After several months of bus journeys that were never less than 8 hours to get to the nearest destination, the 1-hour ride to Ninh Bình from Hanoi was a sweet surprise, and before arriving, one could already see in the far distance countless round mountain ridges making up the entire horizon!
When I checked-in at the hostel, I knew I would stay longer than initially planned: the serenity of a hammock by a lily pond seemed so inviting to spend the lazy, warm hours of lunch time, before some late-afternoon exploring; and the view in front of the common areas, with majestic limestones rising from a mossy green lake, was a delightful backdrop for interactions with fellow travellers!

I did spend more days than anticipated, and I certainly got into adventures I didn’t count on either. Known to be a relatively safe place to ride a scooter, off I went with 2 companions, Robert from Poland and Sai from India. We made several stops at the Cuc Phuong National Park, driving tirelessly under a dense foliage of ancient trees, and along the Ngo Dong River, which made way in different directions with its liquid veins wandering into rice fields.
By the end of the day, just as we realized that 2 hours of driving separated us from the hostel, the sunset was suddenly swallowed by dense, heavy, dreadful grey clouds heading our way. Less than an hour later, a storm made it impossible to see the poorly lit road ahead, mostly illuminated by the lightening that ripped the darkness of the night sky.
Apprehensively, our drenched selves stopped by the side of the road under a metal roof and made the smart decision of reaching a nearby restaurant, park the scooters, call a cab back and return the morning after in safety. The plan worked out!
As we were having dinner and reflecting on our eventful day, there was no sign of gloominess in our moods, just genuine laughter! The only thing we lamented was our shoes, soaked for days to come. Robert and Sai were such good sports, even in the most stressful of situations. I’m sure I wouldn’t have endured the hiccup without them.

To finish the stay in town on a similar adventurous note, we went on a slow boat to cruise around the limestones, expecting to unveil a few deserted, concealed temples. And just as we had begun, another storm crept in… We looked back with a slight expression of concern on our faces to the lady paddling, who was already arranging umbrellas and plastic bags to protect our belongings; and to be perfectly clear: feet on the paddles, hands efficiently moving to get ready for an hour under intense rain and lightning.
And what an amazing experience we had! Not every tourist looked amused under the umbrellas… But again, we made the best of the situation, appreciating how the landscape wouldn’t have looked so especially mighty if not for the weather that had befallen upon us.

To ease into calmer times, on my last day I just strolled around with a bike; and goodness, how I felt alive again, and motivated to keep on backpacking after a period when contentment was my most sustainable emotion. At times what we need is for our plans to be stirred up so some of our best memories can flourish.