Woke up at 9:30 a.m. Took a shower right away and packed. Today’s the day I head to Bangkok. I called a bike taxi to the airport. I told him, 'Take me to International Departure,' but we ended up at Domestic Arrival. For a second I thought about lowering his rating, but I stopped myself. People make mistakes, and having the tolerance to forgive is important.
Then I walked to the terminal. I was a little nervous since it was 1 hour 40 minutes before departure, but I was surprised there was no one at the check-in counter. Maybe everyone had already checked in. They processed me right away and issued my ticket. I passed security and cleared immigration.
Da Nang airport lounge — Vietnam's top-tier abundance
I went to the Da Nang lounge. It's probably one of the best in Vietnam: very spacious and truly had a ton of food.
Watermelon, dragon fruit, passion fruit, guava, Vietnamese red-bean dessert, milk, yogurt, spring rolls, fried chicken, French fries, chicken pho, sautéed vegetables, croissants, sausages. There were so many varieties — an abundant buffet.
When I showed my Priority Pass at reception, maybe because I look young, they basically asked, 'Is this card really yours?' and checked my name carefully.
Looking back at 36 days in Vietnam
Then I boarded the plane to Bangkok. I stayed in Vietnam for 36 days. It was really fun, and every single moment was wonderful. I live in the moment, so everything felt fulfilling. Of course I also sometimes soak in the memories. Looking back on my life, it was a time I can honestly say, 'Ah, that was fun.'
Every day I traveled, faced myself, and worked. Of course, it was just me carrying out the plans I set, but I want to praise myself for drawing a clear vision and executing it. Thinking like that, I left Vietnam and arrived in Thailand.
Arriving in Bangkok — a stressful moment at immigration
I’d stayed in Thailand for a month this January–February, so I felt familiar with it. But there was a tense moment at immigration.
I had registered in advance that I would stay from July 2 to August 22, but when I checked I found information that the allowed stay days had changed, and I panicked. In the end I left the line, bought a new ticket, updated my arrival card, and queued up again. I'm always lax with preparation and research, so I really need to fix that.
But when I actually lined up I showed the QR code on the arrival card and they didn't ask anything — they just stamped my passport and it was over in an instant.
When I went to get my luggage and exit, there were no checks either. What's more, my passport was stamped until August 30. So I can stay for two months! It was totally my misunderstanding. Sigh, oh well.
The different vibes of Vietnam and Thailand
I took the metro into the city center. Since I was familiar from my previous stay, I found places quickly and enjoyed it. Because this is a long stay, I withdrew ¥10,000 from the bank.
What I really notice is the difference in people's vibes between Vietnam and Thailand. Thai people tend to be friendly and open. On the other hand, Vietnamese people are polite, reserved, and a bit shy. I like both, but I find Vietnam's atmosphere more comfortable.
An 18kg backpack and a night on Khao San Road
I arrived at the hostel with an 18kg backpack. This hostel had an insanely big bed and it was great. But maybe I was sleepy — my social battery was completely dead and I had no energy to talk to anyone.
Still, I went out and had dinner at a nearby stall: grilled chicken and rice. It cost ¥500 in total. A bit pricey. After that I decided to walk to Khao San Road.
This is where the hostel I stayed at the very first time I came to Thailand is located. I walked feeling nostalgic. I remembered the place where I used to buy a chicken rice bowl — it was really good, so I wanted to go, but when I went it was gone.
They had mango sticky rice, so I bought it with a mango juice. It was ¥400 in total. The woman looked really kind, so I talked to her with a big smile.
She smiled back and was very polite. It made me think again that people change depending on how you treat them.
If I return a smile, the other person smiles back. Maybe that's human communication.
Anyway, I shopped on Khao San Road and returned to the hostel. I wrote in my journal, did some work, and called it a day. Tomorrow I plan to go get an additional vaccine.
