May 25: Going Back to Hanoi / The First Judo Practice in Vietnam
In the morning, I woke up at whatever time—I do not remember. I am updating this on May 29. I slept pretty well. It was nice to sleep without anybody else in the room for only $4.50 at a hostel. I went downstairs, and breakfast was included in the price. I ordered a random banana pancake. I was wondering if I had to pay for it, but when I looked at the other tourists, they did not pay and just left. I was surprised and lucky that I could sleep alone and have breakfast for only $4.50. I think it was the best deal I have had during this trip so far.
Now, I enjoy seeing what each hostel looks like every time I book one. Sometimes I find some very nice deals.
After finishing breakfast, I checked out. The breakfast was okay, but nothing is better than free. I headed to a coffee shop to update my blog. I was going to take a bus that departed at 11 AM, so I had a small lunch beforehand. Since I did not have much time, I went into a nearby restaurant and ordered pho. I had already noticed that pho is prepared very quickly in Vietnam, so I knew I would not have to wait more than five minutes. Ordering pho was the best option at that moment, although I was starting to get tired of eating it since arriving in Vietnam.
As expected, the meal was served within a few minutes. I finished it quickly and left the restaurant. Then, I bought a large bottle of water and got on the bus.
The bus ride took more than six hours with one break. As soon as I got off the bus at the rest stop, I felt the heat. I already missed the cool temperatures of Sa Pa. Since I was still a bit hungry, I decided to buy some snacks during the break.
After buying some snacks, I headed back to the bus. The snacks were expensive, by the way. The bus driver would not let me get on because I had food in my hand. He told me, “No eating.” So, I started eating the snacks as quickly as possible because I did not want to be left behind. However, when I looked around, I noticed other passengers from the same bus eating full meals, so I slowed down a bit. I assumed nobody really knew when the bus would leave. I am sure the driver did not have an exact departure time either.
Right before the bus departed, he shouted something loudly in Vietnamese to announce that it was leaving. The bus arrived in Hanoi on time.
I was not excited to return because I knew it was going to be very hot. The temperature was around 38°C (100°F). I headed straight to the judo club where I was going to practice. Training was scheduled to start at 6 PM. I took a taxi from the bus station at 5:40 PM, but because of the heavy traffic, I could not arrive on time.
Although I was only a few minutes late, there were only a few students on the mat. They were cleaning. I introduced myself to one of them and changed into my gi. The dojo had a few fans but no air conditioning, so it was extremely hot inside.
As I had heard, the students did not seem to be competitors but rather adults who practiced judo for fun. The session finally started with about ten people. Eventually, the number grew to around twenty. Although many of them were beginners, they practiced passionately. I enjoyed training there and sparring with some of them.
After practice, I was invited to have tea nearby. Having tea after judo practice was completely new to me. I assumed it was a Vietnamese tradition. I also heard that on Fridays, they go out for beer after training.
We talked mostly about judo, and afterward I headed to the hostel I had booked. The hostel cost only $4, so I was curious to see what it would be like. It was the cheapest accommodation I had found so far.
At the front desk were two young guys who looked to be in their early twenties. They did not seem very experienced in handling guests, but I was able to check in without any issues. One of them took me to my room on the fourth floor.
The room had air conditioning, but my assigned bed was the top bunk. I immediately realized that the AC was not strong enough to cool the upper bunk, so it felt quite warm. I went downstairs and asked if I could switch to a lower bunk. Fortunately, they allowed me to change. The lower bunk was still warm, but it was definitely better.
After putting my backpack on the bed, I went out to find dinner. Since I was tired from traveling back from Sa Pa and practicing judo, I entered a random street restaurant nearby and ordered some dry noodles. There was a couple sitting next to me who I assumed were from the United States. Both of them looked at me as soon as I ordered in English.
I finished the meal quickly and left. I was still hungry, so I bought some pastries on the way back to the hostel. I ate them there, took a shower, and went to bed. Since I still felt hot, I slept without a shirt.
May 26: Judo Practice Back-to-Back
I woke up at about 7 AM. Surprisingly, I felt pretty good. At some point during the night, I had felt a little cold, so I covered my upper body with a thin blanket.
After checking out, I headed to a coffee shop that I had previously visited and really liked. Of course, it was already burning hot outside.
One reason I like this coffee shop is that there are fewer people. It is designed as a co-working space where people can work remotely. Because of that, the interior is well designed and the Wi-Fi is reliable. On top of that, the coffee is inexpensive.
I stayed there for a few hours updating my blog before leaving for lunch. I found a nice-looking street restaurant and ate there. At that point, as I mentioned before, I was getting tired of pho, so I ordered a rice dish instead.
The food arrived almost immediately. The plate came with a generous amount of rice and several side dishes. I was not exactly sure what everything was, but it was delicious.
After lunch, I started walking around randomly and ended up walking for more than an hour. In that heat, it absolutely destroyed me. I was sweating like crazy. I wanted to find another coffee shop as soon as possible.
Fortunately, I found one and went inside. There were no customers. A young guy was working there, and although I usually order coffee, I got a mango smoothie because I was craving something cold. The inside was not as cool as I expected, but the employee kindly turned on a fan near me, which made me feel much better. My sweating finally stopped.
I relaxed there for about an hour before taking a taxi to a hotel I had booked near the dojo where I was going to practice judo that evening.
When I saw the price, I was surprised. It cost only $7 for a private room. The location was a bit sketchy, but the room itself looked very decent. It had a couch, a kitchen, and a double bed. I was pleasantly surprised.
Since I was tired from all the walking, I took a short nap before heading to judo practice. The dojo was only about a ten-minute walk away.
When I arrived, the kids’ class was already in session. There was also a young man whom I had met at the previous dojo. The kids kept giving me curious looks.
Again, there was no air conditioning, so it was very hot inside.
The adult class started at 7 PM. At first, there were only a few students, but more and more people arrived as practice continued. The students seemed younger than the ones I had met at the previous dojo. Eventually, the mat was packed.
The coach asked me to teach a few techniques, and I gladly accepted. I enjoyed not only training with them but also teaching them. Teaching recreational judoka motivates me a lot and reminds me of my experience teaching at a dojo in the United States.
Although I was sweating like a waterfall, I had a great time. It reminded me how rewarding it is to see people practicing judo passionately and to be part of that environment.
After practice, we took a group photo. Then I headed back to the hotel. On the way, I bought some pho and drinks to take out because I just wanted to relax for the rest of the evening.
While eating dinner, I recorded a video for YouTube. Afterward, I went to bed. I tried to sleep, but I struggled because I was still excited from the practice.
