John Gilmartin

My most memorable travel experience was a trip to Vietnam. At the time, my daughter was teaching there, and I wanted our family to visit her. I planned a 10-day trip filled with tours of the northern and southern regions of the country.  Being a former military member, I was particularly interested in seeing the other side of Vietnam and interacting with citizens who had lived through the war. It was an amazing experience and opportunity to interact with the kind people and see the world from their point of view—including their emotions and reactions to the war. It was very humbling to see that their suffering could be felt to this day.

The Vietnamese people I encountered were extremely welcoming and appreciative to see that I wanted to understand their culture. My family and I went with open minds and found people were eager to open up about their lives and hear about ours in return. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything and am grateful for the lessons I learned there. 

If Vietnam is on your wish list, I can plan a trip that pulls together a wonderful itinerary that caters to the interests of you and your family or travel companions.