The Sunday Getaway - 14 05 2023 - Long-Hauls

May is the month of blossoming balconies, coffee over brunch in the sun and the first dip in crystal clear waters. And despite the mercury climbing relatively high this year, we're still some way to go for a proper pre-summer season.

It's a breezy Friday morning on my way to work when I decide to take a detour to the frame shop for a Beetroot poster that has much been waiting to colour up the interiors of my flat. I'm walking by a primary school's yard and I can see the youngsters rehearsing for the year-end's festivities and immediately feel a bit nostalgic of those years. As if I can almost hear the bell going off and us rushing to the?lush garden for a playful break.

It's funny how small things stick to your mind for whatever reason after all these years. And it's so rewarding to count your blessings along the way. Similar to a long-haul trip you're taking across different continents and through multiple countries over the course of a few weeks.

Back in the early 2010s on a long-haul trip to Thailand I find myself in the bustling streets of Bangkok and their infamous night market in downtown central. It's mesmerising to go through all of the local food stalls and?the colourful fruit stacked neatly on each makeshift counter on a dimly-lit avenue full of neon signs and merchants. On a different day, we visit the floating market where long boats float across the narrow streams selling all sorts of fresh produce, before we meet a local chef at her backyard for a private cooking lesson.

A few days later we venture northeast and hop over to Vietnam. Getting back to this sacred land feels so good, as we check in at our lakeside hotel in Hanoi. A local is waiting for us for a late breakfast tour as we hit several street-shops and food counters. You can see myriads of motorbikes roaming the streets, you can feel the smog and witness everyday life of this dynamic nation that sits at the crossroads of influences from Southeast Asia, China and France. Boasting a mix of the inherent colonial heritage, its Asian backdrop and a touch of Chinese taste, Hanoi is a perfect urban getaway (and adventure) and a photographer’s dream destination!

Back to today and we're?sitting in the sun next to a lush patio?enjoying an iced coffee before hitting the streets for brunch. And it's almost as if I can hear the school bell, waiting to rush out for the next long-haul. What would you pick next?

Send us your ideas and we'll circle back with the best ones on next weeks' instalment.

Travel On.

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