Selling car to get money to travel to Vietnam, tourist gets shock of a lifetime

(Dan Tri) - Due to limited financial resources, Dave McKenna had to sell his car to cover the costs of his 21-day trip to Vietnam. He left Vietnam with memories, smiles and kindness.

Sold car to get money to go to Vietnam for a "fake honeymoon"

Standing at a bus stop in the cold, drizzling rain in the UK, typing on his phone, Dave McKenna recalls memories of his 21-day trip to Vietnam.

Rainwater running down his sunburnt face, Dave said that to have enough money for this trip, he had to sell his car, but he had absolutely no regrets.

"If you only have 3 weeks, is it possible to explore all the amazing beauty in Vietnam? The answer is definitely no. If you have enough financial conditions and want to find an Asian adventure, come to Vietnam," said a British tourist.

Street vendors in Hanoi (Photo: Dave McKenna).

For Dave, travel is always enlightening, food for the soul. This trip here is the richest feast, full of colors, flavors and emotions. He admits, 3 weeks is not enough to feel everything, but he certainly feels satisfied both literally and figuratively.

In February, Dave and his girlfriend left London with great excitement. After 26 hours and 3 flights, the plane landed in Hanoi. Because of his tight budget, he chose the cheapest flight and accepted to fly around.

He expected to be greeted by a warm, humid tropical breeze that would wash away all his fatigue. But no, the weather was quite cold when he arrived in Hanoi.

Dave had brought only shorts, a T-shirt and a bucket hat as a carry-on - the quintessential British travel item. Stepping out of the windy airport door, he felt like he had a real cold. That was the first shock.

Just a few hours after arriving, he and his girlfriend had to rush to find a store to buy jackets and pants.

"Check the weather and temperature in the regions you are going to. The temperature difference between the north and south of Vietnam is very large. Don't be subjective about this," he shared.

"Fake honeymoon" and unforgettable lessons

Vietnam is much larger than Dave imagined. He once estimated that after traveling in the north, he would rent a motorbike to leisurely travel to the south, stopping at places he liked.

Experience Ha Long Bay (Photo: Dave McKenna).

But when arriving and looking at the map, the guest realized that Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are 1,600km apart. Therefore, traveling by motorbike is not feasible. Fortunately, the journey of both of them has no fixed schedule and can be changed flexibly.

After staying in Hanoi for a few days, the couple booked a luxury cruise tour in Ha Long Bay - a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site.

Cruises range from £300 to £800 for a three-day, two-night trip. When booking, Dave added a note saying "honeymoon booking" for himself and his girlfriend.

"We had only known each other for a few months and had no intention of getting married. I pretended to be the groom and wrote an email to the shipping company about my fake honeymoon, hoping to get a small free gift like champagne or something," he said.

The couple were treated to a honeymoon party on the yacht (Photo: Dave McKenna).

But in the end, when the two checked in, they only received a bottle of red wine that tasted, according to Dave, "terrible."

The surprise happened at the last minute. As the two entered the crowded dining room on the train, the lights suddenly went out. A waiter brought a cake with candles. Dave thought it was someone's birthday. Until the cake was directed towards them, everyone around sang "Happy Honeymoon" to the newlyweds, the two British guests were startled.

Dave admitted this was the "most embarrassing moment of his life".

"Luxury travel in Asia is cheap, but lying about your marital status is very expensive," he shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/ban-o-to-de-lay-tien-sang-viet-nam-du-lich-du-khach-gap-cu-soc-nho-doi-20251101102539541.htm