Category: World Travel

Vietnam, Part 1: Tearing through Saigon

I landed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a.k.a. Saigon, from Cape Town on Monday.

Saigon is a fast city, what with its whirlwind traffic, swarms of crowds, and manic carnival nightlife. It’s fun, cheap, and easy to zip though the city, because chances are that the currency exchange rates are in your favor.


It’s a city with an enormous history, and while weaving through it is fun, it’s especially worth visiting the museums, especially the War Remnants museum.

In the history classes in the U.S., we don’t really get an account of the other side’s perspective in wars. The War Remnants museum was educational, harrowing and heartbreaking, and we see the Vietnamese perspective of the war.


The War Crimes exhibit displayed graphic photographs of torture and actual artifacts and weapons, while another exhibit showed the devastating effects of dioxin, the most toxic component of Agent Orange. Using the word “depressing” isn’t enough; it is truly bewildering, the amount of cruelty people can be capable of.


The Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts museum was close by, so I walked over there afterwards. The Vietnamese artists specialize in lacquer paintings on wood.


Right outside the museum is a small cluster of galleries. Lacquer fumes wafted out from one of them. It reminded me of my spray painting days in college.


Saigon has such chaotic energy. I mentioned the traffic earlier. The guide books made it sound like there was a high chance of being squashed by a car or motorbike, but if you walk a little slowly and deliberately, the traffic weaves around you like schools of fish. Just be aware, use common sense, and all is well. So far, I haven’t seen an accident, but there have been some close calls.

That being said, running in the city proved to be difficult. It’s hard to get miles in without interruption, as it entails dodging motorbikes, navigating sidewalks that end abruptly into traffic, and passing through crowds.


Vegan food is so easy to find. It’s everywhere and so cheap. I’ve been eating fresh fruit, veggies, rice, and tofu everyday. Vietnam is spoiling me so far with clean eating.

I’ve learned to negotiate prices, which has been a confidence-building exercise. You can do that if there’s no fixed price, but some vendors won’t negotiate. As a person with social anxiety, it felt awkward at first, but it’s actually really easy.


So far, navigating through Saigon has been a little test of confidence-building. I always have to be aware and not hide inside my own head, because there’s so much going on. I haven’t encountered any hostility during my travels yet. This is a fast and friendly city.

A little too fast for me.

So, I booked a two day Mekong Delta tour for a change of pace.

I stayed in a homestay. For dinner, there was rice, vegetables, and meat for our group. The tour guide must have not relayed the message that I’m vegan. The language barrier with the host made it awkward, but there was thankfully wifi there, so I was able to use Google Translate to convey that I don’t consume any animal products. I was lucky this time, because there won’t always be internet at my fingertips. So, I wrote down the Vietnamese word for vegan in my notebook: Thuần chay. It was below the words cảm ơn bạn (thank you), xin vui lòng (please), chào bạn (hello), and other very basic phrases. I think foreigners should at least make an effort to communicate those. It sets them apart from the others.




Tomorrow I leave for Hoi An. This is deviating from the original plan for Hanoi, which I will reach eventually. Fellow travelers in the tour group said that Hoi An is a beauty in itself. So, I booked a train ticket for Danang and will take the bus to the city from there. I’m departing a day early. I think I’ve had enough of Saigon. It’s fast and fun, but maybe not my cup of tea. It’s not to say it was a bad time–I’ve had a great time! When things are that fast, it not exactly a case of my anxiety acting up, but rather it’s overwhelming to be immersed in that much fast-paced chaos. Then again, I get bored when things are too slow.

So long, Saigon. I might come back, and it would be with a friend who can appreciate the energy of the city better.

Cape Town: Last Day

It is my last day in Cape Town, thus ending the first leg of my world tour.


After AfrikaBurn, a group of friends and I set out for the Garden Route. Unfortunately, I had to sit out for most of the activities because of the norovirus, the stomach bug that many people caught during the festival. It didn’t hit me until after the Burn. Good times!

The two weeks spent here has already showed how differently people go about their ways. For instance, South Africa has a water restriction enforced, and it makes one more conscious and mindful of water consumption. When driving, we noticed how other drivers are more cooperative. There’s less ego-driven behavior on the road. We saw more drivers sharing the road as intended, instead of controlling it. During the Garden Route journey, one of the friends in our group left her phone at the AirBNB we checked out from. The owner actually went out of her way to chase us down just to give it back! Maybe the last example is more out of the ordinary, but so far the whole experience been astonishing.


This morning I went running for an hour and met these two very sweet Muslim women who were handing out roses for anyone.

They are part of an organization called Who is Hussain, which is one that strives to create positive change in society by giving back to their communities. I was hesitant to tell them where I’m from, thanks to our current administration. But they didn’t judge me or really give any reaction other than smiles and warm welcomes to Cape Town.


