Nothing says “romantic” like a train ride. Unless, of course, it’s a 33-hour train ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. That’s just nuts. And nothing gets you closer to the locals than requiring immediate medical attention after plowing your motorcycle into a wall in Bali. No, really. World travel is awesome.

Greetings once again from Brisbane, Australia! After five weeks “down under”, we’ve noticed an interesting fashion trend. Maybe it’s the warm climate. Maybe it’s the carefree nature of Australians. Or maybe they just like tops a size or two too big, because there’s a lot of sideboob going on down here.

We share two travel stories on today’s program, one from Vietnam and one from Bali:

1. Hobos from Hanoi

Music credit: Pyro Flow by Kevin MacLeod

In all seriousness, taking the North-South Reunification Line for a slow, scenic way down Vietnam is a great idea. Overnight trains are much more comfortable than overnight flights, so if you’re not in a hurry and want to spend a couple days in Hue, Da Nang, and Nha Trang along the way, it’s a great way to get from Hanoi down to Ho Chi Minh City.

However, under no circumstances should you elect to take the straight-shot back from Ho Chi Minh City back to Hanoi. Because that way lies 33 hours of madness.

2. Bali Biking Boo Boos

Music credit: Fretless by Kevin MacLeod

Seasoned travelers like Nathaniel Boyle from The Daily Travel Podcast know several “tricks” to ingratiating oneself with the locals. For Nathaniel, carrying a guitar is a sure way to make friends with other local musicians. Another tick he’s learned: Getting emergency medical services from the crowd after crashing a motorcycle into a brick wall.

Great ideas, Nathaniel. We’ll stick with the guitar. Oh, and best of luck on the launch of Holocene! Break a leg! (Not that we want you to crash into a wall again, but you get the idea.

And that’s the show!

With the holidays just around the corner, we know you’re struggling for that perfect gift. Might we suggest postcards from abroad? At under $10 a month, they make a perfect stocking stuffer!

Special thanks to Kevin MacLeod of Incompetech.com for our theme music Upbeat Forever and all of the music used in this episode.

Funding for this podcast and all the great content we produce is made possible by listeners just like you. Visit ShEvo.wtf/postcards to pledge your support, and get a hand written postcard each month as we travel abroad.

Additional funding provided by TravelSmith. Inspiring people to go places they've never been, and keeping us looking smart and well-outfitted on our journey.

And if you want to travel the world… it’s cheaper than you think! Visit ShEvo.wtf for more details, and click on the Housesitting link to find out exactly how we afford to travel the world in style.

New episodes of the The Opportunistic Travelers Podcast are available every Tuesday. Of course, Tuesday can be a very different thing depending on where we are in the world. Cheers!