Hanoi offers intoxicating mix of East and West

I

am awake at 3 a.m., rested and ready to tackle the day after 25 hours of travel from Prince George to Hanoi, Vietnam. The location has changed, but the body has not – it wants a morning run. A 5 a.m. run? Sure, what better way to test a new normal than to do what you’d normally do.

Unsure as to what I’d find, I set my sights on the nearby lake, Hoàn Kim, the centrepiece of the Old Quarter. Under the streetlights I dodge early morning vendors preparing their stalls, women carrying baskets on their heads and the occasional scooter. Then, I see it… the lake.

Perhaps it is the jet lag talking, but I almost shed a tear. All around, before the morning light, are hundreds of people, a kaleidoscope of walkers, joggers, cyclists, stretchers and dancers. As I pass fellow runners, we share it – the look, the slight smile, and the acknowledgment. They could likely never fathom the places I have run, nor could I imagine theirs, but we share this moment – the feeling of the burn in our legs and lungs. I hit my stride, grinning ear to ear. I run until the sun comes up and the chaos of the street resumes.

The year ahead will be uncharted territory for me, a chance to explore 12 cities throughout the globe while still working a full-time job. A balancing act of free-spirited adventure with some semblance of routine in adapting who I am and what I need, to what the world delivers.

Thankfully, I am sharing the journey with 40 other like-minded digital nomads, made up of 10 nationalities. Each one of us brings a unique set of skills, and in addition to travelling, throughout the year we aim to engage, collaborate, and develop professionally and personally.

We are known as Sisu, a Finnish term roughly translated as an extraordinary courage and determination in the face of adversity; an ability to endure, persevere and grow. Hanoi, will put that to the test. As our first stop it’s been said “if you can survive Hanoi, you can survive all other locations.”

Chaotic, dirty, and noisy are popular adjectives some might use to describe this place, yet there is beauty in the fluidity of the dance of chaos. The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is a mix of East and West, modern and traditional. Fruits and vegetables are regularly carried by bike or yolk, and songbirds are kept in cages outside buildings as a show of wealth.

Meanwhile swarms of scooters rule the roads, though road rules are non-existent and a commute on foot is akin to a game of Frogger.

Sidewalks are a meeting place where vendors sell everything from fruit to car batteries, and all manner of street food tempt you. The smells, the honks, and the vibrancy of humanity engage all the senses, yet pockets of serenity and solitude can be found in the numerous parks, temples, and sometimes the most unassuming places – back alleyways which give way to yoga studios or Muay Thai training facilities found in the home of a local instructor. The deeper you dig in Hanoi, the more treasures you find.

Arguably, one of the greatest treasures of the city is not so hidden: the food. On nearly every corner are locals and adventurous foreigners alike perched atop small stools. We’d call it a “kiddie table” at home; here, it’s authentic street food at its finest. Most vendors keep it simple, offering one specialty on the menu – banh mi, pho, bun cha (barbeque pork with rice noodles), spring rolls, hot pot and more. Meats roast over open flames and vats bubble hot broth. The smells permeate the air. If you’re willing to chance your gut, most fare will cost you less than $2. One thing can be said, you’ll never go hungry in Hanoi.

Nor will you go thirsty.

The Vietnamese love their coffee and they do it well. Abundantly strong and flavourful, here it is far more than a “two cream, two sugar.” You can take it black, with milk, coconut, sweetened condensed milk (a dangerously addicting combination), or even an egg coffee made by whipping egg yolks with condensed milk to form a decadent concoction: imagine sipping a caffeinated Cadbury Easter Egg. In Hanoi, cafes are for socializing and watching the world zip by. My first few weeks in Vietnam have been a process of leaning in, pulling up a stool, and embracing a new normal. My goal is to eat, run and explore my way through the next 12 months, documenting along the way.

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