Adventures
Motorbiking Vietnam
Motorbiking across Vietnam was one the first Adventure that I began documenting and it is one of the best! This 5 part series shows all the different struggles that I faced while trying to make it over 3,000km across the country. One of the main reasons it was so difficult was totally my own fault. I had wanted to try to cross the country on the cheapest bike that I could find. That resulted in me making the long journey on one of the most infamous bikes in all of Vietnam.
The Honda Win.
FAQ:
Q: How much did the motorbike cost?
A: The motorbike cost me $340USD which I learned later on was a bit over priced for what I got. (typical range is from $150-$300).
Q: How much did the total trip cost?
A: The trip in total cost me just over $700 all included for 30 days. I managed to sell the bike at the end for $315 and I only spent about $50 on repairs throughout the full month. Cost of food and living was very cheap. I ate a lot of street food/local food especially Pho ($1-3/meal). Accommodation was very cheap as well, I stayed in hotels and hostels and the average price was anywhere from $5-10/night. I didn’t drink or party on the trip until the very end so that saved a ton of money.
Q: Did you need a license or insurance for this trip?
A: The only license I had was my drivers license from the US. I purchased basic travelers insurance for my own safety but the bike and everything else was uninsured. It’s not very common for cheaper vehicles to have insurance in Vietnam and it might technically be illegal but no one really cares. (This is not legal advice so do this at your own risk).
Q: How much motorbiking experience did you have before the trip?
A: Almost none. But I was very confident on two wheels and I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who isn’t at least experienced in extreme riding. It is not safe the majority of the time so experience really helps in sticky situations (chaotic drivers and streets).
Trekking Nepal
One of the most beautiful and physically challenging adventures I’ve had so far, Nepal ranks at the top for countries that I will visit again in the future. This adventure was done with three of my good friends from California: Heather, Eve, and Leo. It was all of our first times in Nepal so we spent lots of time learning about the culture and eating lots of Dhal baht. Watch the fun adventure we had going across the Annapurna Circuit and Mardi Himal reaching over 17,000ft (5,500m) in elevation.
FAQs:
Q: Where did you start the Annapurna Trek?
A: Bessissahar by bus from Kathmandu. Then took another local bus to Bhule Bhule where we had out first night then began the adventure.
Q: Did you need permits to trek?
A: Yes you need permits to do all of the treks in Nepal. They are very easy to get and almost every hostel or hotel in Kathmandu can point you in the right direction.
Q: Do you need a guide or porter for the trek?
A: We did not have a guide or porters for our trek BUT if you are reading this after 2023 then the rules have changed. The are begginning to make it a requirement to have a guide for this trek and solo trekking without one is no longer allowed. That being said, people have been able to do it without one but please check with the local officials before attempting it.
Q: How much did it cost to do the trek?
A: The total cost for the Annapurna circuit was roughly around $400-600 for our group members (14 days). Accommodation is typically free if you purchase dinner then breakfast the next morning. The food and snacks are going to be the largest expense on this trip.
Q: How hard is the hiking?
A: The hiking itself isn’t actually very difficult, the trails are well established and remain relatively easy to navigate. The toughest part of hiking is the long distances traveled and the high altitude.
Bangladesh Impressions
Bangladesh was one of the most uniques experiences I’ve ever had in a country as a traveler. In my attempts to explain my experience traveling this country I did my best to be fare and share my experience and the reality of what it was like. This may have resulted in some of the people of Bangladesh not being very pleased with how I depicted the country but it was my experience and I did my best to share it. That being said, the people of Bangladesh were nothing short of incredible, generous, and kind to me. I will definitely be going back top Bangladesh in the future and hopefully I will have a chance to see more of the beauty it has to offer.
FAQs:
Q: Where did you go in Bangladesh?
A: I went to a few different cities starting with Dhaka, Chittagong, Coxs Bazar, and St. Martins Island.
Q: How much does it cost to travel in Bangladesh?
A: Surprisingly the most expensive part of my trip was the accommodation. There isn’t really a travelers experience yet so most of the options for housing are hotels which are typically more expensive for tourists than most other more traveled Asian Countries. The food was cheap and delicious and transport was also cheaply priced.
Q: Would you recommend traveling to Bangladesh?
A: If you are a male or traveling with a group then yes! It can be a dangerous place for solo female travelers especially since there just aren’t very many other travelers in the country. But if you can manage to go it is such an incredible and rare experience to see this country.