You can do it alone too...

An early-morning departure from Barcelona, where I live, and on through who knows how many cities, until I finally arrive in Hanoi in the evening. I won't hide a little emotion at arriving, alone, in this country not yet completely "known"... Not that I expected friendliness from the police at passport control, but at least a little smile...no such luck... I immediately start haggling for the first taxi, and I realise the price I paid is fair, given the long drive into the city... At home I pick a hostel in the old quarter, and for just $8 they give me a room with 5 beds...clearly it's not high season yet...

First day discovering Hanoi, where the first thing that strikes you is the incredible traffic of Chinese scooters, more than 3 million in a city of about 5 million inhabitants, truly impressive...for a few dollars I rent one with a driver, and I ride around the whole city, pagodas, Temple of Literature and, of course, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum...absolutely a city to live and "breathe" in all its charm, and the best way to do it is a nice walk through the colourful streets of the Old Quarter... From Hanoi you can't miss an excursion of at least two days in Halong Bay, a truly fascinating and somewhat "mystical" place, given the total uniqueness of the incredible natural scenery...in 2 days you manage to taste the splendour of this bay, take a couple of dips from the boat and visit a few nature parks.

Unmissable! Back to Hanoi for a quick stop (where for a few cents you can close real deals on clothing!...) and off to Hue. So, Hue...the old capital of the country and still today the biggest attraction as far as the ruins and palaces of Vietnam's past history are concerned. Hue has that spirit of a town that is now provincial, and a coffee while watching life go by at the pace the Vietnamese themselves set is total relaxation...here I'd suggest renting one of the typical motorbikes and riding a bit off the usual routes...don't miss the tombs of the ancient emperors and the magnificent views over the Perfume River, areas steeped in history, unfortunately the setting of the bloodiest battles between the Americans and the Viet Cong...

From Hue, a friendly bus driven by the local Michael Schumacher (incredible overtaking on bends and uphill in the mountains...terrifying...) reaches the wonderful town of Hoi An in about 4 hours, a true jewel of central Vietnam...this colonial town charms you with its colours and smells, especially towards evening, when the older people light votive incense at the entrance of their shops...but take advantage of this paradise now, before tourism turns it into a new Rimini...and don't miss the little souvenir shops, truly countless and varied...From Hoi An you then reach the archaeological site of My Son in about 2 hours by bus, a sacred city during the Champa kingdom. Here too it takes a bit of effort to get there, but it's absolutely worth it...

It's sad to have to leave these wonderful towns and dive back into the chaos of a big city...but...here I am arriving in Ho Chi Minh City (that is, the old Saigon...). Another mess in the style of Hanoi, though I found it worse, already too modern to charm me like the capital. Here the unmissable things are the Reunification Palace, the Chinese quarter for a bit of shopping and the mind-blowing museum of American war crimes (officially the museum of war remnants...), truly shocking...

With an excursion on the Mekong River Delta I thus ended my "solo" trip through Vietnam...the natural and artistic wonders of the country, the absolute poverty of the people, but always accompanied by their so sincere smiles, and a curiosity and desire to know the world outside their reality is something that struck me so deeply in my soul that I will never forget it, just as I will never forget their faces and smiles...