Dear Mai:

We want to express our appreciation and gratitude to you in planning a truly remarkable trip to Vietnam (and Siem Reap), immersing us in Vietnam’s history, culture, and its modern ways of living. We learned much about the people and especially how Vietnamese people regard Americans today and think about the “American War.”

Your itinerary enabled us to see and learn about what is important to the people. In visits to the Mekong Delta and the floating villages in Siem Reap, we had the opportunity to see these places and the people in context.  Tourist videos shot in these locations often convey a (false) impression that the people are poor, live in squalor and are to be pitied.  Our guides showed us a very different picture of these rural villages function; our guides revealed hard working families with many of the advances of contemporary life—electricity, cell phones, televisions. Children with provided with schooling and health care was available. Families were enterprising, working to save money to purchase a rice paddy or make improvements to their homes.   

 

Our travels showed us Vietnam’s ongoing economic development. We were witness to an extraordinary amount of construction, not just of buildings or factories, but entire cities and even an airport. Tours of Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City revealed the product of years of hard work in encouraging businesses and industries to establish themselves in Vietnam.     

The trip provided opportunities for meaningful interactions with the people. Our tour guides, taxi drivers, hotel and restaurant personnel, and our traveling companions had much to teach and show us. Visits to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, and Vung Tau afforded us the chance to meet people outside of the major cities.  We treasure our visit with Tina’s family and the opportunity for lengthy discussions.   

The tour guides were all outstanding.  We had been concerned about how we would meet up with them at airport, but your planning was flawless.  The guides readily shared their insights that gave the places we visited meaning beyond what might be found in a local tour book. They responded to our questions honesty, something that we have found does not always happen in other countries. Our guides had genuine concern for our well-being. This enhanced our enjoyment.

We were very impressed with the modern hotels that offered very fine accommodations. They were clean and offered amenities that made our stay more comfortable.  The same can be said for the food, our itinerary gave us ample opportunities to sample Vietnames (and Kamir) cuisine.

More than any other trip we have taken, our adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia encouraged us to look beyond the visible exteriors of houses and stores in order to interact with the people and we were comfortable in doing so. We are left with enduring memories of Vietnam and Cambodia as well as tremendous respect for the people. 

We offer our sincere thanks and appreciation to you and ERA Travel for creating this opportunity.  For us the world may be a little bit smaller.

With sincere appreciation and gratitude,

Lynn and Len Mark
From the U.S