I proposed to my girlfriend on a Gecko's trip!

We here in the Gecko's office are a bunch of old softies, so imagine our excitement when we learnt that two members of a Gecko's tour got engaged while in Vietnam!

Steven and Sophie went on the Vietnam Reunification Express tour and Steven proposed in charming Hoi An. This is their story:

What made you book a trip to Vietnam? Was it your first choice?
We were looking for a place where we could experience adventure, try a different cuisine and also find a place to relax. Steven also teaches English to ESL (English as a Second Language) students from all over the world and currently teaches many Vietnamese students.

Steven - did you plan the trip knowing you would propose?
I had spoken to Sophie about getting engaged sometime in the future, but had not planned this holiday to be the place to do it. The beauty of Hoi An (pictured below) made it the perfect setting to make the proposal and luckily Sophie agreed. I always knew I wanted to propose away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives home in Australia.

Was the timing spontaneous, or did you research when and how you would do it?
As stated previously I had not planned to propose in Vietnam. We both knew we wanted to get married but never thought it would be on this Gecko's tour. It was very spontaneous in the romantic streets of Hoi An. Could not have picked a better place to do it. The late afternoon sunset made the earthy colours of the buildings stand out, and the afternoon traffic had died down to pedestrian traffic only. This set the mood and made it a priceless occasion in both of our lives.

Sophie - tell us about the moment. How did you react? What was going through your head? Was it a surprise?
As we had previously talked about it, it wasn’t too much of a surprise, though it did still feel a bit surreal! It just felt so right in such a beautiful place.

We'd had a wonderful day cycling through the picturesque countryside in Hoi An, so in the afternoon we decided to go for a wander around the streets and do some shopping. We just couldn’t get over how romantic and beautiful the streets were and how every person we spoke to was so polite and kind-hearted.

We looked at each other and said “How about it?” and walked in to the next jewellery shop and bought a ring! Even that seemed perfect, in what felt like 35 degree heat with 85% humidity, as we walked into the shop the young girl put the fans on and brought us icy cold flannels for our necks! We decided to buy a ‘ming’ (mock ring) and have one made when we returned home.

Did any other members of your Gecko's group know it was going to happen? What were their reactions like?
No, no one knew about it. The others were all very excited for us, though we were told by a couple of them that it seemed like we had known each other forever, even though it had only been five months!

Was it fun sharing such an exciting moment with a group of fellow travellers?
An experience of a lifetime! Memories we will never forget! The group felt like family even if it was only six days into our tour.

Aside from the actual proposal, what were some of the highlights of your trip?

• Cycling through the Hoi An countryside
• Learning to cross the street!
• Catching the local train for 8 hours on hard wooden benches
• Eating at local restaurants down lantern-lit alley ways
• Cu Chi Tunnels
• Visiting the gorgeous children at the orphanage in Nha Trang

Would you consider taking another Gecko's trip, either back to Vietnam or somewhere else?
Absolutely! We definitely want to head back to Vietnam, hopefully venture up to Sapa and Ha Long Bay next time and re-visit beautiful Hoi An and maybe even Hanoi again.

What are some words of advice for other romantics out there who might be considering something like this?
Keep it simple. Find a moment that you will both remember and treasure forever.

Have you got a message for Steven and Sophie? Leave it in the comments section below. If you've got an exciting story of your own to share, email it to facebook@geckosadventures.com, or head to twitter and Facebook to share it with other Gecko's travellers!
 

If you'd like to see gorgeous Vietnam for yourself, why not take a look through all our trips. Then order a FREE brochure or read one online. You cn also sign up to the monthly eNews for trip updates, competitions and more.

• Tweet