Imagine standing on the top deck of a small ship, favorite drink in hand, as you glide down the Mekong River. Fishermen in narrow wooden boats are out on the water, and along the shoreline you catch occasional glimpses of old Catholic churches from the French colonial period and Buddhist temples rising above the coconut palms.

In 2015, after years of living and working in Asia, I found myself standing inside Tokyo Station unable to figure out how to buy a train ticket.

A few weeks ago, we took the train up from Da Nang with the kids for a Thursday to Saturday trip. Nothing complicated. Two nights at Ancient Hue, a short train ride, and a chance to see the city without it being part of work.

Hello, xin chào, sabai dee,

I’ve been meaning to start this for a while. Feels like the right time.

For those I haven’t yet worked with, a quick background. I’ve spent most of the last 15 years based in Asia, running operations and designing trips across nine countries. That’s meant a lot of time on the ground working through logistics, building itineraries from scratch, and partnering with local teams to make trips run the way they should.

Along the way, I’ve learned what actually holds a trip together, and where things tend to fall apart.

Today, I run Trufant Travel, focusing on thoughtful, well-executed trips for clients who want more than a standard itinerary.