"What are you laughing at?!"
When the universe insists on turning the world upside down just for me
📍Da Nang, Vietnam
My flight from Hanoi to Da Nang was scheduled for 5:25 in the morning.
I mentally cursed my past self for setting me up for a sleepless night by booking such an ungodly hour. Seriously, what was I thinking?
The alarm jolted me awake at 1:30 AM. I dragged myself out of bed, finished packing, and headed out to catch the Grab taxi I'd booked through the app. This time around, I took a deep breath before lugging my suitcases down five flights of stairs. Surprisingly, it felt much easier than when I'd arrived. It's amazing how much lighter everything feels when you're not freaking out.
At the airport, check-in and security were a breeze, and I quickly found myself on the plane after grabbing a quick snack. I skipped the coffee thinking I might catch some sleep during the flight. Classic mistake on my part.
The 90-minute flight was rough. I drifted in and out of consciousness but was mostly just dead tired. The silver lining was the stunning sunrise view from my window—absolutely magical. I imagined God up there, taking in this spectacular view every morning.
As soon as I stepped out of the airport, Da Nang felt completely different from Hanoi. The morning heat was gentle rather than oppressive, and the taxi drivers waited patiently, politely asking, "Taxi, ma'am?" instead of swarming around me. The whole vibe was calmer, more welcoming, totally unlike other Asian airports I'd experienced.
I ordered my Grab, which arrived within minutes. The car was decked out with cameras on all sides that seemed to be analyzing every possible angle of the road. The driver moved with such caution that I wondered if he was actually a driving instructor moonlighting as a rideshare driver.
Out of nowhere, he asked his car's digital system to play "Lemon Tree," which kicked off a string of ABBA hits. It perfectly set the mood for my arrival. I felt like Da Nang was giving me a warm, musical welcome.
I made it to my Airbnb, which I knew was actually a hotel with 24/7 reception—already a step up from my previous accommodations. Even though it was early morning and official check-in wasn't until 2 PM, I was desperately hoping they'd let me into a room because all I wanted was to crash.
I was greeted by two lovely women who were cleaning the lobby. They invited me to sit while they made some calls to figure out my situation. Finally, one of them said she'd take me to my room now, and I could do the official check-in later when the manager arrived. I could have hugged her!
We took the elevator—a shiny, gold-decorated one this time—up to my room. I felt like I'd just been upgraded to royalty status. When she opened the door, I discovered a perfect little apartment with everything I needed: spacious layout, an actual clean shower (hallelujah!), a comfortable bed, a well-equipped kitchen, and even a microwave—something you rarely find in these places.
I breathed a massive sigh of relief. Such a treat. This is exactly how arriving in a new city should feel—comfortable, welcoming, easy.
I passed out at 8 AM and didn't open my eyes again until 4 in the afternoon. I was completely wiped out and starving, having barely eaten in what felt like forever. Even though the flight was just 90 minutes in the same time zone, the whole sleepless night had thrown my body for a loop.
When I finally woke up, all I could think about was finding breakfast (or whatever meal was appropriate by then), scoring some decent coffee, and figuring out my next moves. This is basically my adult version of pre-gaming.
I stepped outside and discovered cafes and restaurants lining my street, with tourists everywhere. Jackpot! Food within walking distance and the safety of being in a tourist-friendly zone.
That's when it hit me—I actually prefer being in a tourist center where I'm just another walking wallet, rather than being in some remote area feeling like an alien. In Hanoi, I constantly felt like "that strange foreign woman," which definitely affected how I experienced the city.
I walked into the first restaurant I spotted, ordered an omelet sandwich and iced coffee, and it was exactly what I needed. After that, I kept exploring and discovered that the parallel street was the main drag—packed with cool eateries and cafes, buzzing with people, music, and good vibes. I couldn't believe my luck—I was smack in the middle of the action.
I continued wandering, turning down interesting-looking streets, going right, then left, walking and walking until I decided I wanted to sit somewhere but couldn't make up my mind about where. This is basically my permanent state of being.
I typically have a mental checklist for places—usually 2-3 must-haves depending on my mood. Today it was: air conditioning, young crowd, good background music. But I kept walking in circles, unable to commit to anywhere.
Was I stuck in the rat maze again, searching for my cheese?
I realized I was drifting farther from the main tourist area, but something kept pulling me forward—that gut feeling of "let's see what's around the corner." I've learned to trust that feeling completely.
After walking what felt like miles, I found a place with live music. The vibe wasn't particularly exciting, and there was no AC, but I decided to just plop down for a drink, scroll through Substack a bit, and regroup before continuing my exploration.
I ordered a passion fruit soda, took one sip, and this guy walked by. I must have been smiling or laughing at something on my phone because he suddenly stopped and asked, "What are you laughing at?!"
After his second sentence, I invited him to join me, and it clicked instantly—I'd found my cheese.
He'd been strolling down the street enjoying an ice cream when he practically ambushed me with his question, which only made me laugh harder. Honestly, I can't even remember what I was laughing at in the first place.
"ChatGPT?" he asked confidently, like he'd caught me red-handed.
"No, Substack, actually! Know it? It's a platform for writers—I write there," I explained, still laughing.
"I write too!" he responded, completely surprising me.
"Want to sit?" I asked, slightly amazed that somehow the most attractive guy in town had materialized at my table by invitation.
Our conversation flowed effortlessly. He was Australian, so we connected immediately over that. He told me he talks to ChatGPT constantly, and I immediately saw myself reflected in him.
He had also arrived that day, and like me (ahem), he'd realized at the last minute that he didn't have the proper visa, so he'd paid a premium to get one on arrival. He was planning to head back to his hotel but couldn't explain what made him stop and ask what I was laughing at.
Within minutes, we were deep in conversation about the universe, forces of attraction, and how we'd obviously met for a reason.
We spent the entire evening together, bar-hopping around the city, getting to know both Da Nang and each other. We kept finishing each other's sentences. When I'd start saying something and he'd interrupt with "I know," I could tell he genuinely did know. And vice versa—I heard myself in his words, like we were living parallel lives or different versions of the same person.
We shared interests in all the same things and even had similar speech patterns. It was surreal. And incredible. I'd never thought I'd meet someone so similar to me. Most men I'd met before were so different that I'd assumed that was just how the world worked—but here was evidence to the contrary.
He was exactly who I needed to meet at that precise moment, and everything had aligned perfectly to make it happen. The universe works in mysterious ways, but when it wants something to happen, it will turn the world upside down to make it so.
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