The only way to have a friend is to be one – Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Three days. That was all I had to get a glimpse of the delight that is Hoi An, a quaint little UNESCO Heritage town, DaNang and Phu Loc.

The locals are among the friendliest people I have met. Theirs is a simple lifestyle, grounded in family and friendship. Despite being a stranger, I was welcomed into their homes with genuine hospitality, the kind that you don’t expect in big cities. In the smaller towns, everyone knows everyone, and so it was not surprising the locals were curious and wanted to find out everything about me, which country I came from, my age and if I am married with children.

My meeting with two elderly grannies, both in over 90 years of age, left an incredible mark on me. What impressed me most was how well these two grannies kept themselves, not only in outward physical appearance but also attitudes toward life and their strong religious beliefs. Their home was simple and displayed few material possessions. From their broad and engaging smiles, I sensed their life rich with pleasures and happiness. Both are living with their family of four generations, which would be anomaly in big cities.