop coffee farm on your next visit!