{"id":7298,"date":"2021-05-27T18:11:55","date_gmt":"2021-05-27T10:11:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=7298"},"modified":"2022-03-23T10:09:10","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T02:09:10","slug":"grandpa-friend-promise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/grandpa-friend-promise\/","title":{"rendered":"22-Year-Old Takes His Grandpa’s Best Friend Across Vietnam To Fulfill An Old Promise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Man travels with his grandpa\u2019s best friend to uphold a promise<\/h2>\n
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The new COVID-19 wave, hitting just as summer begins, has probably spelled the untimely demise of many travel plans. For the good of the community, perhaps it\u2019s best to stay put for now. At least we still have photos from old vacations to look back upon to soothe our wanderlust.<\/p>\n

This 22-year-old man, in particular, has an especially memorable trip to reflect on. Not only did he travel across the length of Vietnam<\/strong>, but he also did it with an elderly man he barely knew<\/strong>. His reason? To fulfill a promise his grandfather made to his best friend before passing away.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the story behind their incredible journey.<\/p>\n

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His grandpa passed away before fulfilling a promise to his best friend<\/h3>\n
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\"grandpa
\nImage credit: Ho\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ea1t<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI used to think someday I\u2019d travel across Vietnam. I never thought I\u2019d do it not with my family, not with my lover, nor my close friends, but with a 74-year-old man I barely knew.\u201d<\/p>\n

That was the opening of the story<\/a> 22-year-old Ho\u00e0ng Ti\u1ebfn \u0110\u1ea1t shared on Check in Vietnam<\/a><\/em> \u2013 a Facebook group of travel enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

\"grandpa
\nImage credit: Ho\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ea1t<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

From what \u0110\u1ea1t said, the elderly man was his grandfather\u2019s best friend. They once made a promise to travel together, but \u0110\u1ea1t\u2019s grandfather fell ill and passed away before they could go through with the plans.<\/p>\n

That was many years ago, but \u0110\u1ea1t still felt the need to uphold that promise, both to honor his grandfather\u2019s memory and to fulfill his best friend\u2019s wishes.<\/p>\n

But of course, their journey was more than just sunshine and rainbows.<\/p>\n

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They traveled 4,000KM across 20 provinces<\/h3>\n
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\"grandpa
\nImage credit: Ho\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ea1t<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I voiced my idea of taking him on a trip, both my family and his objected. They were concerned about our health and safety,\u201d \u0110\u1ea1t shared one of the difficulties encountered by the duo.<\/p>\n

The elder gentleman, however, bought wholeheartedly into the idea. \u0110\u1ea1t described the exact moment he shared the news with him,<\/p>\n

\u201cHis eyes lit up with excitement the moment he heard the proposal. He stood and ran several rounds around the yard to prove he was healthy enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"grandpa
\nImage credit: Ho\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ea1t<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Eventually, the two were able to set out on their dream journey. Over the course of 25 days, they traveled 4,000KM through 20 Vietnamese provinces. For the most part, they avoided crowded tourist spots and instead prioritized historical sites, museums, and cultural attractions.<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nImage credit: Ho\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ea1t<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBy the end of it, he seemed to have become several years younger,\u201d \u0110\u1ea1t said.<\/p>\n

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Man takes his grandpa\u2019s best friend across Vietnam to fulfil an old promise<\/h3>\n
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\u0110\u1ea1t\u2019s amazing adventure with his grandpa’s BFF is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He completed a journey few can say they have, and in the process also helped an elderly man uphold a promise to his deceased friend.<\/p>\n

Surely, this will be something they\u2019ll both remember with fondness for the rest of their lives.<\/p>\n

For more stories, check out:<\/p>\n