I soared 30,000 feet into the sky, bound for Paris, 9.8 million meters from Taiwan. The long 15-hour flight was a necessary prelude to an incredible journey, giving my anticipation time to ferment into its own sweet-and-sour flavor, like apple cider vinegar. Impatience tangled with eagerness for new discoveries, brewing up a certain romance of travel.
— Creya.net (pen name: 偽肖飽)
[ Ooh, look at me being all artsy ]
This time, I made the rather unexpected choice ofVietnam Airlinesas my Anywhere Door to whisk me away on this trip. I was clearly going to Europe, so why on earth was I transferring in Vietnam? Detective Li furrowed his brow—the case was clearly more complicated than it seemed. What is the truth? Read on…
Europe ranks among the most expensive travel destinations for most people. It is the kind of dream you talk about your whole life but expect to spend half of it saving up for. The high cost of living is daunting enough, and airfare alone scares half the people away. Yet there I was, recklessly determined to tour Europe even as my bank account approached rock bottom. Solving the airfare problem was obviously my first priority. And so there could be only one truth: now fully promoted to Queen of Penny-Pinching, I went down this road entirely for the money!
[ Why is it that when I open the door at home, I still finda sink perchedabove the toilet? ]
As the saying goes: package tours cost more than independent travel, and China Airlines costs more than Vietnam Airlines. Never forget it. (Just kidding.)
For highly rated, well-known airlines such as China Airlines, EVA Air, and KLM, a Taipei–Paris round trip with a connection in Europe generally costs around NT$40,000 to NT$50,000-plus. But sweet, lovable Vietnam Airlines charged just… ta-da! Less than NT$30,000！That fare would not even get us to nearby Australia in the Asia-Pacific region! Mine only rose slightly above NT$30,000 because I chose an open-jaw itinerary—Taiwan to France, then the UK back to Taiwan—which added a little extra tax. So now that global travel is booming, there are more airlines than ever, and fares keep falling,you can no longer use expensive airfare as an excuse for not going to Europe!
In the spirit of Sun Yat-sen’s earnest exhortation to “see things through to the end,” here is a famous quote:“Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” — George Washington
Besides Vietnam Airlines, Chinese carriers such as China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, and all sorts of other easterly,southerly,east-south-south airlines also offer fares under NT$30,000. Reviews of Chinese airlines online are mixed, however, andLion Travelagent Ajie, who handled my booking, recommended the cheapest option—Vietnam Airlines—so clearly I made the right choice!
But if Vietnam Airlines is so excellent and its fares so perfect, why is it not everyone’s first choice for flying to Europe? Detective Li may not know, but I do: Vietnam Airlines comes with very, very long layovers in Vietnam. Flying from Taipei to Paris, I first transferred in Hanoi, where the layover was 11 hours. On the way back from the UK to Taiwan, I was lucky enough to transfer somewhere different—Ho Chi Minh City—though the flight first stopped in Frankfurt, Germany. My Vietnam layover was nine hours. Good grief! What are you supposed to do during such a long layover?! No way am I flying Vietnam Airlines! Ah, but here is what you do not know: Vietnam Airlines will not leave you bored during those long hours. As long as your travel agency arranges it in advance, they providea free Vietnam city tour plus a hotel room to rest in, with meals included—and you do not even have to pay for a visa!Since my two layovers were in different places, I got to explore two completely different Vietnamese cities, both entirely new to me. It made the whole journey fantastic value and a lot of fun!
[ Taipei to Paris via Hanoi: tasty snacks, a clean room to rest in, and a lovely group of Taiwanese travelers I still keep in touch with ]
[ London to Taipei via Ho Chi Minh City: the hotel was the best possible choice in Vietnam’s scorching heat, and the buffet was a clear winner ]
Besides, after getting used to budget airlines in Australia and not flying a full-service carrier for ages, I would fall asleep, immediately get woken up for a meal, and then somehow it would already be time for breakfast. Blankets, headphones—everything budget airlines leave out was included here. The comfort and food were perfectly fine by my standards. If anything, I was startled and flattered by this feed-you-like-a-pig level of service. As for the flight attendants, I slept from beginning to end, so I do not remember much. But the meals were served and cleared without a hitch, so they passed!
Honestly, getting from Taipei to Paris swallowed up more than an entire day. But if you have time to spare, it makes no difference—and you get to visit an extra country you have never seen before! So Vietnam Airlines remains the top choice for anyone with plenty of time, not much money, and a desire to squeeze in a quick look around a Vietnamese city.
[ Basically a pig-fattening itinerary: six meals on the round trip ]
[ Vietnam’s airports were a little basic, with hardly any shops worth browsing, but no real harm done ]
Still, imagine being unable to sleep throughout a 15-hour flight, trapped in a confined space, fidgeting restlessly or growing mold from boredom. You would probably lose your mind! You would be exhausted before the trip even began, with no energy left to explore after arriving. Fortunately, apart from jet lag, sleep has never been a problem for me. Everywhere I have traveled, I have always been able to sit in a chair and fall asleep, or lie down on any bed and drift right off. I am pretty blessed—oh! I mean, it is one of life’s little pleasures. (Smack)
If you cannot sleep on planes and then struggle with jet lag after arriving, here is my secret weapon: do not sleep the night before. Yes, seriously. My flights are usually early in the morning anyway, so I finish packing and head straight to the airport, with zero chance of oversleeping. The moment I board, I pass out so completely that I do not even notice takeoff or landing. I only wake when a flight attendant comes to feed me, like a pig being fattened up. Then I step off the plane, and no matter what time it is locally, I am bursting with energy and ready to keep exploring.
Some people travel abroad wanting a comfortable flight, a luxury hotel, and convenient transportation with personal service. Those amenities are what they want to enjoy, and if I were going to Bali, I might do the same. But on a trip to Europe, what I want to enjoy is the culture, the people, and countries steeped in centuries of history.
【 If you only care about enjoying the journey, why worry about the destination? If you only care about reaching the destination, why worry about the journey? When I travel, I focus only on what matters most to me. Everything else gets trimmed wherever possible. 】
Here is my flight schedule for reference.
One more note: when flying Vietnam Airlines, layovers exceeding nine hours in Hanoi or seven hours in Ho Chi Minh City qualify for a free city tour and hotel stay. This includes transfers, attraction admission, a twin-share room, an English-speaking guide, meals, and insurance, but it must be arranged when you book your ticket. (That said, during my Ho Chi Minh City layover, two German women successfully signed up for the free city tour on the spot, though they did not get the hotel buffet.) If your layover exceeds four hours but is too short to qualify for the city tour, you receive a meal voucher for use inside the airport.
>> Read more | See my “European Travel Legs” | series—click here
Oh! I cannot believe I forgot the most important thing: photos of the flight attendants. You have come all the way to the airport—how could you not take a look?
[ A certain Vietnam Airlines flight attendant dancing in a bikini onboard ]
Unfortunately, the airline was fined… so from now on, all you will see is the scene below.
Here comes another classic saying: the ones departing Taipei are prettier than the ones departing Vietnam; the ones flying back to Taipei are prettier than the ones flying back to Vietnam. Moral of the story: draw your own conclusions.
To keep even more people from getting the wrong idea,here is a special announcement!If you came looking for gorgeous flight attendants, turn left up ahead and ask the counter for a refund. Thank you.
Could you show a little professionalism?!
