Two years ago today,

I was here:

At the historic coastal town of Hoi An, Vietnam.

I hadn’t seen one of my bestest of friends in 5 years. We were tired of our jobs, hadn’t been on a holiday in a while, and between Melbourne and Hong Kong, we somehow managed to put together a week-long trip to Vietnam.

This is what a wrote in my journal on Feb. 6, 2007:

“Had a 2-hr sight-seeing tour around Ho Chi Minh City on a motorcycle. I love motorcycle rides. This ride. The carefree feeling. With the wind blowing in my hair. This ride is what makes life worth living.”

Yes, “wind blowing in my hair”. How cliche.

We went to the beach. (If we were still going on trips like this when we’re that old, that’ll be fucking awesome.)

We took pictures of ducks on bicycles.

We took an 8 hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City, in the south of Vietnam, to the coastal town of Nha Trang.

From there, we then took a 10  to 11 hour bus ride up the coast to Hoi An, in the middle of Vietnam.

(Fuck, I didn’t realize we took such long bus rides! They were the longest bus rides of my life!)

And so two years ago today, that was how I came to be in Hoi An.

We stayed at this hotel. We chose it because James Bond or some sort stayed at it before.

I really didn’t have a good camera back then…




Two years ago, three shiny-arsed British boys were travelling down Vietnam from the north.

At about the same time, they too arrived at the town of Hoi An.




Two years ago today, this is what I wrote in my journal:

“Got absolutely drunk and trashed last night….Started at Tam Tam Cafe and Bar….then moved on to this other place across the river where the whole thing started with <Nasty>.

Was carried back to the hotel by some American guy.

Spent a nasty morning hungover and nauseated following Sella around town to get our clothes done.

Then took a car to China Beach, where we amazingly met up with <Nasty> and <friend> again!

Spent the afternoon walking along the beach and swimming with <Nasty>.

Was supposed to catch a 7:30pm flight from Danang to HCMC. But <Nasty> and I lost track of time and at 6:15pm just got back to the car.”




Yes, under those exceptionally romantic – not- circumstances, that is how we met. Two years ago today.

Little did I know the impact that day will have on me for the next 2 years. And counting.