Muslims are so misunderstood; people find it easy to fear what they don’t understand, especially in our current events. But how many have actually taken the time to get to know one and have an actual conversation?

My next stop is Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, thus starting the second leg of my world tour. It’s also the longest part, stretching seven weeks. Southeast Asia is where I will actually be on my own. Everything is left open with that itinerary. I really don’t know what to expect. I’m looking forward to it, but the one thought that keeps returning is, “what could possibly go wrong?”

AfrikaBurn 2017

From April 24th through the 30th, we were immersed in the surreal world of AfrikaBurn, a Burning Man regional event held at the Tankwa Karoo National Park.

I am what you would call a Burner: someone who attends Burning Man. I also have an official diagnosis for PTSD, Avoidant Personality Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. Social Anxiety Disorder is an anxiety disorder in which an individual is fearful of interaction with others. This goes beyond shyness. From Wikipedia:

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by a significant amount of fear in one or more social situations, causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life. These fears can be triggered by perceived or actual scrutiny from others.

This psychological wall has been built over many, many years from trauma in order to keep everyone out. Introversion is a natural tendency of mine, and so isolation has often been comforting. Ronnieland is a safe place to be; nobody can hurt me there. But the isolation and avoidance has given a false sense of safety. It’s one thing to want to avoid something that hurts; but when it affects virtually every aspect of your life, that is not normal. The good news is that it can be reversed through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and medication.

And then there are events like Burning Man.

I’ve been to Burning Man in the USA four times: 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Every time I’ve been, there has always been a wide range of workshops and lectures to attend for personal and interpersonal development. Everyone has their own reasons why they attend a Burning Man event: whether it’s to let loose their inner sparkle pony and indulge in raucous debauchery, to get in better touch with their creativity, to make more friends, and/or to delve into a stronger connection with their spiritual self. Whatever the reasons are, there are the 10 Principles to live by in order to keep the community strong. They are as follows:

  1. Radical Inclusion
  2. Gifting
  3. Decommodification
  4. Radical Self-Reliance
  5. Radical Self-Expression
  6. Communal Effort
  7. Civic Responsibility
  8. Leaving No Trace
  9. Participation
  10. Immediacy

AfrikaBurn has an 11th Principle: “Each one teach one.”

Burning Man and its regional events can be a challenging place for someone with social anxiety. There is always so much going on, with people everywhere. It can be overwhelming. The good news is that everyone is friendly and welcoming. It is a community where weirdos are welcome, as long as you abide by the 10 Principles.

For AfrikaBurn, I had made a few necklace pouches, each containing a vial of dust straight from the source known as Black Rock Desert, where Burning Man is held. The rule was to give them out to those who really want to go to Burning Man, but have never been. One of them was given to one of my camp mates, which was easy. The other four that were left meant that it was time to strike up conversation with someone.

It’s interesting, because we all have to do that on a daily basis. For someone with social anxiety, conventional wisdom would say that it gets easier as they interact more with others. Except, what if it doesn’t? What if they continuously experience distress from interaction?

I don’t know what works for others. What I do know for myself is that combatting social anxiety is not just a mental process. It involves settling the mind back into the body, where it belongs. A lot of times, social interactions can cause the mind to “check out” when things feel overwhelming. What I’ve been doing was meditating to guide my own agitated mind gently back into a warm calm state and have it stay there.

One night I was out with my friends, and there was a vision of two entwining spirals–the split selves of me–coiling into each other and melting into my core. It was the adult me holding the little girl inside; I held her close and whispered, “you don’t have to be sorry for anything.”

Meaning, you don’t have to be sorry for existing. You don’t have to be sorry for feeling, for thinking, for having needs. You don’t have to be sorry for being human.

One of my friends asked if I was alright. And I told her what was going on. Another one of my friends said, “of course you don’t have to be sorry. Why would you have to be sorry for stuff like that?”

It also helped to keep in mind that everyone loves receiving gifts, no matter how small. So, when I gave away my jewelry pieces to strangers, it was so rewarding to see their faces light up with joy.

The last one I had was a brooch pin with a glass vial of dust. A friendly person smiled at me while we danced, and something as simple as a little smile was so profound to me. Usually I would avert my eyes and avoid the person, because my traumatized mind would flash a warning light. This time, I chose to take a few deep breaths, and stay present. I observed the person, and while I’m wary around people, there was absolutely nothing scary about him.

All he asked was if I was having a good time and how going to Burning Man is high on his bucket list of things to do. I knew that this was the person who needed to have the brooch, so I pinned it on him. His eyes widened in surprise and he asked, “are you sure?” I smiled and told him to enjoy it.

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a necklace with an inner circle of a five Rand coin. He was wearing the outer circle of the coin around his neck. And then he took a photo of me.

