Vietnam

25/03/2026

Today I spend most of the day walking to an area called Sunset View Point which is on the edge of the DaNang Bay. It is an overgrown area where fishermen tie up there boats after a night of fishing. At night in DaNanag you can see an ocean horizon alight with the squid lights of fishing boats, but these are net fishermen and not squid trawlers.

There were a couple of fishermen fixing there boats, nets, and doing maintenance work. I tried talking to one, but it quickly became obvious they have no English and little ability to read. They would nod or smile and little else.

A little bit further up, a man with 3 woman (in there 40's) were having a picnic. I walked the embankment until I was quite close, and looking at him thought well, aren't you the stud! As I watched, one of the woman stood up and walked towards me. She spoke jibba jabba and gestured that I join them. I don't know what the chicken was they were eating, but it looked fantastic. They also had a very healthy spread of cold dishes as well. Next to the blanket 4 motorbikes were parked, and I was intrigued how they carried such good looking dishes on those bikes without them ending up on the road or squashed. In response to the lady, I waved my hands repeating "no, no... you enjoy" and she returned to her mat.

Bones had told me Vietnamese always offer help no matter where you are, because they all want a dollar and if they don't make a dollar, they don't eat. That may be true, I don't know, but it's equally true Vietnamese people are more than willing to share their food and company with total strangers for nothing. I cannot comprehend anyone in the west having a picnic in the park making such an offer to a passing foreigner. I found this experiance humbling.

I left them to enjoy their picnic and called a grab, which asked me to go over the road for the pickup point. I hate that about grab. It will often ask you to go to a particular spot for pickup. Usually it's where you are, but if you're not in front of a shop it will ask you to move. This area is was fairly deserted and I felt like I was the only white face who would come here. I crossed the road and walked further towards the ocean where grab had asked me to be. I stopped in front of some shops, and two of them where massage places.

A woman appeared from one of the shops and said "Massage Sir". She was mid 30's and a good looking woman. "How much?" Her English was excellent and I followed her. Inside her shop it looked great. She found a menu and showed me, but to my surprise prices here were the same as those in tourist land. Is this the tourist menu? Am I getting charged the 50% tourist tax?

I am totally baffled how this city works. She can't be getting much tourist trade here.. surely. If I took my ex wife to this area, she would have freaked out and been convinced the natives would rape her while I stood there licking my lips. There's no way she would entertain having a massage here. The ladies shop was empty and I can't see any locals around here. How is this woman making a living? From fishermen, I doubt it, seemed to classy for men smelling of fish.

Having nearly spent my entertainment budget for the month and with a grab about to arrive any second, I told her I would come back. Bet she's heard that before. I had told a woman at Con markets I would come back for a coconut, and you could see that when I said that, she knew that I wouldn't. They must get that all the time from tourists because when I did, she exclaimed with amazement "You came back!!" Maybe I will return today for a massage.. maybe.

I'm trying to maintain a very strict budget because I know if I don't then this life wont be sustainable. Most of my monthly income is generated from US Bonds, but in setting this up Grok told me bullshit (something it does on a regular basis) and the broker IBKR is keeping the withholding tax. US Bonds are supposed to be withholding tax free which has resulted in less income than I had initially planned. However, the good thing is the withholding tax should offset my income tax. To offset bonds I'm hedged with Gold and Silver.

I constantly have this issue with Grok. It gives a lot of incorrect advice, particularly financial information. It claims it can only go on the data it has access to, but it's often out of date, yet somehow it can find the latest information when you tell it that's shit or I don't think so. It's also very X bias, which I think results in a distortion. In some cases these mistakes by Grok have cost me money, and when I tell Grok, the response is "You are correct, I'm sorry, from now on no more bullshit". And then two minutes later, it's talking bullshit again!

