Quick writer’s note: I started typing these lines on the very first day of my trip, but it took me a whole month to finally finish it. So, please read this with a beautifully aged, slow-cooked perspective.
To be completely honest, until a few months ago, I had never even heard of this place. Da Nang: a city nestled on the central coast of Vietnam, as vibrantly modern as it is deeply authentic.
Before we get into what on earth I was doing in Da Nang, let me tell you a bit about the journey itself. I’ve always had a soft spot for long-haul flights. Of course, provided I have the right seat and, more importantly, the right person right next to me.
I absolutely love building a little world of my own in my designated seat, personalizing my space. I do this by pampering myself with sweet little airport indulgences. Sweet and savory snacks, my absolute essential Bottega(s)—because let’s be real, I’m not the type to settle for just one, or even two—my book, my glasses, my notebook, my pen, my headphones, and whatever else I wish to have by my side in that moment…
For instance, I love daydreaming while flying; my dreams seem to take flight with me. Or I take a trip down memory lane. I’m not someone who cries easily in daily life, but on a plane? I cry easily. I remember my dad and send a single tear his way; I miss my mom, so another tear for her… A tear for the longings of the life I’ve left behind… So, as you can see, alongside the physical journey, I take a sweet, gentle trip inward throughout the flight.
On these long flights, I love eating like I’ve just survived a famine, drinking like I’ve never seen alcohol before, and scrolling through the movie list with the pure excitement of someone watching a film for the very first time in their life. I even love the moments of drifting in and out of sleep (though I get a little mad at myself when I sleep, feeling like I’m stealing away from the precious time I get to spend on the plane). It feels like time stands still up there. And that’s exactly when I can savor the present moment even more.
Lucky for me, I had the funniest, most entertaining person imaginable by my side for the entire trip: my dear friend Ayfer. If you hit the road with her, laughing until you literally pee your pants is absolutely guaranteed. She always puts the comfort of those around her before her own. If Bottega is to be served, it must be in the proper glasses—and Ayfer is always prepared. The right snacks are also her department. Her bag is full of tiny surprises to meet every single need. If she has a little, she shares; if she has a lot, she distributes. But whatever she does, she does it with immense grace and effortless naturality. Oh, and she knows everything—she has something to say on every single topic. Among friends, we call her “HBB Ayfer” (Our Resident Know-It-All) :). In short, she is the ultimate travel companion you’d dream of having by your side.
So, while the rest of the world spun on, what was I searching for in Da Nang? My dear friends Gamze (who had flown out three days before us to wrap up the preparations) and Ayfer asked for my help with a corporate incentive event they were organizing. They reached out knowing the skills and experience from my past corporate life, but to be honest, underneath that request, I think they just cooked up a job I could easily ace because they genuinely believed it would do me good… 🙂
I won’t bore you with the business details—that’s the dull part. Let’s just call it a little throwback to my old career and move on. Though, it was a pretty sweet throwback 🙂
You see, we women are naturally wired to be more multi-functional. We have this beautiful knack for having fun while working. While keeping a tight grip on every single detail of the event, topics like “where are we eating after work, what are we drinking, where are we going to giggle tonight?” never leave our agenda. We are the kind of creatures who gladly push physical exhaustion aside, say “we only live once—or at least, we’re only in Da Nang once!” and happily sacrifice our sleep.
One of the best perks of Da Nang is the massage parlors open until dawn… or the massage huts right on the beach. One night, the moment our work was wrapped up, Ayfer, Gamze, and I found ourselves on the shore. We kicked off our shoes and walked right by the water’s edge—sometimes bursting into roaring laughter, sometimes gossiping, and sometimes just walking in pure, comfortable silence. Completely oblivious to any outside eyes… By the way, the truth is, absolutely nobody is looking at you! People are just minding their own business; no one cares about what you’re wearing or how you’re acting. A magnificent sense of comfort and freedom completely takes over…
Around 00:30 AM, we stumbled upon a foot massage hut on the beach. Old memories became the perfect side dish to a half-hour foot massage. The conversation with our masseuses, whose language we didn’t even speak, became so lively that even though six women couldn’t understand each other through spoken words, the place was echoing with pure laughter. As the massage ended and we were saying, “Okay, let’s finally go get some sleep,” a text popped up from the event crew saying they were grabbing gin at a bar. Well, obviously, we had to be there! Just a ten-minute taxi ride later, we were sipping gin and tonics and dancing on our freshly relaxed feet. Everyone knew we had to wake up early the next morning, but that wasn’t about to stop us from having a good time.
When the gins were finished, we headed back to our rooms. After a quick shower to wash away the day’s dirt and humidity with cool water, Gamze and I sank into our beds. But then I said, “Wait, girl, look what I brought with me!” I mean, were we really going to let our under-eyes get puffy? We instantly slapped on our under-eye patches and FaceTimed Ayfer, who was sharing a room with another fabulous woman just one floor above us. As if we hadn’t been together the entire day, we had a delicious ten-minute chat session, finding a million more things to tell each other and laugh about…
The next morning, we were all back at our posts. During breakfast, Gamze dropped a total bombshell on my lap: “I promise you an incredible place for lunch today!” I have always deeply loved Asian cuisine, so hearing this news, no one could have been happier than me.
The continuation of this story will be in Part 2. There is still so much to tell, but the whispers I’ve heard about long blog posts are making me a little nervous. What if you get bored? 🙂 Anyway, see you next week… Food, my fears, Vietnamese locals, and the journey back home…
With love,
Nazan
If These Piece had a Color : It would be ”Amber”.
If These Piece had a Song : It would be ”Sertab Erener – Kumsalda ”. https://open.spotify.com/track/3U5JVgI2x4rDyHGObzJfNf?si=f9047821d23d42ac 
If These Piece had a Scen : It would be ”Ginger”
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