A travel enthusiast in his 70s continues to tirelessly explore all of Vietnam.

At 67 years old, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue continues to tirelessly explore Vietnam, inspiring her daughter, travel blogger Nguyen Lan Uyen, to design her own itineraries to discover dozens of countries around the world using Google Maps.

At 67 years old, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue (Tan Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) still maintains her habit of "packing her bags and traveling" to various provinces and cities, even climbing mountains over 4,600m high without oxygen tanks. This passion has inspired her daughter, Nguyen Lan Uyen (nicknamed Saru), who has become a travel blogger and travel author, having visited more than 20 countries.

At 50, he quit his job and traveled across Vietnam many times.

Ms. Hue vividly remembers her first long trip when she was just 11 years old, taken by her grandmother to Chau Doc ( An Giang ). "Back then, I found traveling fun and sightseeing captivating. But I was young, and as I grew up, I was busy with work. It wasn't until I was 50 that I decided to stop my business, close my shop, and travel as I wished," she recounted.

A mother and daughter who are avid travelers: one in her 70s, the other in her 40s, are still writing new chapters of their journeys.

PHOTO: LE NAM

Since that decision, she has traveled to almost 98% of the provinces and cities in the country, and has made several cross-country trips. "I traveled throughout the country before going abroad," she said. Her first overseas trip was to Beijing (China) with two friends and her daughter. Later, when her daughter was busy with work, she continued to travel alone or with friends.

For nearly 20 years, she has traveled to Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, South Korea, India, and especially China – a place she has visited four times, from Beijing and Fenghuang Ancient Town to Lijiang. Some trips left unforgettable impressions, such as the time she got separated from her group at the Indian border. Without panicking, she proactively asked airport security for assistance and frankly confronted the tour guide when she was blamed. "I'm the oldest in the group, and I remember directions much better than many younger people," she laughed.

Nearly 20 years after quitting her job to travel and explore the world , Ms. Hue's most prized possession is the photo collection on her phone, filled with beautiful memories.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Ms. Hue doesn't mind traveling alone if her friends are busy or worried about the cost. Before the pandemic, she averaged one overseas trip and two domestic trips per month. The expenses came from savings from her business and monthly allowances from her children. "Traveling helps me broaden my horizons and learn the calmness and civility of foreigners. The more I travel, the more I enjoy it," she shared.

Last year, she still climbed the 4,600-meter-high Jade Dragon Mountain (Lijiang) without oxygen, while many others needed to breathe. But after suffering a stroke during the Lunar New Year earlier this year, she has temporarily stopped long trips to protect her health.

Daughter follows in her footsteps: quitting her office job, traveling using... Google Maps.

Nguyen Lan Uyen, 40 years old, currently sells Da Lat-style grilled spring rolls in District 7, contributes travel articles to several newspapers, publishes books, and manages a small tourist resort in Dong Nai. From the age of 4 or 5, her mother took her on pilgrimages to 9, 10, or 12 temples, traveling from the South Central region all the way to Ca Mau, sometimes involving hours on buses followed by another 1-2 hours on ox carts to reach their destination.

"The trips I took with my mother when I was a child were the first inspiration for me to embark on life and explore the world later," Uyen shared.

Thanks to being taken on trips by her mother since she was a child, she later became a travel blogger and travel book author.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

To date, she has traveled to over 20 countries. Egypt has had the greatest influence on her, while Pakistan is her favorite destination. Initially, she was hesitant to travel abroad due to the language barrier, but with the popularity of Google Maps, she began exploring unique places not included in traditional tours, and then designing her own itineraries.

According to her, visiting more than 20 countries is just the beginning, not the end. She always chooses routes less known to Vietnamese people, avoiding popular tours. Her passion for exploring new lands, combined with her ability to design her own itineraries using Google Maps, makes each of her trips a truly personal journey.

From 2012 until before the pandemic (2021), she traveled frequently, sometimes up to four trips a month. Between 2012 and 2016, she prioritized exploring Vietnam, then expanded her travels to the world. While working as an office employee at FPT, she took advantage of opportunities to travel, and then in 2014, she quit her job to start her own business, giving her more time for longer trips.

Lan Uyên conquers the Skazka Gorge - an 'open-air geological laboratory' in Kyrgyzstan.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Her passion for writing began in childhood, with her first works being broadcast on the "Youth Literature" program on 99.9 Mhz radio when she was only 11-12 years old. In 2018, after a trip to Egypt, she published "Descendants of the Pharaoh". In 2019, after a trip to Japan, she released "Aokigahara - The Silent Sea of ​​Trees".

For Uyen, traveling alone allows her to access more remote and challenging places, and learn things she can't find in books or on the internet. Traveling with her mother, however, even on pilgrimages she's taken since childhood, is a particularly special emotional experience. "My mother is the one who introduced me to life and also the one who led me on my first journeys," she says.

After more than 13 years of exploring the world, she realized: "When I first started traveling, my passion was immense. The more I traveled, the more I felt small and needed to learn. Each place, each culture gave me more experiences. Looking back after many years, I see that I have changed a lot."

Travel blogger Lan Uyên is inspired by her mother, a "first-generation backpacker."

PHOTO: LE NAM

Watching her daughter confidently explore the world, Mrs. Hue proudly said: "She's much better than me, especially in terms of education and independence. She travels alone, organizes her own tours, and manages everything herself. I don't forbid her; in fact, I create opportunities for her, because the more she travels, the more her mind broadens."

As for Uyen, her mother is a role model of daring to live for her passions and always being proactive in life. "I feel lucky to have grown up with a mother who not only taught me how to be a good person but also taught me how to walk, how to see, and how to learn from the world," she said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phuot-thu-u70-van-miet-mai-chinh-phuc-khap-viet-nam-185250812114648769.htm