1999 Vietnam Solo Tour

Schoolgirls repairing their bicycle

As a correspondent in Asia, based in Tokyo, I was used to travel by myself, renting and riding local motorcycle anywhere in Asia. This complete freedom allowed me to follow my destiny, as nothing was exactly planed at first.

Photos: Franc Péret (slide film)

Vietnam was just starting to open up to tourism and adventure was there, waiting for me in whichever direction I chose, trying my luck.

This story was published in several magazines in Japan and there was a lot to tell as everyday was a different adventure. I am not going to sum up everything here, but in short, without a proper map, it was easy to get lost, especially starting from Hanoi and heading close to Chinese border.

I did some tandem riding with a peasant bringing her back to her farm as her bicycle fall in a river, I was adopted by villager who had never encounter westerners before me, I was arrested by police and spent one night in their station as my presence in a very sensitive area was considered suspicious, I was invited by locals fishermen for fishing, dining and night stay.

All of this happened to me without being able to exchange any words in Vietnamese except that “hello”, “thanks”, and “goodbye” (Shot on Slide Fuji Provia ISO100. I used a tripod for self portrait and group shots).

Franc Peret is teaching Essential Photography Classes, Advanced Photography Workshop and Film Making Classes in Shanghai