VietNamNet Bridge - Having been to 73 countries, Nguyen Hoang Bao, a university lecturer, plans to continue discovering the rest of the world. The journeys will give him material to “draw a portrait of Vietnamese in five continents,” he says. 

Nguyen Hoang Bao in Yangon, Myanmar

Nguyen Hoang Bao, born in 1976, is better known in Vietnam as blogger Nhung Buoc Chan (steps).

To find and connect Vietnamese all over the world, Bao plans to set up an online information channel and call for Vietnamese in many different countries to share information.  

Graduating from the Business Administration Faculty of the HCMC Economics University, Bao had a passion for trekking and later became lecturer in travel business at HCMC Industry University.

Recalling his trips to the 73 countries, Bao said these were “thorny, but extremely interesting”.

These included journeys following two dangerous paths of the Silk Road - Pamir and Karakoram; discovery of South America in the Inca’s footprints to the ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru; a journey to Jerusalem; and a visit to the residence of the Maasai in Africa, considered the bravest of Kenya’s tribes.

Bao said one of the most impressive journeys he had ever experienced was on the Silk Road through Central Asia and the Middle East.

The journey lasted two months through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Iran and Pakistan. From Chang'an City in China, the Silk Road is divided into several branches that reach different cities and localities.

Pamir Road stretches from Central Asia to India. It is considered the world's toughest road in an area with severe weather. 

The Karakoram highway is considered the second most dangerous road in the world, with a winding pass 4,730 meters above sea level. The road is easily affected by flash floods, causing serious landslides.

Bao said despite the insecurity and difficulties, the local people were very warm and hospitable.

“The experience is valuable for a lecturer like me, providing material to help make my lectures more lively and interesting,” he said. “It is obvious that talking about what you experienced and saw will be more convincing than repeating what you have read in books.”

Over the years, Bao has been inspiring his students to travel to discover the world and conquer challenges.

The number of countries he has been to, the roads he has overcome, and the pictures he has taken are not his most important goals, he said.

Bao said he wants to better understand the lives of Vietnamese throughout five continents.

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