Reflections from Hanoi, World Cup Madness and Cave Expert Howard Limbert

On this week's show, we begin (1:17) with a discussion on some of the micro-level differences between Hanoi and Saigon. Our co-hosts Paul and Thi recently spent nearly a week in the capital, so we dug into the character of the place. Then (13:51) we revisited February's U23 football madness through the lens of the World Cup. Why was Vietnam's celebration so peaceful compared to that of France? What would it be like if Vietnam qualified for the tournament? Our interview guest is Howard Limbert (25:46), former head of the British Caving Association and one of the leading experts on Vietnam's cave systems. He is based near Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to Son Doong, the world's largest cave, which he helped map. We talked about his extensive experience in the country, as well as why tourism in Phong Nha has thus far been an environmental success story, unlike areas such as Phu Quoc and Sa Pa. As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (39:07).