I was absolutely not expecting that, but that can be the beauty of Burning Man events. When we gift something, there is no expectation of getting something in return. It’s not a bartering system like the default world believes. We gift out of kindness, because we want to. I thanked him and walked to my camp to rest up.


I was thinking why something so simple as that interaction can be so difficult with others. Despite my introverted tendencies, I crave human contact like everyone else. It can be hard with that wall separating me and the rest of the world. It’s difficult to open up, as I don’t always feel safe expressing my feelings.

Here I was sitting at my camp at 4 AM. I tried to stop it, but the tears gushed forth despite my best efforts to “stay strong,” whatever that means anymore. At this point, it was best to let it pass through. This was an emotional block and it needed to get out.

My friends checked to see what was going on, and it was so awkward. I don’t think I’m alone here, but it’s uncomfortable crying in front of people even if they are close to me. This is a common result from growing up in an environment where it wasn’t safe to express emotions. So when they came to check on me, I had to fight every urge to apologize for being this way, because this is being human.

Turning off social anxiety is not like a switch. It’s quite tiring, but what was important is that my friends held space. Nobody was judging, and they certainly didn’t make me feel bad for anything. They made me feel safe and cared for. Those are the kinds of people you want in your life. It sounds like a no-brainer, but trust me when I say this is real.

I sat there breathing and gathering my wits together before heading back out to see the Tree of Life temple burn at 5 A.M.


For the rest of the time there, it wasn’t always profound. Every moment wasn’t a revelation or an a-ha realization about connection. Usually I don’t have sudden epiphanies. Usually these realizations slowly build on top of one another piece by piece as the steely ice wall of Ronnieland slowly chips away. That’s usually how learning comes by anyway. It often takes a few tries of anything to sink in. It’s events like AfrikaBurn and Burning Man that can really test someone’s limits, especially one with social anxiety.

It’s up to the one experiencing all of this to decide what to take from it and where to go from there. Some people live by the mantra, “what happens at AfrikaBurn stays at AfrikaBurn,” but so many others choose to take those 11 Principles and live their lives and serve their communities through those.

As for me, I’ve been a Burner since 2011, and building self-confidence through this community is still a learning process. It doesn’t stop. It shouldn’t stop. And I don’t think I’m alone here. We do the best we can with what we have. Because in the end, connections are all we have. We are all in this together.

Cape Town Thus Far

I landed on April 21st and hit the ground running.

So far, I met up with my group of travelers. We mostly went out to eat and did a city tour yesterday.


So far, I really like this city. It’s such a colorful place to be, so vibrant in culture. South Africa has had its own share of turbulent history, which might explain the pleasantness of interactions with the locals. They have lived through the effects of Apartheid, and now they’re living in brighter times in a general sense. It doesn’t mean everything is all sunshine and roses now. The socioeconomic divide between blacks and whites is still obvious even after Apartheid. 

The architecture of this town is of Dutch, French, German, Victorian, and neoclassical influences. Stroll down Long Street and you’ll find many buildings that look like the French Quarter of New Orleans. There are also Art Nouveau influences, which is personally my favorite.

Running is how I get to know a new city. Here in Cape Town, the direction of traffic goes on the left much like the U.K., the steering wheels on the right hand side of vehicles. This means that I have to be extra alert since I’m not used to the orientation of the traffic. So, no headphones for me while running.


Cape Town also has a thriving vegan community. I had pizza at The Hungry Herbivore. I also took home a slice of raw chocolate cheesecake. It was so good, and I let the kind folks there know how delicious it all was. It truly hit the spot.


I proceeded to walk through the Company’s Gardens yesterday. There are these enormous handmade wicker baskets you can sit and chill out in. Looks like I found a new meditation spot.
There are also lots of grey squirrels scampering about. Watching tourists take photos of them was amusing, to say the least. Or maybe it’s because we also have grey squirrels in the U.S., so I barely noticed them.

And finally, here is what I came to South Africa for: AfrikaBurn. I made these little necklace pouches. Each contains a small glass vial of dust collected from the Black Rock Desert where Burning Man is held every year in the US.  


I have a couple more, though they’re not as elaborate as the ones shown. Every day I will wear one and give it to someone. It’s a gift straight from the source.

I’ve been to Burning Man four times already and understand the culture very well. This will be my first AfrikaBurn. As always, it’s best to not have expectations, because every Burn will be different. Take what you will out of it and learn from it. I promise you, having expectations can dampen the experience when they’re not met. (The same could be said about many things in life, really.) The best thing to do is to keep your mind open, stay prepared, and welcome the immediacy.

We won’t have any reception or signal, so this is the last update until we come back. Then I will need to gather my thoughts before sharing them with you. Cheers.

