The pains and pleasures of post-Covid travel

 Ahhhh... my Aussie passport is no longer empty. It has a beautiful stamp from Vietnam! We finally got brave and took an international trip, although it took SO much more planning. The flights were easy, as Aussies are still getting used to being able to leave the country so they weren't full and there were lots of hotels to choose from because Vietnam just re-opened to tourists in March. But then there were all the Covid related things. Proof of vaccinations. Travel insurance that covers Covid delays. Pre-flight PCR tests. A plentiful supply of masks.

But it was all worth it, as we had a fabulous couple of weeks in Ho Chi Minh City and Hue'.  Being us, we pretty much ate our way through all the street markets and sidewalk stands, trying anything that looked interesting. We found the Google Translate App to be fairly useful in helping us decipher food terms, especially after we added a Vietnamese keyboard to our phones. There are so many different variations on the different letters, and it can change the meaning quite drastically.

We had seen this sign multiple places but had no idea what it was (didn't translate!) until someone explained it was a dessert. You can choose what items you want, or you can ask for everything, which we did. It was delicious!

 

There were so many street stands, many offering a version of Bun Bo which is a variation on Pho.

 

This last picture is a stand where they grilled a dry rice pancake over hot coals, added all sorts of toppings, then folded it like a taco. This was probably our favorite snack.

Getting back into the habit of travel - maybe.

 So I think I may have forgotten how to travel. These last two years have been confusing, restrictive, and just all around depressing and I - like the rest of the world - would like things to be easier. Remember when you could just decide to take a trip and all you had to worry about was if you needed a visa? Now there is so much more... Covid-19 vaccination certificate. PCR tests, or Rapid Antigen tests. Covid restrictions in the country you want to visit. Mask requirements. Travel insurance in case you catch Covid. And then after all those considerations, you might be able to get down to the business of planning what you actually want to on said trip. It is enough to make me want to curl up on the couch and stay home! But I must plan a trip, and soon. You see, I have a new passport, all nice and shiny and EMPTY. I cannot leave it in this state, it must be used!