Accompanied by wife and two children, Denis Mayet arrived in Vietnam at the invitation of Frenchman Balland Claud, Director of the Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort & Spa. The family has spent two months traversing Vietnam in a renovated Ford van and plan to continue their journey through other countries in Asia.
Forty six-year-old Denis confided: "I’m a dentist in France and know my profession very well but realized I knew very little about the rest of the world, therefore I came up with the idea to embark on a round-the-world tour with my family so we could meet people from different cultures and expand our understanding of the world." Denis’s 38-year-old wife Nanou Demazeau, an entrepreneur dealing in medical appliances, was at first apprehensive about the idea, but after spending some time researching her husband’s plan, she too agreed it was a good idea. The couple’s two children, 12-year-old daughter Oceane, a 6th grader, and 8-year-old son Timothee, a 3rd grader, were of course eager for the trip. The couple sold their dentist’s office, leased their home, and bought a Ford van which they named the Tortoise. The van is equipped with most of the amenities of a home, but on a smaller scale. Before leaving France, the parents contacted the children’s school and obtained two sets of textbooks so the children could continue their studies while on the road. Each morning Denis and Nanou spend three hours teaching the kids and once every three weeks they have to do a test which is submitted to the school via email. The test results are emailed back to the family. At the end of the school year the school will decide if the children can go on to the next form, depending on the results of their periodical tests. In March 2007 the family left France and made their first stop in Argentina, then it was off through Central America, North America and on to Asia where they arrived at Tay Ninh in Vietnam. Once a year Denis' parents fly to wherever the family may be. Last year it was in Mexico and this year it was in Hoi An. The "Journey of the Tortoise" is widely covered on French television so the Mayet family was instantly recognized by French tourists when they arrived in Hoi An. The Mayet family had many good things to say about Vietnam: "It's a very beautiful and romantic country, especially in the coastal areas. The people are so friendly, always saying hello and are very inquisitive, particularly about the van. The world cultural heritage sites are marvellous, such as Hoi An, My Son and Hue, and the wonderful natural sites really stand out, such as Phong Nha-Ke Bang Cave." The family visited Ha Long, Sapa, Ha Giang and Hanoi before continuing on to Laos and other countries. To follow the adventures of the Mayet family you can contact them on their website: http://latoretuselene.com  The family of Denis Mayet visits Hoi An Ancient Town. |
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