Buzz
After their wedding ceremony, Đức Dũng and Thu Quỳnh used all their wedding gifts money to embark on a motorcycle journey around Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Marriage without words of confession or proposal
Husband and wife Đinh Đức Dũng (nickname Fox, 25 years old) and Nguyễn Thu Quỳnh (24 years old) are both former students of the National Economics University. Currently, Quỳnh is pursuing her master's degree while Dũng works in the telecommunications industry in Hanoi and owns a cafe for travelers named Highway 1 Cafe.
They met in 2011 and bonded over their shared love for exploring new places. Dũng recalls: 'I first met Quỳnh during a challenging mountain conquest. My initial impression of her was 'chubby'. Her petite figure didn't seem suitable for adventure. However, Quỳnh proved herself to be brave, with 5 years of martial arts experience.'
Dũng and Quỳnh's loyal companion is a SYM Wolf 125 motorcycle, nicknamed 'Sly Fox'. Dũng humorously remarks: 'Sly Fox is economical in its food consumption, with a large fuel tank, so it's quite content and doesn't demand snacks during our journeys. Fox has accompanied me on 50 short and long trips.'
Throughout their 2-year relationship, Dũng and Quỳnh never once expressed their love or proposed, yet they understood each other from emotions to actions. The official bond between them was on the morning of the Lunar New Year in 2013. Dũng recalls: 'My whole family scolded me for... refusing to get married. My sister gave me 2 million dong and told me to do something to... save face. Right after that, I rode my Fox motorcycle straight to Hà Tĩnh, driving along the coast without knowing exactly where Quỳnh's house was.'
As for Quỳnh, she was surprised and happy at Dũng's sudden appearance. It was also the first time Dũng was introduced to the bride's relatives.
In September 2013, Dũng and Quỳnh got married. Their adventurous wedding photoshoot was done uniquely and humorously in Mù Cang Chải, Y Tý, and Đồng Văn.
Initially, they planned to honeymoon in Đà Lạt or Nha Trang, but because they wanted a trip that aligned with their passion for adventure, they decided to travel by motorcycle through Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. Covering a total distance of 6000km, Dũng and Quỳnh toured for 35 days, spending 30 million dong.
Dũng recalls the heavy responsibility of traveling with his wife: 'In the past, when traveling, I could sleep anywhere in people's houses, but now I can't do that. During the trip, my wife got annoyed several times, but she only demanded to continue rather than... insisting on going back.'
The young couple's dream is to own a pickup truck and take their children around the world. For Dũng and Quỳnh, these trips help change their thinking and balance out their mundane daily lives.
Crossing Indochina on honeycomb sandals
To prepare for the journey, the couple, Đức Dũng and Thu Quỳnh, gathered their gear like... ants bringing food back to the nest. Wanting their parents to feel at ease, they claimed they were going on a car trip and quietly packed for the journey within a week. Dũng called this the 'sneaky honeymoon trip of the down-to-earth couple'. He recounts: 'The most exhilarating and liberating feeling during the journey was when riding the motorcycle on the Hồ Chí Minh road.'
During the 6000km journey, Dũng adhered to the rule of not exceeding 60km/h, but encountered risks nonetheless. Near Vang Vieng (Laos), the Fox motorcycle got a flat tire. A local Laotian youth enthusiastically helped Dũng fix the bike. Once done, the young man signaled for 50,000 Lao kip (around 150,000 dong). Anticipating the situation, Dũng claimed to have no money and gave him 6,000 kip. The Laotian lad, slightly intoxicated, thanked Dũng and hugged him before bidding farewell.
The damage after the 35-day journey included replacing 3 inner tubes, 1 tire, fixing 2 lights, and 1 battery. However, the most memorable mishap for Dũng was when the bike broke down at midnight, 20km from Đà Nẵng city.
Dũng shares: 'Every journey has lurking dangers, especially dirt biking. Travelers can only minimize risks by thoroughly preparing physically, mentally, and experientially.'
During the journey, the young couple also encountered many new friends from the US, China, Japan, and received complimentary food from locals in Pattaya (Thailand) and were given 1,000 baht for gas.
Upon returning to Vietnam, Dũng rewrote his journey and posted it on a forum for backpackers. His fascinating story and humorous narrative captured the interest of many young people.
In particular, the image of his honeycomb sandals throughout the journey made an impression, inspiring many to dare to dream and take action.
He once wrote in his characteristic humorous style: 'Honeycomb sandals almost overcome every drawback, or at least balance all the factors of hiking footwear. They dry quickly when wet, the sole grips all types of rocky terrain firmly, comfort is unparalleled among hiking footwear. And most importantly, they're cheap, disposable without regrets.'
The clearest realization Dũng had after the journey: 'This world is small enough and beautiful enough to be worth exploring.'
Currently, Dũng is implementing charity plans, organizing exchange sessions for young people to converse with guest speakers about adventure travel.
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Source: Travel Guide from Mytour – As reported by Zing News
MytourJanuary 10, 2014
