Entry #30 || Vietnam Trip • Day 1 : First Day Chronicles 🇻🇳✨

Another adventure begins.
From my apartment straight to the airport, I was welcomed by the longest immigration line ever — almost two full hours of standing, inching forward, and hoping I wouldn’t miss anything. After finally getting through, I withdrew what felt like millions in Vietnamese dong (still feels unreal), hunted down my Grab car, and made my way to my hotel… officially starting another solo journey.

Late-night McDonald’s became my first real meal in Vietnam, and after that, I just waited for morning to come.

Day 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, started with a quiet check of the neighborhood from my rooftop — watching the city wake up beneath me. Then it was time to start crossing things off my itinerary.

First stop: trying their famous coffee.
I went to Little Hanoi, a cozy coffee shop where I ordered their egg matcha — warm, creamy, comforting. After that, I attempted to navigate the roads (which is a challenge on its own) just to reach Ben Thanh Market. I bought myself a Vietnamese hat, then continued walking to find the rest of the places I saved.

The Center of Saigon. Cafe Apartment. City Hall. Book Street. The Pink Church. Cho Binh Tay.
So many spots in just one day, and I even ended up buying clothes because I didn’t bring enough for this whole trip.

To recharge, I treated myself to a comforting bowl of pho — tender beef, soft noodles, and a broth that felt like a warm hug. It was perfect.

After that, I had to check out, head back to the airport, and catch my flight to Dalat. My flight was delayed, so of course, I grabbed a banh mi for another quick meal while waiting.

This is just Day 1, and so much has already happened. Excited for what comes next. 🇻🇳✨