Finally we had concluded our Hainan trip with Brompton bike

 Finally have the time and internet to post my Hai Nan Brompton trip. Due to China have firewall to disable google etc. Currently I am seating in Kohibito near Hanoi, Cat Linh writing this post on my newly bought iPad mini keyboard. I am still getting use to the small keyboard and I immediately is able to feel strain on my forearms. Keyboard is really too small to be type comfortably on. A video speak a thousand words let me use video to do the talking. 

It is winter time and places like japan and mainland china is cold but Hainan being a separate island is hot and humid especially in Sanya. What I hate about this place is the splitting culture and eating of bing nan where people chew the fruit and split Silva all over the place.

This trip I learn that all China iphone is able to support 2 physical SIM card from iPhone 11 onwards. I didn’t know about this since I stop following iPhone since iPhone 7. Furthermore, iPhone which is bought in Sanya airport is duty free and with heavy discount and units sold are generately 25% cheaper for the new phone. This is super crazy. I didn’t get to buy one as the shop only allow same date purchase, my flight was in the early morning straight after midnight hence the shop is technically close by then and the salesman was not able to be flexible on this.

Finally we concluded that it is although possible to fly with Dimpa bag alone but you must have correct protection with your clothes as layering. The rear rack is also very prone to knocking and bending which Jacky experience when we fly from Hainan out to Hanoi with no card box protection. Her rear fork one of the metal is bend and this affected her rolling balances. Jacky was super sad about her black lacquer then but had get over it as bike is safe in the harbour but that is not what the bike is built for.

Moving forward since I have internet in Hanoi I will try to post more often moving forward.

I finish my birthday budget with Montbell rain trekker jacket

Today whole day we are out for walking. As of now I had walked 22k steps. On average we walked > 20k per day. 2 reason really. Firstly, is that I ate too much from all the cheap bento from 7-11 and Lawson. And secondly, transportation is expensive so we save more by walking more.

Today my iPhone 13 mini start to have pink line flickering and purple tinting issue when facing bright sun. Dying soon. Walking around the 中古 street to find iPhone and MacBook Air. But japan keyboard layout a bit different from us so didn’t plan to buy these electronic in Japan. Unless 20 years ago, I will import docomo Japanese phone to play those with annetanna one and have to hang keychain and strip one. 

Finally today I buy finish my bday present. The rule is like this, every year we both have $300 birthday budget to buy things we like. Why this is better for us:

- as a minimalist we don’t like to be burdened with stuff which is not useful

- as a frugal man, I don’t buy anything at all, having this rules made me spend at least once a year

- we don’t like surprise and would rather have the money and decide our own present for the year.

- reduce the stress to do shopping for present but left not appreciated

My brithday is in Sept and Jackie’s in March, so we have basically 6 months each to buy our present and in the event if we cannot decide after 6 months, the balance will be pass over to the other people budget as penalty. So today buy finishing up my budget is a good thing for me.

Sitting outside Montbell to change into the rain jacket and Jackie’s toe socks

So this year my birthday present is as follows:

1. Nike short
2. Green long pant i am wear (in pic above)
3. Leather handmade wallet
4. Qiaodan short 
5. Montbell side sling 
6. Montbell Rain Trekker Jacket Men’s

Thanks Jackie :)

Our video of us doing the handmade money clip is up below:

So hard to buy ticket from Hanoi to Nanning

 Today Hanoi weather turn cold suddenly. It drops from morning 30 degree to 22 degree. No sunlight and cloudy with light rain showering 90%. We heard from Tracy that it was due to middle Vietnam storm and will last 2 days before weather getting back to usual.

Today is quite frustrating with the only task we set for the day. The booking of bus ticket from Hanoi to Nanning cost 800k per person from APAC Travel 55 Tran Khat Chan street. As we are informed that the train servicing to Nanning had been suspended for a long time and the only way to Nanning will be taking bus. We was directed to pay online for the bus ticket and we decided to ride down to office to pay in cash as we are very sensitive to online payment from unknown source. We went to at 12 and was inform that they are out for lunch till 2pm. So we went to eat lunch and wait till 2pm and they are still closed. Tracy then helped us to call the owner and we are told that Sunday they do not open. WTH.

So we basically wasted a lot of time and we decided to meet Tracy earlier to return her bike to her. Then Tracy convinced us to not book for the tour agency and will instead take private bus to the custom of Vietnam for 300k each and then we clear customer and take a taxi or bus to Nanning. 

As we know that we are not going to get a China phone number that mean that we are confine to a lot of restriction in China. Most payment, taxi hailing and hotel booking will need us to use WeChat and need us to get OTP from a registered China line and no we now no longer can just buy a throw away SIM card as a tourist. We need to buy post paid card which doesn’t make sense for us as we are only travelling 2 weeks.

