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Today is Australia Day — and I’d love to wish a very happy Australia Day to my beloved Australian readers.
This time last year, I was in Hanoi, Vietnam, and celebrated Australia Day for the first time…in a truly unique fashion.
I was staying at the excellent Hanoi Backpackers, home to one of the best hostel happy hours in the world. At 5:00 PM every night, it feels like every backpacker in the city comes up to the Hanoi Backpackers bar. In this city, where you can find bia hoi (cheap Vietnamese beer) for 12 cents a glass, Hanoi Backpackers actually gives out beer for free on Sundays!
A few days after arriving in Hanoi, I got very sick. After four days of staying in bed and eating nothing but baguettes and bananas from the hostel kitchen, I decided it was time to be a human again. I dragged myself upstairs to the bar, determined to socialize. It was Australia Day, and I heard there would be a celebration.
I got to the top and saw this:
Have I mentioned that Hanoi Backpackers is owned by Australians?
Hoo boy.
Everyone, no matter what nationality they were, was covered in Australian flag tattoos. The barbecue was fired up, serving burgers that should have been far too delicious for being made in Vietnam, and the beer was flowing!
And I got into the spirit! I love Australians. All the Australians I’ve met have been incredibly welcoming and friendly, so hilarious, and always up for a beer. They also love to travel, and you’ll probably find at least one Australian anywhere you go around the globe.
Most of the people up there that day were Australian. I was wrapped up in the Australian flag and cheering the country’s existence in no time.
And then it became time for frog racing. Yes, the official event of Australia Day at Hanoi Backpackers was racing frogs.
The frogs were put in a circle and the first one to jump out would be the winner.
The frogs had numbers on them, but that wasn’t enough — we had to name them as well. Most of the Australian guys had named the frogs after themselves, but they came up with a few unique ones…
Yep. We had a frog named Lady Gaga.
With that, I immediately knew who I was rooting for.
And they were off!
“JUMP, LADY GAGA!” I yelled. “YOU CAN DO IT! JUST DANCE! LET THE MUSIC PLAY!”
Lady Gaga stayed still, as did most of the frogs.
“COME ON, LADY GAGA!”
Lady Gaga didn’t even come close.
But she was still my froggie.
Out of all the country celebrations I’ve seen around the world, my bizarre Australia Day in Hanoi remains one that I’ll always remember. Tattoos, beer, frogs, and all.
Sounds like a blast. So is the frog racing some a typical celebration event in Hanoi? Or is it an Australian thing? Or just unique to that hostel? Seems like a good time.
Um, when I saw that first photo, I initially thought he had had his nipple pierced! Glad it was just a temporary tat =)
Sounds like fun 😀 and what you said is true…you meet australians everywhere 😀 and germans too (they are taking over the world :P)
Maybe I should head over there now!! I had no idea what I was missing out on… Happy Australia Day!
Hilarious! It definitely was worth it to get out of bed!
Sounds awesome! 🙂
Frog racing on Australia Day sounds awesome!
What a fun time that must have been. Beer and betting — Aussies bet on everything!
I kind of want to make sure I’m in Hanoi for Australia Day next year now. I’ve never really done a wild, drunken Australia Day.
I feel almost un-Australian saying that…
Hello Kate (my name is Kate too) and I read about your enjoyment of Australia Day in Vietnam (which is one of my favourite destinations in the world next to the Marquesas Islands). If you love unusual celebrations, you MUST visit Australia in September and go to the BIRDSVILLE RACES in the quaint outback town of Birdsville in far western Queensland. The town goes from 50 to 5,000 during the race and the celebrations go for three days! It is just the most hilarious time! Everyone dresses up in very strange and wonderful costumes for the iconic race. I suggest you get there from Sydney and go by road a it gives you the TRUE TRUE sense of isolation as you travel along the incredible Birdsville Track going past remote, legendary pubs and meeting the most diverse, idiosyncratic people on earth. I am an Aussie from Sydney who has spent years travelling overseas (have covered over 90 countries) but I still love travelling in outback Australia. People fly in from all over the world to attend the BIRDSVILLE RACES. The year I attended, we had met people that flew in from Canada. The race is usually held in the first or second week of September. Unfortunately, you need to book early for a camping spot as the legendary Birdsvill Pub is booked out with the racing fraternity.
Its nice to know that australia day is celebrated abroad 🙂
Wow! It’s great. Love it! Frog racing in Australian Day. You should be kangaroo. Hanoi Backpacker Hostel is a great place to stay in Hanoi. Awesome! Love it!