Getting Around Archives - On The Road Now

July 4, 2019July 4, 2019

A Thrilling Motorcycle Sidecar Ride in Vietnam

Melanie gets ready to hit the highway in a vintage motorcycle sidecar

PHONG NHA, VIETNAM – One of my all-time favorite movie chase scenes comes from “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and his father (played by Sean Connery) have just escaped from their Nazi captors.

Indie steals a motorcycle, and with his “very proper” British father seated in the attached sidecar they race away along rugged dirt roads with a gang of motorcycle-mounted German soldiers in hot pursuit.

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June 11, 2019July 27, 2019

Spectacular Caves in Phong Nha, Vietnam

Inside Paradise Cave at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam

PHONG NHA, VIETNAM – We just spent several days at the Phong Nha Farmstay near the town of Phong Nha, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam.

The main attraction at Phong Nha is its location near some of the most spectacular caves in the world. It’s the leaping off point for treks into Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (including Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave) and a haven for backpackers.

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March 21, 2018December 6, 2018

Everything we own in just one bag? Yeah, right…

Everything we own packed in four matching Eagle Creek rolling suitcases

HANOI, VIETNAM – When Melanie and I first started planning to sell everything and travel the world, we thought we would each take just one carry-on suitcase so we’d never have to worry about lost luggage or hauling around too much stuff.

We read everything we could find about traveling light, and what you really need to bring when you travel. Continue reading “Everything we own in just one bag? Yeah, right…”

March 7, 2018July 24, 2018

Why we prefer independent travel

We booked a private tour to the Callanish Standing Stones on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides

HANOI, VIETNAM – John and I “never” travel with a tour, except for those rare occasions when we do…

Tours tend to hustle you along from point A to point B to point C with a limited amount of time at each one. We, however, might want to spend a little more time at point A, don’t really care about point B, and think point C looks like it should take a whole day.
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December 5, 2017July 24, 2018

Hanoi Old Town Hotel – A great place to stay!

Hanoi Old Town Hotel staff members David, Oanh, Giang, Chi, Sarah, James and Lily

Lisa handles the front desk with excellent service

HANOI, VIETNAM – We are not getting paid for this plug and that is just fine. This hotel in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Town was a really great place to stay – great breakfast, great helpful staff, great location, and all around good safe choice. We stayed here for 9 days so we got a good feel for everything about the place.
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