Japan Bridge in Hoi An  

Once the fasten seat belt sign turned off, everyone stood up, got their luggage from the rack and put on their coats. It took me a moment to realize that I had arrived back in snowy Beijing.  On the plane, I was once again plagued with loud snoring. I sighed, doomed to another sleepless night, just like those I had in Vietnam.

Replaying the past 10 days in my mind, I realized that these experiences and so-called uncertainties, troubles and pains were precious memories that I will treasure forever.

Everything at once

My first sleepless night came after celebrating Christmas Eve on the train with my travel companions from Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to Hanoi, as it was colder than I expected and we had to detrain several times in order to pass customs, where we were asked for a 10-yuan "tip."

We encountered the same situation at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), though this time the tip was $100. Luckily, we ultimately bargained them down to 10.

This was our first experience as backpackers, and the first time we didn't know where our next destination or accommodations would be. Too often vacations become a mere checklist of things to do. So we decided to lose the schedule and allow a little spontaneity into our lives.

It was not until we were walking the busy streets of Dalat desperately searching for a hotel room on New Year's Eve that we were reminded of the convenience of travel agencies.

Thank God I was not alone. I had three friends with me, including a lovely young couple we met at the Nanning Railway Station, well-versed in independent travel.

The backpacker's bible, Lonely Planet, introduces Vietnam as "another world…where colors are more vivid, the culture is richer, and history more compelling."

With that in mind, we plotted our route from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, with stops in Hué to see the imperial palace of the Nguyen dynasty, Hoi An for the Old Town, Nha Trang for its lovely beach, Dalat for Bao Dai's Summer Palace and Mui Ne for its beautiful sand dunes.

During the 2,000 km-long open bus tour, we saw killer coastlines, emerald-green rice paddies and beautiful girls dressed in tight-fitting áo dàis, the traditional silk dress. However, among the rumble of motorbikes and street hawkers' cries, what impressed us most was the modernization process on which Vietnam is currently embarking.

Hanoi gave us wide streets, high-rise buildings, luxury boutiques and countless stores, while in Hoi An, we watched as a newlywed couple took photos against the picturesque background of the Old Town. Down in Nha Trang, teenagers roller skated on the boardwalk while the Eiffel Tower-like radio tower in Dalat served as a backdrop for middle-school students in uniforms, running through dance routines that would steal the thunder from any pop star.

But it was HCMC that offered exquisite French-style buildings and churches, while shiny boats glided on the Saigon River.