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At 28 years old, Trinh Tu, currently living and working in Hanoi in the banking sector, has a very clear desire: to see the world more broadly and to reflect more deeply on himself. For the past three years, he has treated himself to a solo trip each year. Not because he lacks travel companions, but because these solo trips help him slow down and listen to himself more.
Tú took a photo with the Eiffel Tower in Paris during her recent trip to Europe.
Europe was already on his bucket list before he turned 30. In November 2025, he will begin a 10-day journey from Paris (France) through Rome, Venice, the Dolomites, and Milan (Italy). It's not an overly packed schedule, enough to enjoy himself, but also enough to allow for unforeseen incidents.
Scenes from the heart of European cities in November.
Paris and the headphones that almost stayed with the City of Lights.
On his last day in Paris, because he was carrying a large suitcase weighing nearly 30kg, he decided not to drag it down the long metro walkways and numerous stairs, but instead called an Uber to Orly Airport to catch his connecting flight to Rome.
November in Paris has rather unpredictable weather: it's noticeably colder in the early mornings and evenings, while it warms up around midday. As he got into his all-black Uber Tesla, he felt hot and took off his jacket, backpack, and headphones, placing them neatly on the seat. At the airport, he pulled his suitcase out, checked his belongings, and went straight into Orly Airport to check in.
Tú didn't realize that dressing warmly for the early morning would be part of the reason for forgetting her belongings.
It wasn't until he was near the airplane door that he suddenly stopped: his black headphones were gone. "I wanted to cry, thinking there was a high chance they were lost, but I still tried to contact Uber," he recounted.
Surprisingly, Uber's dispatch center contacted the driver, and not only did he find the headphones, but he also proactively returned to his accommodation – an apartment owned by a Vietnamese person in Paris – to return them. When he recounted this story, he was still using the headphones.
Paris, a city often associated with unpleasant stories, concluded our journey with a completely different experience.
Rome, Venice, and the backpack left behind because… it was too hot.
If Paris was the first stroke of luck, then Rome was the biggest challenge of the entire journey.
On the day he left Rome for Venice, the train departed at 12:03 PM. He arrived at the station at 12:01 PM. Because it was hot, he was wearing a thermal shirt, a sweater, a jacket, and carrying a backpack. As was his habit, he had to take off his backpack first before taking off his jacket. And then, in the moment the train was about to leave the station, fearing he would miss his train, he grabbed his suitcase and everything else he was carrying… except his backpack.
The ship's doors closed.
His backpack contained a laptop, camera, wallet, and passport – almost his entire "life" on the trip. He panicked and asked the train staff to let him off, but they refused because it was public transport. He then asked the staff on the train to help him contact station staff to keep his backpack safe, but they also refused. The train staff said they only had authority to handle issues on the train and advised him to contact the local police. In that situation, contacting the police in Italian was impossible for him.
The reason for Trinh Tu's second mishap still stems from her outfit.
The panic quickly subsided into silence. He began considering the worst-case scenario: get off at the nearest station, return to Rome, renew his passport, and consider his European trip over there, preserving the best moments of Paris.
Luckily, when he contacted a friend in Venice for advice, he discovered that the friend was in the outskirts of Rome, about a 30-minute taxi ride from the station. When he turned on the location tracking function on his phone (because his laptop was linked), the backpack was still located at Rome station. He quickly asked his friend to return to the station to look for the backpack, clinging to a glimmer of hope.
About 60 minutes after leaving Rome, the train stopped at the first station. He got off and turned back. Just as he was about to board the train back to Rome, his friend texted him: "Check your location again." A few seconds later, a photo arrived with the message: "Just kidding, your backpack is in my hands."
In that moment, all worries vanished. Between Paris and Rome—two cities often mentioned for their high rates of bag-picking—he lost nothing, except a life lesson: don't be complacent, stay calm, and most importantly… don't "take off" when you're in a hurry.
Europe in November and scenes that cannot be captured by camera.
Aside from the memorable incidents, the November trip offered a truly beautiful Europe. Paris was quieter, the weather pleasant, and the golden leaves of late autumn blended with millennia-old architecture to create a romantic scene. He spent hours sitting by the Seine River, in the Jardin du Palais Royal, wandering Paris at night for 6-7 hours, visiting roadside wine bars and small cocktail bars, and strolling around the illuminated Eiffel Tower. In that moment, he knew he had truly fallen in love with Paris.
The Dolomites were another breathtaking spectacle. As late autumn transitioned into winter, the landscape was no longer the monotonous green of summer or the stark white of winter, but a blend of green, orange, brown, and freshly fallen snow. His first day in the Dolomites had rained all day, leaving him somewhat disappointed. But the next morning, the sun shone, and the snow-covered Seceda sparkled so brightly that his phone couldn't capture it all. The following day, Val di Funes was bathed in light and color. He could only preserve those moments with his eyes and memory.
Stunning scenery in the Dolomites
The trip concluded with many experiences and a clearer belief: traveling alone isn't as scary as people think. With proper preparation, travel insurance, light luggage, a backup plan, and an open mind, the world is still full of kind people willing to help. "Always believe that somewhere in life there will be someone to accompany you, and be content with your own journey," Trinh Tu said.
