When you decide to spend your “life” on the THPL journey you afford yourself the opportunity to “live and learn” and in many cases the learning comes from how you decide to engage with your version of THPL. It struck me on this trip, to Vietnam, a location with a unique place in history, and the world, that I could leave here having experienced “nothing”. It is all too easy to go places around the world and normalize them so much with familiarity, routine and sameness, that you miss the opportunity to experience the differences and the uniqueness that are peculiar and special, in a place like Vietnam. I realized that if was not careful that the more I travel the less I might see.
From this recognition I made a conscious effort to experience Vietnam. To look for and appreciate that which is special here and to make sure to engage with the locals, to embrace the cuisine, to feel the “vibe” and to seek out interaction, and yes, get out of the hotel and open my eyes. And there was so much there, the amazing Vietnamese coffee, the tropical fruits, the mopeds, the war museum, the street vendors, the cuisine, and more than anything the smiles of the people, and their friendly way. Walking the streets you felt like you belonged, it was easy to do, and it made me feel like when I got back on the plane to leave that I would remember having been to Vietnam and I would be better for it. It really was not that big of an effort – just a reminder that we cannot go through life with our heads down, our eyes closed and our hearts cold. To the contrary we need to be active and engaged and appreciate all that is around us. It is a much better way to live – that is indeed what THPL is all about.. J
Loving life, when experiencing all that is around me