So Jackie suggested from XHS that we can prepare touch and go and Alipay to try, well that certainly will increase the difficult as China do not use much cash anymore. But okie tomorrow I will update the adventage to see if we are able to live comfortably in china without carry any cash over.

Last dinner with Tracy to thanks her for the bike and the tofu is so so nice and I want to use it as my dish in the future if I do cook at home. I will miss Hanoi endless free flow of vegetable.

Money clip handmade finally over with idea to pay forward

Yesterday we finished the wallet half way. In the morning I look grumpy and stress. Whole day I don’t smile or don’t respond to joke in Mai studio. Jackie came asking what happened. I didn’t realise but I am stressed that I am not able to work on the wallet. I tried to mimic the Korean 2nd second hand I used for long time where it was super well made with very thin leather and folding were clean and also the way they use thread to sew also can be 2 different colour. Mai had told me that they had used machine while we have the limitation due to our is handmade. 

Money clip outer and card slot fixed, balance edge paint and clip sewing

However, I still cannot get over the fact that the wallet didn’t meet my expectation. Half way into the day, Mai probably noticed that I am stress and offer to help us to speed up the progress. She took over and help me to trim from the card holder side which is the most difficult and punching holes for the sewing. Following is the photo for the ending of day 3.

Today Saturday we checked out from 99 Au Co homestay, traam Viet house. They charged us separately from the utility which suck. We proceed to Mai place to finish up the detailing on the edge painting and sewing on the money clip. Jackie finish up her notebook cover and explored on repairing her leather iPod touch case. Okie, we still haven book our ticket to Nan Ning China and also haven find out next hotel yet. But you know we hated planning. Therefore, Jackie decided to stamp her note book case “No Plan” to symbolise this.

At 4pm, we finally finish the money clip with the final touch when we sit out the cafe to Tu Lao and Mai boyfriend was sold when he see my fishing rod is so small that I can afford to even carry fishing rod, cup and creamer stick mixer in my 7kg day bag.

Money clip hold money in the centre, 3 card slot with one hidden pocket behind and left pocket for receipts

Front view with blue thread to have a subtle navy blue colour which is made with soft goat skin

Internal slot using chrome leather for water resistance and sublet logo branding

Mai and BF were very amazed with our life and envy that we are able to make choices in life. Although we are not wealthy but we do not have liabilities too. Without children, mortgage and motor allows us to live minimally and fluid to travel as and when we like. After next week we will be likely going to Nan Ning via bus. Although slow but we have the time to enjoy and travel slowly. I think I am super lucky compare to 90% of the population, I need to be grateful for life. It’s not how much I own but is how little I need :)

Near blue 29 hotel, Cua Hang Sua Bo, Giang Vo Hanoi

Lastly, today we check in to blue 29 hotel in Giang Vo last minute and we stumble upon a very nice pure milk store that also serve nice cream puff. We suddenly thought of a nice idea to do leather wallet and gift it to people who we like to give as gift. Then we will ask them to “pay forward” for another person to receive this gratitude gift that they get to pick. So we are able to do leatherwork perpetually for infinite :)

Stroll along Tay Ho Lake

Today wake up quite late at 11am, prepare myself and go over to Mai leather shop to work on my money clipper. So we intend to eat the Tom (economic rice) behind Mai shop. Super nice one but when we reach there at 12:30pm, the food is all gone. Very powerful in Vietnam. Good food don’t last in Vietnam. So end up we walk further up to eat Bun Oc (snail noodle soup). 

After lunch we walk around for coffee. It makes me remember the time I was working in the city, lunch break Liao drink coffee after lunch break as last time I also have 2 hour lunch break. We stumble upon a very run down cafe, it entice us to go check it out you know cause we are sucker for shop that has 60s look. When I got in I am just very amaze with how Vietnamese can run a business using the least resources. In business term they call it the minimum variable product. They have half finish entrance door, half finish roof top and half finish cornice. But yet they are already running the business with full revenue capacity. The building was like demolished down half way and someone just took over and use red brick to repair to a functional building. 

Jackie is standing at the corner, can you see her?

After the coffee I went back to work on the wallet. I kinda stuck and keep staring at the leather and I can’t decide forward. Although Mai tried to input her advice on the job but I cannot agree with her on how some method is applied. Then I just realise the money clip that I brought online second hand for $30 is very well made. A lot of technique was used to make the wallet super thin. I keep want to use the technique on my own handmade and I realise that it was too difficult specially in thinning the edge and the folding at the round corner. So the whole day I only got to do one piece with a brand stamping. Tmr I need to carry on so I need to speed up and adore an easy method to finish the wallet even if it mean it has to be thicker.

