Goodbyes ain't always easy

So a few days ago I parted ways with Kaja and Adam. It wasn't on bad terms but both of our visa's were expiring and they were heading to Cambodia and I'm heading to Laos (maybe, more to come on this drama). For the last 3 months almost everyday I've been with them, sharing food and rooms. It was basically family. And then monday morning as each of us dealt with different annoying bureaucracies of Vietnam everything changed as I was told I can't get a visa extension and decided it was time to head back north to Kon Tum (Kon Tum is the southernmost point where one can enter Laos).

So I took off on the road back north. In 3 days I would travel over 700km along the Ho Chi Minh trail, retracing some steps and exploring other new areas. For the first time in a while I am traveling alone, and remembering what that's all about.

But I didn't just leave my "family" behind (though the plan is to re-meet up later on) I also left the family we were staying with. In Saigon we lucked out and found this great guesthouse with a super family. Though there was a HUGE language barrier, we all had such a great time together. The mom made great coffee and delicious fruit shakes, we took the kids to the zoo, drank with the day and the grand mother even made breakfast for us one morning. And almost as soon as it began, it ended and I was off. In some ways I feel like I let the family down with such a quick goodbye. For someone as emotional and who thinks so much about how others feel, travel can be so hard because all the goodbyes always make me feel like I could have done more. But in reality, I can't. And though I'm sad to have to say goodbye to whomever, I do take pleasure in the fact that at least we did get the change to say hello and share whatever it is we shared.