(TITC) - Travel + Leisure wrote about an international tourist Sophie Mendel's trip to northern Vietnam, and it turned out to be a healing travel experience.
According to Sophie, after her engagement ended, she found the road to self love, personal growth, and healing in Vietnam.
She has moved to New York City from Atlanta. Two days after the move, she flew to Vietnam and travelled through the way to the North of the country as a solo female traveller. “Travelling to Vietnam was the best thing I could have done for myself”, stated Sophie.
According to Sophie, although she has made many solo trips, this trip to Vietnam was special. She has become strong and capable of facing difficulties alone and she acknowledged that it is the first journey on a long road for her to heal and rediscover herself.
Vietnam is the ideal destination to connect with nature, experience new cultures and meet locals who are famous for their friendliness and warmth.
Sophie Mendel's trip to Vietnam started in Ha Noi, followed by two other destinations, Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay, before flying back to New York City.
Sophie wrote about her feeling after landing in Ha Noi that on the way from the airport to the hotel, she saw many motorbikes and street vendors wearing traditional conical hats. She walked around the Old Quarter of Ha Noi. Although she had been to several Southeast Asian countries before, the experience in Vietnam was completely different from what she was used to. The buildings and sidewalks are covered with lush tropical greenery, giving it a very Vietnamese feel.
Ha Noi, the City for Peace
The hot weather doesn't stop locals from eating hot bowls of pho on every street corner, and small eateries selling banh mi and bun cha line every block, written Sophie on Travel+Leisure.
Sophie strolled through the old town, avoiding motorbikes on the street, street vendors and cars and wishing her eyes could see more things at once. She walked past shops and cafes until she reached Hoan Kiem Lake, a peaceful oasis in the heart of the bustling city.
She described, the lakeshore becoming bustling with groups of women taking dance classes, men practising tai chi, families with children taking late afternoon strolls and teenagers giggling and taking pictures on their phones. To Sophie, it looks like a perfect photo of daily life in the capital Ha Noi. As she walked along a crowded street in Vietnam, completely alone, sweating profusely, she felt like everything was in perfect harmony with life here.
Sophie Mendel was also captivated by the city's scenery as local shop owners began preparing for the evening, motorbikes passed by and street vendors gathered in the old town at night.
Over the next few days, Sophie spent her time walking with other tourists from the hotel to visit the remaining sites, building area with French architecture style, ancient Buddhist temples and watch traditional water puppet shows at Thang Long Puppet Theatre, and enjoy some dishes at Bep Viet restaurant.
Finding own self
Ha Noi brought Sophie peace of mind - something she had been trying to find for many months before the trip. The capital Ha Noi has helped her back to her own self.
On her next destination to Ninh Binh. She found Ninh Binh's scenery breathtaking. She spent time cycling through the lush countryside with views of rice fields and soaring green mountains to sail across on a peaceful river, with landscapes reminiscent of Jurassic Park.
Overcoming 500 stone steps, in hot weather, Sophie ended a long and effective day with a journey to climb to the top of the mountain, admiring the entire magnificent scenery with endless valleys and the brilliant green of the mountains. The leaves blend with the stark brown of the mountains, the bluest sky and the bright red of the Vietnamese flag blowing in the wind. An unimaginably beautiful scene appeared before her eyes. As she stood there, sweaty, tired and proud of what she had accomplished, she believed that everything was going to be alright, and realized that there was a lesson in that hike: when life gets hard, just take it slowly, step by step and you’ll make it out just fine in the end.
To her last destination, Ha Long Bay - a World Heritage site recognized by UNESCO and one of the 7 new natural wonders of the world.
Sophie experienced a two-night, three-day excursion in Ha Long, on a enormous yacht equipped with two jacuzzis, spacious cabins with private balconies and three top decks with breathtaking views of the surrounding bay.
Sophie felt wonderful to be in such a beautiful location with fellow travellers having a good time. They sailed across the bay, marvelling at the limestone cliffs jutting out of the water.
Over the course of the next few days, they cruised to hidden beaches, hiked and biked around Cát Bà Island, kayaked through the bay, and enjoyed parties on the boat with people from all over the world.
A trip to Vietnam is the perfect transition from old life to new life. The trip gave Sophie time to think about everything and get ready for a new life.
Vietnam made me realise that no matter how much time passes, you are never too old (or too young) to get out there and start exploring everything this extraordinary world has to offer. This trip opened her up to self-love, self-rediscovery, and personal growth, and served as a reminder that sometimes it’s OK to take a leap of faith into the unknown, Sophie shared.
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