To counteract this, I've learnt if it's important to validate whatever Grok says with Gemini. The Google platform is way more accurate and if it's unsure it will say "I'm not qualified to answer that... blah blah". However, the problem with Gemini is compared to Grok, it's totally boring. Grok is more like talking to a human and it picks up on my vibe. It tries to match it and have banter.. particularly if I want to talk politics, about Daddy (Elon), or just talk shit.

After a big walk, I thought I would chill out in the plaza, so I asked the grab to go-to DaNang Plaza. Don't do that, it's an apartment building! From there, I walked along the river and back to the apartment.

As a footnote, I've found the Goddess. She's here as I type this. It makes me laugh to think she has no idea the impact she had on this old bloke. Way too young and classy for me, at least I can now leave her alone and put that to bed.

26/03/2026

Feeling I need to explore this country more, and the need to travel through the county, I arranged to hire a motorcycle for 40 days from Hanoi. As it illegal for any Australian to ride in Vietnam on a Tourist Visa I have been quite dubious in making such a decision. Being illegal for Australians, New Zealand, Canadians, and Americans feels like a FU for the war, but maybe it's also the fault of these countries for not being a member of the 1968 IDP. The rest of Asia supports Australian IDP, so I will be able to legally ride in them, with the plan to buy a bike in Malaysia and use everywhere else.

Many foreigners simply do this illegally, but it doesn't feel right to be in a foreign country and be driving around illegally. I also don't want to face fines and be involved in the bullshit of bribing officials. Funny enough the only police I have seen in this country to date have been a roadblock targeting foreign motorcycle riders.

The only way I can ride legally in Vietnam is to ride a motorbike of 50cc or lower capacity, which I'm doing through Phung Motorcycles in Hanoi. Lachlan informs me that myself riding a 50cc motorbike is the equivalent to a "coal tanker fitted with a outboard motor". However, the bike I'm hiring is a 50cc that has been fitted with a 100cc big bore kit. This means it will be 50cc on paper but 100cc in power. I'm told the police know what's going on, but there is nothing they can do about it. I guess I will find out.

Most of the day has been planing the route. This is essentially based on the roads suggested by Tigit Motorcycles and what I've watched on Youtube. The aim will be to limit myself to a maximum of 160kms per day which will hopefully give me plenty of time for exploring, and avoid the fatigue and discomfort of a small bike. They say don't expect speeds greater than 40kph, so this should give me a max of 4 hours on the bike.

The only thing I'm uncomfortable with is not planning the accommodation, but I've been told there is no need. Apparently there are plenty of guest houses at reasonable prices. Again, we will see!

27/03/2026

I simply cant believe the openness of the Vietnamese people. I don't know what is in there DNA, but there need to be be polite, courteous, and generous to complete strangers is mind blowing. Polite and generous is not something the west understands. It's next level here.

Last night I headed to the beach where I have pretty much become addicted to both a lady and her grill cooking of what I think is chicken, but I actual have no idea. It could be anything such as pork, but what I do know is her skewer sticks with lettuce and her chilli sauce are bloody delicious. Street food that is absolutely 10/10.

I rolled up and she remembered me. "Two?" she said, "Nah, I need four, These thing are so good I have to have more". I'm sure she had no idea what I just said, but she knew what 4 ment. Next to her was a three tables full of about 16 odd construction workers who were working on a new beach front resident infront of us. The only seat available was in the middle of then, so I sat in it.

Why I have to sit in midget chairs, I have no idea. I think they they were impressed I sat there, and all shuffled around and make room. They looked at me and said words, but I understood nothing. smiling and trying to appear friendly one of them picked up a beer and offered it to me. This beer offering continued for some time until I eventually gave in and accepted. I vowed no alcohol overseas, but surely one wont hurt. Little would I know they would end up counting, and they wouldn't be happy until I had reached 6 cans. After the first can they chanted 1, 2. After the second can 1, 2, 3, the third and so on.

