Describe a memorable journey or trip you have taken.

One journey that really sticks in my mind is a trip I took to Hoi An, an old riverside town in central Vietnam. I went there a couple of years ago during the lantern festival, and even now, when I close my eyes, I can still picture those glowing lights reflected on the water.

I travelled with my closest friend from university, Minh. We’d been talking for ages about taking a proper trip together, not just a quick weekend away, so we finally bit the bullet and booked it. Because we were on a student budget, we decided to take an overnight sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City instead of flying. It was a long ride, around eighteen hours, but lying in those narrow bunk beds, chatting quietly while the countryside slipped past the window, felt strangely cosy and almost therapeutic.

When we arrived, the town completely exceeded my expectations. The narrow streets were lined with yellow colonial-style houses, and at night the whole place was illuminated by hundreds of colourful lanterns. We rented bicycles and just wandered aimlessly, stopping for street food, taking photos, and occasionally getting lost down little alleyways. One evening, we took a small wooden boat along the river and released paper lanterns onto the surface, making a wish as they floated away.

This journey was so memorable partly because of the stunning scenery, but mainly because of the sense of freedom it gave me. It was the first time I’d really travelled independently, without my family organising everything. The combination of exploring a new place, deepening my friendship with Minh, and realising I could handle things on my own made it feel like a turning point in my life.