After leather working today, Jackie decided to walk into the westerner side of Tay Ho Lake. For excising to clock our daily walking target and got an excuse to walk and talk and stroll along the lake. Weather is cooling. At 10pm the alarm ring and we have to take a picture of the day. At the moment we saw nice alfresco place where people sitting at the lily pond dating. So here is the picture :)

Behind Tay Ho Lake

Sandy house to cook a great meal for the ladies

Today highlight is that we was invited to Sandy’s house for the whole day to do women day. The day where Tracy will religiously buy flower from the market and all lady will just come to Sandy house to cook and decorate the vase. Then after all food cooked, they will 摆盘 outside and take a picture. All just for a Instagram-able photo, I do not really understand why need to get approval from the social media lah, but apparently this virus to create stress and anxiety is common in Vietnam youth.

While, myself as a Singaporean, and most people from China and Taiwan are feeling the inflation and market getting very bad. On the other hand, we feel Vietnamese are still spending I guess this is due to the market is emerging and there are still a lot of opportunity in the market, never really see Tracy and Sandy complaining life is difficult. Only me. Sandy secretly took us that her rice cooker from Japan cost her $2,000. 

Sandy just really very independent and trust us with her kids. She requested us to pick them up after school. Moon and Susu school is 15mins away from home if we ride bike. We had to carry 4 pac and children don’t even need to wear helmet. We find it very dangerous but this is common practice in Vietnam. So we took up the challenge and went over to fetch them back on the bike without the head gear. So funny that the teacher will allow us to pick up the children just need Sandy to inform the teacher beforehand. In SG I think sure kanna complain already the school.

Help Mai with her leatherwork business

Finally back to Hanoi and we finding another place to stay near Tay Ho. Although we like the studio layout a lot but don’t think the location and house rule of the place.

This week after we come back from Hai Phong, our task for the week will be accompany Jackie’s friend Mr Au and then Monday onwards go to Mai Bima leather shop to start another project to do a money clipper and also help her shop to do marketing. Using Chatgpt to layout a simple lesson module to film her teaching basic leather for marketing. Hope this turn out well and we able to come out with good end product for her. She don’t need more clients now as she already reach her full capacity. So the end products should be very likely be a digital assets.

Having our mountain chicken at our favourite chicken store

This store is having the best steam chicken. We are indulging on the chicken feet for 10k and chicken wing for 30k. Cause having the half chicken is so expensive at 300k so we can only do it when we have Mr Au and Tracy together with us as picture above.

On the way to tu lian to find Jie Jie to drink bia Hoi

Sad news, we kept going back to Tu Lian, Au co there to find Jie Jie to drink bia Hoi. Unfortunately, 3 times also see their shop closed. Jackie is quite confirm that they had closed down. From the way that time she handle the chef, scold and throw beer jar at the uncle I think they’re F&B very hard le. She also didn’t wanna reveal her number so we are also not able to get into contact with her. Actually I find that by not sharing number after many time we ask, I find it quite weird. It is like a red flag for keyman credit standing. Like having something to hide. Now cannot find her Liao. Sianz.

3rd night with Mr Au drinking Bia Hoi together

We took Mr Au for Banh Cuon, Mia coffee and Bun Cha at Yen Phu. This 3 locations are our comfort food. During our stay in Hanoi we will keep coming back for breakfast and lunch cause these are really good and cheap. This time round I didn’t fish at Tay Ho lake as I am tired about it already.

Ivy is a French mix vietnamese child

Finally we went to find Mai Bima leather to offer our 8 videos solution for her to market her brand. After some discussion we narrow down to CTA the video to her service offering. She will also like to offer her leather experience class on Airbnb. We hope we can solve her problem to increase her per hour rate from doing and selling leatherwork to offer class lesson to teach instead. Using the same amount of time we hope to raise her revenue for her business.

  

Took train to Hai Phong

Today we are on our way to explore Hai Phong. 2 hours by train ride from Hanoi. Train ticket cost us 115k dong / person. Jackie looks for excited like a baby with grapes and green mango on train. Surprisingly that the train is air conditioned with power plug and toilet at each cabin. We are assigned cabin 14 and we had to walk quite a bit to our seat.

What is fun is the climbing up the train like immigrant like this. The train ride was not very fast and I believe is around 50km/hr. That why it will takes us 2 hours to reach Hai Phong which also take 2 hours if you are riding motorbike.

Tracy was kind enough to lend us her bike for free. Due to the bike is without insurance paper and mirror so it was not advisable for us to ride to Hai Phone on motorbike. We will have to temporary park our bike at MaI Bima Leathercraft shop while we are away for these week.

Yesterday night we brought Sandy and her 3 daughter to Hanoi to enjoy chicken feet. Jackie was damn enjoying the chicken wing as she say that the chicken is full of favour as it was breed on the top of the mountain somewhere in the north Vietnam. You can come here as we highly recommend it.

Sandy newly added 3rd baby