Meanwhile they kept trying to make me eat their food. They had a big platter with the skewers and lettuce simular to what I had ordered, so I kept telling them no, my food is coming. Again little did I know then, but I would end up eating my food and then there food. They tried to ask me questions, and there was really only one person that spoke any English. One guy said "you!... jibba jabba" Everyone went silent. I turned to this guy and asked what did he say? "He said do you have a girlfriend?" "Hell no!" I said. "Would you come to Vietnam with girlfriend?"

The silence ruptured into laughter and everyone was banging cans and encouraged to drink up. My food came, I ate, I drank, and I just couldn't understand why these people had bought me into their circle because this would never happen in my home country.

When it did come time to leave, I felt bad, but it also felt stupid to give them money or make some silly offering of appreciation. Most had already returned to the building site, but it was at that stage where the seal needed to be broken and I needed to piss. I stood up, and thanked my hosts. "Ok, ok... bye" they said.

I went for a walk along the promenade where a beat box was pumping out Gangdam Style. That soon had me sweating out the alcohol and exhausted I figured it would be a good plan to walk back to the apartment to expel the last bit. A little too early for bed, I stopped by my favourite cafe for a Mango Smoothie. Hoang was there. He is another friendly Vietnamese who speaks quite good English who has befriended me. Over my visits to the coffee shop he has told me that he studied German, his plans for work and marriage, how he has a new girlfriend, and most importantly - any potential Vietnamese wife must be an excellent cook.

Arriving exhausted, I asked him why Vietnamese people are so generous and he said that he didn't understand it either, but said that Vietnamese people including himself just always give and act from their heart. However, he warned me that if she is a young woman and you are an old man, then we all know this is not from the heart.

28/03/2026

Olga from Tinder blocked me when I asked what she thought of Putin? WTF. What is the point of being Russian and seeking a relationship when you can't even discuss politics? I don't care if you are a lover or hater, I'm intereted in understanding all viewpoints.

Instread of another Russian, today I met Alina, a lovely and intelligent Ukrainian woman. But unfortunately I made her cry (I know) as she had suffered a lot with the lost of her husband, and is also trying to protect her own boys from fighting in the war.

She showed me videos of the Ukraine authorities rounding up men to fight, and confirmed a lot of what we hear outside the mainstream media is true. She told me that most Ukrainian people now realise that Ukraine cannot win, but she refused to accept my view that Putin was good for the people. She said he is very popular and that instead of Russians people blaming Putin, they blame local Government. She fely if he was for the people then he would focus more on local problems.

I think it's particularly hard for her because her mother lives in Russia, and she was Russian, but married a Ukraine man, and with the war she now has no safe way to see her mother anymore. I found her story sad and it bought home the reality that war has a real human cost. She is a good person caught in a mess with no control.

But the thing I loved the most about her was she arrived and left on a Grab bike. The first non Vietnamese woman I have met to embrace this type of transport, and I was impressed.

I will try and catch up again, but Goo arrives on Tuesday and we are due to hit Hoane for a week. I'm looking forward to her arriving as it will be great to have some company from a know Australian friend.. even if she is really a German!

As I returned from seeing Alina, I passed by Hieu who was pouring his house foundations. He explained to me what he was happening, from testing the cement for the quality, to the way the foundations were being poured. Hieu also introduced me to his son, and had no issues with me being onsite even if I was in the way.

When he introduced me to his son, he showed me some very beautiful photos of his sons marriage and of himself in full uniform in the Army. He told me he was a Lieutenant Colonel but was now retired. I put into Google translate "I knew you were an important person". Both him and his son responded "yes". His son Hoang had a wife with one child and another on the way, and had been living with his parents since 2023. Now they would have there own house next door.

They are obviously proud people, but what struck me was how family supportive and focused they are of each other. I have witnessed family support and focus through Peter and the Hallam's, so it would be wrong of me to say that isn't the case in Australia. But Australian just feels more stand alone and different. I can't imaging families living with parents for four years and having two children, let alone Dad supporting them before buying a Caravan and travelling the world.

