There’s a specific kind of freedom that comes with solo traveling. It isn’t just about the places you tick off the map, but the serene place you find for yourself between destinations. It’s the bravery to navigate a new city alone, the luxury of changing your plans on a whim, and the chance to see a world that belongs entirely to you, for just a moment in time.

Here is the story of how Maria, one of the instructors at NOTE, found a connection with a guest through their shared love for solo traveling.

I remember Jo sitting alone on a balcony overlooking the Nguyen Hue Walking Street below, it was one of those typical Saigon mornings; the sun was high, the heat was there but it hadn’t yet reached its peak. I recognized her as our guest and walked over.

“You are Jo, right?”

“Yes, I’m here for the perfume workshop”, she said with a smile and that relaxed, open energy you often see in people who have been traveling solo for a while.

As we started chatting, I learnt that she was visiting from Australia. This was her second time traveling solo through Vietnam. She’d already seen the lanterns in Hoi An and the coastal breeze of Da Nang, and now she was spending her time here, in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.

As a solo traveler myself and just came back from a trip to Hoi An, I felt an instant connection. Knowing that there must be different reasons why a person decides to travel on their own. I asked her about it. She jokingly replied with “People are annoying”.

We both laughed, knowing it was a joke – likely a quick, convenient answer had been prepared and tucked away whenever that question popped up. But deep down, I think it was the freedom – of getting to make your own choices, putting your needs first, and perhaps, the chance to get to know yourself better.

During the workshop, Jo told me she uses perfume daily, but usually, she just picks a scent based on what smells nice or whatever she’s feeling that day. She’d never looked deep into all the notes behind the fragrance before. Today, she had the chance to actually dive into the world of scents and make her own blend.

Sitting next to her, it felt less like a formal class and more like two strangers sharing stories over oil bottles and scent strips. As she explored the notes, I could see the “aha” moments on her face – the realization of why certain ingredients made her feel a certain way.

I helped Jo work on her formula, testing different variations of the notes she picked until we had the final scent that Jo was 100% satisfied with. By the end, she finished the bottle and gave it the name that made both of us smile: Jo Sài Gòn. She handwrote the name on the label, then asked me to help her complete it with the proper Vietnamese tone marks.

A simple name but can say everything. Perhaps also a way to bottle the feeling of being here, alone and independent, in the middle of this chaotic, beautiful city.

Safe travels, Jo.