“If you suddenly see a travel section called @Mievatho, Tho is my nickname, and my partner Ngan’s nickname is Mie. And… we’re a couple now. We travel together, consult with couples as trip advisors, take pictures with them for fun, and both of us are much better versions of ourselves now that we share “our world” – by Nguyen Tu Thang.
– Hello Mie and Tho. The first time I encountered your work, it was the photo shoot ”check in”, showing the two of you at Hai Van Bac Station(*) and Vom Don Ca Bridge. Everything in those pictures is beautiful, very pleasant and attractive. Can you tell more about this “check-in” anniversary?
Once, on the way from Hue to Da Nang, by happenstance we found a great photo location with the train tracks, one side of them to the sea and the other to the mountain forest. We stood there watching for quite a while, looking up at the bridge and waiting for a train to pass. Back then, we were just looking at the tracks and dreaming, we never thought we would be able to get up to the bridge itself. Then, by chance I ran across a friend’s Facebook post, and I was deeply moved to know this place is in fact accessible. It’s also very beautiful, like getting lost in a different world, something only found only in a fairy-tale or a distant land.
It was on a fine day that the two of us visited there, and when we got to the foot of the Vom Don Ca Bridge it coincided with the sound of the train. I didn’t even expect to see it, but luck was on our side. The train passed over the bridge, bringing the human world into this lost corner of nature, past our eyes, just as we had hoped. It gave me an almost indescribable feeling…how should I put it … in a way it was like the harmony between nature and humans, striking a chord with me, like a light touch making me feel as though everything was just right with the world.
– Through what you share on your personal page, it seems that the two of you have come to Da Nang many times, and have special feelings for this place. How did Mie and Tho’s history with Da Nang get started?
I love the sea, and I always wanted to go to the ocean. So when we first fell in love, my wish was to be able to travel with him to all the coasts of Vietnam, and of course Da Nang is a big part of that. Our first trip lasted 5 days, from Hue to Da Nang and Hoi An.
Back then, the two of us were much more naive than now, and every place seemed very new. But travel in Da Nang is very easy, Google maps always points the right way, the food is delicious, the sea is so beautiful, and so the two of us were “seduced” by Da Nang from the beginning. From the time we first fell in love until now, we have visited Da Nang at least once a year, a tradition we hope to continue long into the future!
– The two of you have what every young person wishes: Holding hands, travelling, taking dreamlike “check-in” pictures showing colorful lives and smiles … You often choose the trips. How do you prepare for these, and how do you choose what attractions to experience?
Our trips in the past were often more carefully prepared, usually very scheduled and planned, making sure to go to all the sites and points of interest. I must have grown more comfortable with myself, because now we often just go, with little scheduling. There have been many trips recently that I have let him plan, no longer needing to go to all the specific sites anymore. We go together, and if we see a beautiful place, we stop.
There are also times when we just spend time sitting on the grass watching the woods, talking and resting, which I find very satisfying. For me, each type of outing has its own interest. If I come and want to explore a new city for the first time, then I think planning is necessary. When I return, I find it enough to relax and enjoy what that city has to offer at my leisure.
– Be honest, for the two of you, is this going to be a “profession”? And, what does it take to live in this profession and inspire people to travel?
Currently, for me, traveling is only a hobby, I don’t think of it as a profession. Our main profession is photography, and travel is both one of our subjects, and it also acts as like a spiritual medicine. In order to reduce stress and rejuvenate, I think it is really necessary to go to new places, meet new people and expose ourselves to new culture. Every time I return home, my mind is refreshed and I feel that my life has become happier! As for the pictures or “reviews” that I share, these are simply the things I want to remember and write down so that we can refer to them later, and I hope that they can be helpful to others in their own travels. We are very happy to share and inspire everyone!
Thank you both!
Mai Que
Comments are closed.