My 2017 World Tour

Click image for more details.

Right now my life is going through a serious overhaul. Like everyone else, I have also been going through significant changes. A friend once said that people generally go through big changes every 5-7 years. For a while now, my life has been stagnated, so it’s time to shake things up a little.

In less than two weeks, I will be embarking on a big adventure, where I will be circumnavigating the world for three months. I just came back from Iceland last week only to depart again very soon.

This involves leaving my job of nearly five years. While I like where I work and have made some priceless friendships at my job, it’s time to move on. I’ve already sold my 2003 Nissan Sentra, the only car I’ve ever owned for the past 14 years.

My journey starts in Cape Town, South Africa, where I will be attending AfrikaBurn, which is a Burning Man regional event. From Cape Town, I will then be exploring Southeast Asia starting in Ho Chi Minh City and ending in Bali, Indonesia. The last leg of my trip will be in New Zealand before going back home to Seattle.

This is a dream that I never thought could be made possible, and the gravity of it all is really weighing in now. I like where this is going, but it’s quite daunting to say the least. I don’t know what to expect. I haven’t felt this terrified in a long time. But there’s a kernel of faith deep down that’s always stayed with me, and it keeps getting stronger.

You know… I’m no stranger to pursuing my wildest dreams. The last time I felt this terrified was when I was 23, and that was a time when my life had hit rock bottom. I dropped everything and drove 3,000 miles to move to Seattle, the city of my dreams since I was 16 years old. Back then, I didn’t have the tools for coping with my emotional health, and while it was a very difficult time, I still made it work as my friends and family cheered me on. Because deep down, despite that I was very out of touch with my own soul, there was still that kernel of faith I held onto, even when on survival mode. The difference is being driven by inspiration rather than desperation: running towards what you live for, rather than running away from what you fear. Now that I’ve done two years of therapy, I’ve gained essential coping skills, including seeing from new perspectives without judgment. Keeping an open mind on healing is so important. So, now that’s with me, I will make this 2017 World Tour work.

There’s no better time to travel. I’m single and don’t have any cats of my own. I don’t own a house or a car, and have given away or sold many of my possessions. I just turned 30 and have a clean slate. This adventure needs to happen before taking on more serious endeavors. I have very little to lose.

The whole world has opened up. We keep going, in spite of fear. Time to enter the next chapter of my life.

Incredible Iceland

Honestly, I could have thought of a better way to ring in my 30th year than going to Iceland.

I collect currency from the places I visit. I’ve also started collecting patches.

I returned to Seattle around 9:00 on March 29th. The flight was delayed because the entire Keflavik International Airport had to evacuate because of a “security breach.” Good times!

The above photo is the living room of the AirBNB I stayed at. It’s called The Old Bicycle Shop, or “Gamla Hjolabuðin” in Icelandic. It apparently used to be a bicycle shop. It was such a cozy place.

My place came with a cat! Her name was Pumpkin.

Probably Seattle could learn a thing or two about having colorful buildings against the grey skies. It was mostly dark and cloudy over at Reykjavik, but the colorful contrast of these buildings made them stand out.

Kiki Queer Bar

I don’t drink anymore, and I used to go out dancing. On the night before my 30th birthday, I was like, “oh why not.” So, I danced for a little bit at Reykjavik’s only queer bar, Kiki Queer Bar. My drink of choice these days is soda water with grenadine with a cherry on top. Sip, sip.

Reykjavik had no shortage of murals and art installations.

This one was my favorite, and it was on the side of a building for an LGBT organization. Running is how I get to know a city, and this was one of the first murals I spotted.

Videy Island

I took a ferry out to Videy Island. The sun was finally starting to come out a little.

Driving to the fuselage crash site!

I had made a new friend in Reykjavik, and we went off on an adventure.

The fuselage crash site at Sólheimasandur black sand beach.
The insides of the wrecked plane.
It was kind of eerie.

We drove to the fuselage plane crash site at Solheimasandur black sand beach for my 30th birthday. This was the best birthday adventure ever! The story behind it was that the plane had to make an emergency landing back in 1973, and miraculously, nobody died. The crash site is actually about 4 km off the road, and folks have to brave the strong winds to get there. It sits on the shore of the North Atlantic ocean. The waves were so violent.

Laundromat Cafe

On my last morning there, my friend and I had coffee together at the Laundromat Cafe. Basically, you can do your laundry there while you eat. We didn’t try it, though it’s a pretty neat set up.

In case you’re wondering what an Icelandic sunset looks like.

Thank you for the good times, Iceland! Now I’m back and have hit the ground running. There’s so much to do and catch up around here, because I’m taking an enormous leap of faith pretty soon. You’ll see what I mean.

Let’s just say that I haven’t felt this terrified in a long time.