Embarking on adventurous journeys across distant lands

Each year, my caravan journeys extend further, with more trips undertaken. Some last 3-4 days, while others stretch to a week or 10 days, traversing various routes.

Embarking on adventurous journeys across distant lands

Since joining my first caravan trip during Tet in 2010, I've covered tens of thousands of kilometers annually, exploring both within and beyond my homeland, driving across borders into foreign lands. For me, Hứa Tất Đạt, the love for travel knows no bounds.

My inaugural caravan journey, named 'Spring, Into the Woods and Along the Coast,' began in Ho Chi Minh City, following National Route 13, then National Route 14 to Đăk Nông, before returning via Long Hai, camping for 4 days and 3 nights, before heading back to the city.

Since then, each year, my caravan journeys have grown longer, with more trips undertaken. Some last 3-4 days, while others stretch to a week or 10 days, meandering across various routes.

Sharing: 'When it comes to my travels, many friends and relatives always ask: Can I see the sole of Đạt's foot? I know what they're after. I just laugh: There's no mole there... None?! Then how does Đạt travel so much. Just kidding. I can say, I've traversed every road in this S-shaped land. Additionally, I've also traveled through several countries including Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia... and in 2016, I and my friends embarked on a journey across South Korea.'

Embarking on a caravan journey across Indochina, through Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, or Malaysia is common, but it's the first time a group of Vietnamese people rented a self-driving car to travel in Korea like Đạt's group did.

'My recent trip had two firsts: The first time, the Korean tourism industry learned about caravan tourism, and the first time a Vietnamese tourist group rented a self-driving car to travel in Korea. Truly, I was excited for this trip because before that, I had been to Japan and witnessed how vibrant the autumn foliage was there. Before going to Korea, I imagined the routes I would take and it seemed so romantic. However, imagining is one thing, but when I drove in Korea with a Hyundai Avante, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the expressways here. But after getting used to it, I caught the rhythm of local driving. Here, it's simply drive according to the rules. Driving on the Korean autumn roads, you can admire the patches of colors from green, yellow, red, covering the sky on both sides, the straight expressways, occasionally the straight and poetic fields.'

Going to foreign lands isn't a challenge for Đạt, in fact, it's the domestic trips that he remembers the most. He says: 'I believe the experience of the Truong Son Western Route in the Ho Chi Minh road system is fascinating. But if we talk about 'challenge', then it must be the routes in the Northwest, on the backs of mountain ridges, with one side being a deep abyss, the other side being steep cliffs. Every time there's a car coming from the opposite direction, it's like avoiding the unavoidable, narrow roads, winding paths, dangers... That will be a challenge for inexperienced drivers, but it's an excitement for those who are passionate about driving.'

Many people ask Đạt why he travels by caravan, finding it difficult and tiring to self-drive throughout the journey, why does he travel so much. He laughs and explains: 'Caravan is a form of self-driving tourism. On average, one drives only about 250 - 350 km per day. The remaining time is for tourism, sightseeing, resting, 'enjoyment'. Sometimes, driving itself is the enjoyment for driving enthusiasts. For them, happiness is the journey, not the destination, driving through difficult roads is like overcoming one's own limits to continue moving forward.'

Considered a 'car consumer', Đạt has driven through 9 different types of cars, from ordinary to luxury models. Currently, he's driving Toyota's Fortuner TRD. According to him: 'Although not as luxurious as high-end models, it's quite comfortable to use, with low fuel consumption. Many people tell me: that's a car without electronic stability control system, it shakes when turning... If you drive a caravan and you can't 'feel' the road surface under the wheels, then you shouldn't be driving. Every technology equipped on a car is useful, and even if your car has no technology at all, then at that moment, your skills are maximized.'

He also adds: 'I have driven cars with large engine displacements, but in the end, I have concluded one thing: on Vietnamese roads, a supercar drives just like an ordinary car. So, for those who want to play caravan, just choose an 'economic' one - from the investment value to operating costs... that you feel comfortable and safe with.'

By Thiên An/Thanh Niên

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour