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The sun had set long ago, and here I was hustled in the simpleness of my hostel room. Some have warned me not to travel out too late on my own, and others pounced on the opportunity to speak of a wasted chance. I looked out to see the once-bustling row of shophouses now but a silent blur. Yet, it was Hanoi, a place I had long flipped travel books about, the vibrancy of a city encapsulated in its beauty. The coldest gust of wind brushed against my face as I forced open the main door. Was I about to regret my decision in the slightest bit? “Never”, I thought to myself, bracing myself with hands tucked snuggly in the pockets of my coat. I trailed the pavements, following dimly lit with streetlights one after another (flickering, as if threatening to shut, every once in a while). Periods of time, I passed a cyclist hunched over, probably on his way home from work. Other times, groups of locals gathered by the roadside stall for a late-night meal of hot soup and a drink. Merry laughter and talk echoed, for them, their ‘day’ seemed like it had just begun. The night painted a different picture, deeply contrasting the screeching of bikes and holler of salesmen trying to grasp the attention of passing tourists. There was finally peace and serenity, words no one would use to describe the ‘city-life’. Step-by-step, I took in the sights and sounds, even the cracks and unevenness of the pavement floor. As I turned the corner, I could barely make out the structure of the Church at the end. I remember having seen this previously on one of the pages of my travel books. If it was earlier in the night, coloured lights would have shone valiantly on the face of this building. Yet, this once majesty which seemed to be reduced to a dull frame of grey still held on to its grandeur and magnificence against the backdrop of the dark night. I made my way, yet to be satisfied and still yearning for more as I reached the river bank. As the water face inevitably reflected the illumination of the night light, I pulled my phone from my pocket. My first reconnection with technology. “2:35 am”, it read. This was how I spent my first night in the city. One last look at the picturesque view, I knew this city had so much more to offer. Expectantly, this marked both the end, but more importantly also the beginning, of my journey, into the light.