Hidden down a steep alleyway off Ba Thang Tu street, stood my home for the next two nights in Dalat – a gorgeous red house with white railings and windows that had unobstructed views of south-central Vietnamese highlands and its rich agricultural heritage bordered by a lush and verdant landscape, filled with historic homes and blue skies.
My home for two nights in Dalat.
I stepped at the front door and asked for Neo, who I had earlier communicated through the Couchsurfing app regarding my stay – coincidentally, the young Vietnamese I spoke appeared to be Neo and I was immediately welcomed inside for a quick chat before he escorted me to my accommodation downstairs. Following a refreshing shower after a long day, I headed back to the sitting room. It was already dark and the outside temperature was 17 degrees, a bit cold (compared to where I come from) and despite all the trip planning, I somehow forgot to pack my sweater. Hearing the noise of a motorbike, maybe more than one, I looked up at the front door and there were two girls and a guy walking into the sitting room. We greeted each other and exchanged “hey”, the two girls were Petra and Ocean from France and the guy was Tomoki from Japan, three of whom who were also couchsurfing at Neo’s place and just got back from shopping for dinner.
We sat around the coffee table at the sitting room and enjoyed an authentic meal of excellent Vietnamese vegan food.
I felt a little guilty for not been able to contribute for the food or being helpful at the kitchen, but that thought was soon tossed away with the food and the amazing stories we shared. After dinner, we discussed our plans in Dalat and agreed to rent two bikes the next morning to go exploring the hill-town and the surrounding areas.
Visions of this accident scene flashed my mind throughout the night.
The next morning I informed everyone that I’ll not be able to drive a motorbike on the roads of Dalat, not after the flashbacks of the accident scene from the previous day. So, I apologized everyone if I disappointed anyone and hired an experienced easy-rider for my little adventure. By 4pm, Boo dropped me back home and we spent late afternoon talking about what we did and where we went during the day. We also met Bao, who stays along with Neo, it’s actually both of them who had opened their home for Couchsurfers.
That evening, Neo showed us an amazing bar located at Phan Boi Chau Street in the highland resort city.
Maze Bar was about a half-an-hour walk from our home. From outside, it appeared an ordinary five-story building, but inside was a completely different world with distinctive architecture and quirky decor. The entrance was a bamboo-style gate made of concrete that lead to a series of mystic caves with small winding paths and secular trees, all of which were made from cement and concrete, but were designed to give the feel of a natural cave setting. We spent about an hour exploring, and getting ourselves lost in the nooks and corners of the caves before heading back home and calling it a night.
Breakfast hour (Tomoki on the left and Bao on the right).
Me and Tomoki had a fantastic local breakfast with Bao before we departed our separate ways. Bao even came to the road top to get me a grab bike to the bus station. I had a wonderful stay with Neo and Bao, and it was unbelievable how they both open their hearts and doors for strangers. They made me feel like I was part of their family and I would have certainly stayed back if I didn’t had my bus and accommodation booked.
Nothing of any physical value are usually exchanged between the guest(s) and host(s) during couchsurfing, but what is generally exchanged and expected are stories, conversation, perspectives on life, and of course culture.
No Comments