Last night my co-traveler friend, Mike, and I arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam from Saigon via Vietnam Airlines. The hour and a half flight was perfect nap time to recharge my batteries after a full day. When we landed and claimed our baggage and exited the terminal, we were instantly swarmed by taxi drivers offering to take us to our destination for 200,000 Dong.

For the uninitiated, 200,000 Vietnam Dong equates to just under $10 US at the current exchange rate – 22,500 Dong to $1. If one wanted to skip the gameshow circuit and become a millionaire one could technically take $100 and exchange it into Dong. Remember, if one wants to maintain their status as a millionaire, one must invest and spend wisely. One million Dong is not a lot of money if you’re doing resorts and tours. One night at a hostel could costs 130,000 Dong.

Back outside the terminal of Da Nang’s airport, I relied on some insider traveling information I’d received from our hostel, the Da Nang Backpackers Hostel. Earlier that day, I contacted them about the rate for a taxi. The staff promptly responded by emailed that 40,000 Dong should be the going rate to get to the hostel. Wow, 40,000 Dong is a huge difference from 200,000. Mike and I waited for a taxi that offered a lower buy in price.

It took passing up about three cabs before we found a driver willing to take us to the Backpackers hostel for 40,000 Dong. The taxi fare standoff  was a success and expertly played by Mike. The advanced research and tip from the hostel made us savvy travelers and saved us from spending on the inflated price a short ride.

The drive from the airport along the river was dazzling. Lights from the Dragon Bridge reflected on the water below it a surreal way. Seeing the Dragon Bridge firsthand made me I feel like I was in a fantastical place that I’d only seen in movies. I’ve honestly never seen a bridge designed to look like dragon flying over the water with lights coloring the body spectrum of colors. Even though the streets looked quite empty for 10 PM. The city vibrated with a potential energy that I couldn’t wait to experience when things got moving in the day.

We arrived at the Da Nang Backpackers Hostel to a welcoming and peasant check-in staff. One of my favorite items during check-in included a survey that asked what songs I wanted to hear during breakfast. I took the question earnestly choosing Phil Collins’ “Another Day In Paradise.” At first I thought no one is going to want to find this old song and play it at breakfast. Still wrote down the title and forgot about it. The evening manager then show us our accommodations for the night. Mike and I were taking it back to the old college days with a dormitory style room shared with four other travelers.

During this backpacking experience, the rooms I’ve stayed in have been like NYSE trading floors swapping good and bad travel stories like stocks. It’s good to exchange stories and experiences with a variety of people so that I can diversify my traveler portfolio. I’m definitely extending the metaphor here, but fellow travelers have offered me useful advice and have inspired me to visit other countries. If you’re backpacking you have to get out on the trading floor.

Mike and I picked our bunks and settled into our new place. Our dorm mates quickly introduced themselves and we talked about our time in Cambodia and they shared stories of their travels from three months of navigating south from northern Vietnam. We also digressed into a Star Wars conversation seeing as how the new film, The Force Awakens, is apparently the greatest Star Wars movie to date. As a fan, I’m bitter that I haven’t seen it due to my travels and Siem Reap not having a multiplex. But I digress.

For the rest of the evening, we the newly acquainted dorm mates along with a few others from the travelers, spent the evening in the basement of the hostel listening to what sounded like EDM and playing billiards on a table from a realm where Earth’s physics don’t apply. I’ve come to this conclusion after seeing several billiards balls either change direction to curve around other balls, lose and then strangely regain momentum, or just stop right at the edge of the pocket. All I can say is Asgard called and they want their billiards table back.  I may also be just a bit bitter that I didn’t win any games. Again I digress.

The staff and travelers I’ve met in my first night have given me a good impression and I hope the remainder of my stay (two more nights) can only get better. The Da Nang Backpackers Hostel feels like a fine institution in which to exchange my traveling stocks (again extended metaphor) and meet some great people. If you are backpacking to Da Nang, know someone who is, have a relative who knows someone who is, or any combination of these certainly make a stop at this hostel. Here’s the website.

http://danangbackpackershostel.com

Oh. I almost forgot. Free breakfast is available to all the guests upon request. I couldn’t pass up the offer for eggs and pancakes. While eating my first meal of the day with one of my dorm mates, I heard the voice of Phil Collins on the overhead speakers: “Another Day In Paradise.” They found it! Maybe not the best song for vacation (it’s a song that addresses the issue of homelessness), but I was still joyed that the staff made an effort to put my song request into rotation on the Da Nang Backpackers Hostel Breakfast Radio.