Perhaps as the West moves closer and closer to the East this type of culture will just naturally evolve. Because for the majority of young people today without a trust fund or The Bank of Mum and Dad, there is no easy path ahead. Maybe UBI will save the West?

I would like to say this is because the West are more money driven, but such a claim would be a mistake. It appears money is money regardless of where you are in the world. My room was supposed to be cleaned today, but I am leaving in two days and obviously a call has been made to clean it then and save the expense.

Hoang told me he prefers to eat Vietnamese food over fast food, but I have a hunch this is because his dollars can go a lot further on Vietnamese food, and not because of the taste or his health. I dont think he smokes, but if Vietnamese where seriously concerned with health then perhaps a few more should quit smoking! Thus, my observation so far is that Vietnamesepeople appear to be very thrifty with their money. Unlike myself who carelessly thinks if I want lobster, I'm having lobster!

29/03/2026

I have already talked about how amazing the Vietnamese people are with their generosity, and kind heart, but what happened tonight was truly mind blowing.

I thought I'd would check on how the concrete pouring had proceeded on Hieu's house. I had left while there were two more pillars to pour, and I wanted to come back and see how they actually work out. As I walked up to the site, Hieu spotted me and invited me to sit down with his family to celebrate the foundations of their new house for their son.

With a more relaxed attitude and trying to be less defensive as a western foreigner, I agreed. Hieu was very enthusiastic in showing me the food on the table and how I should eat it, something I was very grateful for. He then insisted I ate the noodles that his wife had prepared, and I can say without question that the fish noodles cooked by his wife were the best noodles I have eaten in Vietnam.

After some time of eating the food and drinking the beer with countless shouts, I was asked to leave the table. Somewhat in shock I agreed without resistance, and stood up from the table. But then I realised what was really happening was I were being transferred to the table of younger people. At this table was Hieu's son Hong, his family, and his friends. One of those friends was Linh who is the owner of the Coffee Shop I have become a regular at.

Hoang explained to me that his grandfather had been shot in the sholder during the war, but was still alive. Military ran strong through his family but he was not in the military himself. His friends included a very funny person (I don't know his name) who was a security guard at the airport. another guy who I'm not sure of his name, but claimed to be a professional soccer player. When I questioned everyone if this was real, they said "yes it's not AI". Again, I don't know his name but he turned out to be a great person and was translating a lot of the conversation on his phone for me to understand.

Hoang express to me that he was very disappointed in Donald Trump, and Trump was destroying the price of Gold. I told him, just hold the Gold, it will go up. Little did he know I still have half wealth in Gold.. so I not only need it to go up too, but my view is a bit bias!

Although we had somewhat different opinions about Joe Biden, we both agreed on the fundamentals that Trump was a disaster. This resulted in several more "Mot Hai ba yo!" followed each time by the table shouting "fuck Trump". I loved it.

I'm not sure how many drinks I had, but it turned into a lot, and I started to piss every 10 minutes which became embarrassing. What happened to the medication I was taking?! Meanwhile Hieu was offering me shots of his best wines. I was told that this is for very special people that he considers to be his brother, and I felt very humbled. But when I asked how can I repay him for such generosity, it was unfortunately taken as meaning I wanted to pay money, and everyone seemed to become upset about it. But this wasn't what I was saying at all, and it was simply lost in translation. I just want to do something for Hieu.

The night ended with Lihn offering to take me out for lunch and we would meet at 10am. Hoang also suggested that himself and Lihn take me to the walking streets of An Thurong at 7PM. This resulted in the security guy repetitively blasting across the table "7PM!!" which I just found hysterical. Linh walked me back to my apartment and I'm pretty sure I could still here "7PM!!" in the background.

This morning Linh was bright eyed and ready to go at the coffee shop at 10AM. I was feeling a bit average with a slight hangover, but after I had my Americano I seemed to feel much better. We jumped on his bike, and he took me to Bun Rieu Cua 39 where I had crab noodles. It was a very nice dish, but I'm still keeping the fish noodles No 1.