Hanoi: An Unexpected Week at Home

Sunday, July 13, 2025

Thinh’s flight back to Hanoi was at 09:00 this morning, so we had to get up at 05:30 in order for him to get ready. I too was flying to Hanoi today, but not until the afternoon. When my original plans do some island hopping in the South Pacific ahead of my cruise had fallen through due to the airline cancellations, I had booked flights back to Hanoi instead. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get on the same flight back with Thinh. We would still have the next week together, which was a wonderful treat that had us both very excited!

At 06:00 we went downstairs and ordered Thinh a Grab to the airport. I remained at the hotel so I could get some more rest. It made little sense for me to go to the airport with him, only to return to the hotel for a couple of hours before once again going to the airport. It also didn’t make much sense for me to go with him to the airport and wait there for several hours, waiting to check in for my flight. We said goodbye and planned to meet tomorrow for lunch.

I returned to the hotel room and relaxed for the next several hours. I had planned to get some more sleep, but I was unable to get back to sleep. Around 10:00 I too ordered a Grab to the airport. My flight departed Changi at 13:00 and landed in Hanoi a few hours later. The line for passport control wasn’t too bad this time and my bag was waiting for me when I reached baggage claim. When I exited the airport, I looked around for Thinh just in case he had come to surprise me. We’d planned to meet tomorrow because it made no sense for us to meet up again this evening. I then took a Grab car back to my apartment.

When I reached my apartment, I noticed a pair of shoes outside of my door… Thinh’s shoes. I excitedly opened the door and there he was, sleeping on my couch waiting for me! He is so cute and sweet and loving! I was so surprised to see him waiting for me – and was so glad that he had come over. We hung out for a little while, but he had to get back home for dinner this evening. Even though it was just a short time spent together this afternoon, it was still wonderful.

For dinner this evening, I went over to the Moose & Roo since I had no food at my house. Several of my friends were working this evening and I was happy to see them all again. They were surprised to see me since they hadn’t expected me for another few weeks. I was so happy to be home in Hanoi – I love the city so much – and back to my routine life, even though it would only be for five days.

 
Monday, July 14, 2025 – Friday, July 18, 2025

This week was spent following much of the same routine each day, so I will combine it all into one entry. I got up around 10:00 each morning and then went into the city center, to the Moose & Roo Smokehouse, where I would have my morning coffee. Thinh’s new office was just two blocks away and his lunch break started at 11:00 each day, so he would come over and meet me at the Smokehouse. We would then go have lunch somewhere nearby. On Monday we got bun cha, my most favorite of all Vietnamese foods. One day we went to a Japanese place where the dish I ordered came out with dried fish on top of it (there was no mention of fish on the menu). I didn’t eat the dish since I cannot stomach seafood, which I think upset or embarrassed Thinh. I felt bad, but I just cannot each fish.

The afternoons I spent at the Smokehouse, working and chatting with my friends. This is exactly what I would normally do on weekdays at home and I was enjoying this short return to normalcy. I was able to see almost all of my friends throughout the week and we all enjoyed catching up.

Thinh and I met for dinner most nights after he finished work as well, though there were two nights where he had to go home for dinner. The first such night, Tuesday, I planned to see the new Superman film and bought a ticket online. When I showed up at the cinema, I discovered that I’d bought a ticket for a different location and there was zero chance of me getting there in time for the movie. I was rather upset with myself. On the second night Thinh ate dinner at home, Thursday, I once again bought a ticket for Superman and made sure it was the correct location this time. Thinh is not into the superhero movies, so seeing it by myself spared him from having to sit through a long movie that he probably wouldn’t enjoy.

Thinh came over to my apartment Friday evening so we could have dinner and finish watching the second season of White Lotus. We had started the show before I’d left on my trip and had two episodes left. I’ve seen the entire show before and had introduced it to Thinh, who was hooked. This was our last night together before I left for the South Pacific, where I would be taking a cruise. I would be gone for three weeks and I was already feeling very sad about leaving Thinh again.

This week had flown by so quickly. Though nothing remarkable had happened, I had enjoyed the respite from traveling. Thinh and I had squeezed in every last minute together that we could during this time. We both knew that the next three weeks would fly by and we’d be back together soon enough, but I was still feeling guilty, as well as deeply sad, about being away from my husband again.