One of the most bittersweet experiences on our motorcycle trek was our visit to the Vinh Son 4 Orphanage near Kon Tum. We brought some school supplies to give to the kids in the orphanage as numerous facilities like this one in the area are fairly impoverished and need all the help they can get. When we arrived, the kids (mostly girls) were pretty shy and didn't care much about the notebooks and pens we brought. After some time hanging out they opened up, and really began to have fun when we started taking photos and playing with the camera. Considering their situation the girls seemed pretty happy, but the experience made it easy to appreciate our upbringings and we wish that everyone in the world could be so lucky.
We started our motorcycle trek with two guides and ended it with two friends. Thang and Tin Tin gifted us a robust introduction to their country and people over 6 days of being together nearly 24/7. This kind of personal interaction taught us more than we could ever learn on a normal guided tour or the internet. Sharing beers, laughs and stories with these two made the entire trip totally worth it even in its early stages. Despite the unfortunate past between our countries, we had no trouble connecting and enjoying one another’s company immensely.