Andreii Ignatiev

A year after arriving in Nha Trang from Russia, I decided to walk to Hà Nội on a solo trip. My hiking journey began on April 1 in Nha Trang. In 43 days, I walked 1,327km on foot and reached Hà Nội.

At the beginning of April last year, my family came from Russia to Nha Trang, planning to travel around Việt Nam for three to five months but we have been living in Nha Trang for more than a year.

One of the main reasons we decided to stay in Nha Trang for some time was our daughter. She fell in love with the city, its atmosphere, the sea and the lifestyle here. She also wanted to continue studying at the Russian school located in Nha Trang. For us, it felt like a natural decision to stay at this stage of our lives, especially after such a long journey across Việt Nam.

What I love most about Nha Trang is the balance of life here. There is a special combination of nature, sea, climate, local culture and a slower rhythm of life that allows people to breathe and feel more connected to themselves.

After such a long walking journey across Việt Nam, Nha Trang became a place where I could slow down, recover physically and mentally, and begin a new stage of life and work.

I also appreciate the openness and warmth of the Vietnamese people here, which creates a feeling of comfort and connection that is difficult to explain logically but easy to feel. That feeling is one of the main reasons I decided to stay in Nha Trang for this stage of my life.

During the first week of the trip, I was still adapting physically to long-distance walking and my body was going through the initial shock of the expedition. My feet were covered with blisters caused by unsuitable footwear and I had to adjust both my pace and equipment while continuing the journey.

The Nón, signature conical hat of Việt Nam

I wore a nón to cover my head almost until the end of the trip. I was very upset when the nón was damaged and I could no longer use it. It was very convenient for protection from the sun, and for me, it was an immersion in Vietnamese culture through an element of dress.

I work in the field of personal development and business consulting. In some ways, my work resembles that of a life coach, but it is more analytical consulting and personal guidance rather than traditional life coaching.

I help people better understand themselves, their strengths, behavioural patterns and decision-making processes through different analytical systems connected to personal data and life experience. I also work with topics related to personal growth, business development, relationships and finding direction in life.

I graduated from the Syucai Training Institute Dubai and work as a digital coach and consultant.

In my approach, I use analytical systems connected to a person’s date of birth as a tool for self-understanding, decision-making and identifying personal strengths and life patterns.

Alongside this, I also create travel and storytelling content connected to human endurance, transformation and recovery experiences.

For me, this journey was not a holiday but a conscious life decision and part of a much bigger personal project. Because I work remotely in consulting and digital communication, I have more flexibility than people tied to a traditional office schedule.

At the same time, the journey still required preparation, financial planning and accepting a certain level of uncertainty. I also continued working with some clients and projects during different stages of the trip when it was possible. In many ways, the walk itself became part of my work, storytelling and long-term creative direction.

I was born in 1987, so I am familiar with the symbolism of the Soviet Union, including the hammer and sickle, from my early years. It is part of the historical context of the country I grew up in and it naturally forms part of my generational memory.

We are from Kazan in the Tatarstan Republic in Russia. Tatarstan is a highly developed republic in Russia, both culturally, in sports, and in terms of innovation. I am very proud to come from there and to represent my region through my journey and my work.

In Kazan, we had our own house and I also owned a business in a more traditional field. I worked in organising medical examinations for companies and corporate clients. However, over the past five years, our family has gradually moved towards a more nomadic lifestyle.

First, we moved from central Russia to Sochi, a city by the sea in southern Russia, where we lived for about two years. After that, we relocated to Batumi, Georgia, again choosing life near the sea and a different rhythm of living. Later, we returned to Russia for around six months and then eventually came to Nha Trang, where we have now been living for the past year.

Huế's so beautiful, I'll come back

When I arrived in Huế, it was one of the most important cultural and historical stops during my journey across the country. I liked Huế very much and I would like to return there again with my family. I would especially love to show the city to my daughter, as it left a very strong impression on me during my journey.

Along the way, I found that the nón quickly became an essential part of my journey, not just for practical protection from the sun but also as something that helped me connect more naturally with the local environment and daily life in Việt Nam.

Interestingly, it also became something people began to recognise me by along the road. In a way, it became a simple but meaningful symbol of the journey itself.

My nón broke beyond use about five days before I finished the journey, so I walked the final part wearing a regular cap instead. By that time, it had already become such a strong symbol of the journey that it stayed with me in a way, even when I was no longer physically wearing it.

There were several moments when I felt physically very exhausted. During the first weeks, I had strong blisters on my feet and my back was hurting from carrying an unfamiliar backpack load. Later, when I reached Đà Nẵng, my feet were again in a very painful condition and I had inflammation in one of my toes. The toe was significantly swollen, and at that moment, I seriously questioned whether I should continue the journey, as it could have been unreasonable for my health. But I moved on.

When I finally arrived at the Thê Húc Bridge of Hoàn Kiếm Lake in Hà Nội, it was a key moment in completing my journey. Sitting on the bridge, I felt a deep sense of calm and inner peace from realising that I had accomplished what I set out to do. This journey was a test of my physical limits, a personal transformation, and a deep experience of discovering Việt Nam and finding inner peace. All of this came together in one path.

After the trip, I'm back in Nha Trang with my family and have decided to learn Vietnamese. — VNS