Intro

I have backpacked Asia since 1989. The first country I backpacked was Thailand it was a stopover on the way to my migration to Cairns Northern Queensland Australia 🦘🌏 The Thai locals touched my face as it seemed strange to see white skin, I purchased a luxury Condominium on the beech front and lived in Thailand Hua Hin in 2004 and through the last 32 years apart from being a resident in Hua Hin I entered the Kingdom to date over 200 times. Back in 1990 I entered Saigon it was on the first tourist plane into Vietnam when the gates opened for tourism in 1990 I am quite aware of how Vietnam is now in 2026 but if you can imagine being one of the first 15 tourists in, the total country had zero tourism. The local people cheering as 15 of us came through the arrivals section at the airport the Saigon TV crew were present. Never will I see Vietnam as it was on that year. Enjoy my site presented for you.

By the way you will find many in-flight magazines on my site very interesting to read.

My first time in Vietnam I entered 36 years ago in 1990, it was announced on CNN news that the gates were about to open for tourism that week.

                                                       Here is one I will show from my memoirs from Hanoi in 1990.

In 1989 the following year I had landed again 1990 in Thailand for a vacation, cutting a long story short, as I watched TV the local news of CNN at the Sweetie guest house, situated off Khao San, it was broadcast that the country of Vietnam was to open it's doors to the foreigner traveller's alike, so a friend of mine from Germany and I bought a ticket with Vietnam Airlines "which took some persuasion". 

Departing the next day  the only option was "Visa on arrival" The following Morning we sat in the ancient first passenger plane for Vietnam only a handful of tourists and some business people on it, the smoky atmosphere blowing everywhere, the hostesses wore a beautiful light blue and white traditional dress, they spoke French as a second language..Go to my Vietnam section.  In 2018 I took a two week vacation then again in 2024 and 2025.

Array of travel on one vacation Myanmar 28 years after my last vacation.

Railway Street in Hanoi was or is shut from tourist due to many people crowding a local people making dong from it.

Organised it truly was!!