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  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    Day 24

    Ho Chi Min - Home

    January 14 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What a costly mistake, another good reason to travel with someone. I’ve only got myself to blame for this.

    First enquiry for the Melbourne flight was that it was full, so with few options I went and sat down …
    Find a bed
    Research a flight - next Bne is Monday.
    Then out of the throng is the Jetstar guy I was talking to 10 min ago, telling me to “quickly”.

    So I’m shifting money, buying a flight to Melbourne, hopping from foot to foot in the never ending security line, getting cranky with the people who leave it until they are at the front of the cue to start getting organised.

    While I weave my way through I cancel my BNE- ROK, and buy a Mel-ROK, can’t figure out how I booked the room in Bne to cancel it, and with only time to swing past the ladies I arrive at the gate in a tiz!

    Now Viet Nam is finished!    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    Day 23

    Ho Chi Min Day 3

    January 13 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    It’s 8:27, and I have a plan and it starts with only going down those stairs 1 more time.
    A few more things to leave behind, but I doubt it’ll make much difference to the repacking.
    I’ve booked a coffee class and the hop & off double decker bus. Lazy way to hit the main sights of the city, though in this traffic certainly faster to go by motorbike.

    I eventually found somewhere for breakfast/lunch - unfortunately the worst thing I’ve eaten this trip, hopefully dinner tonight will ensure that the bowl of beef noodles (spaghetti and grisly beef in a bowl of watery broth) ends the trip on a high.

    I wandered on to the ticket booth for the bus, timing it with just 5 min to spare. People watching the best thing about that diversion. In particular the number of young people - more girls than boys in traditional outfits posing for their IG accounts. Staring whistfully at an orchid, the V sign, I even saw 1 girl arranging herself on the bitumen in the middle of everything.

    I got off at the Independence Palace and weaved my way around big groups for a look there. The technology on display and the grandiose decoration of the Presidents rooms, like something out of a 1970’s Bond film. My intention then was to do a quick walk through the Central Market and then go on to my coffee workshop.

    As I was walking along checking the map, I look up to see a grinning and waving couple deliberately walking towards me! Odd…After spending the day with Jeremy, Josh & Sunny from the food tour yesterday, couldn’t believe it … out of a possible 10 million people I run into Sheryl & Rayner (great couple) also from the Chu Chi tunnels and food tour. So we had a quick catch up and a laugh at the chances of running into each other, they had just come from the coffee place I was heading to - I missed my window to detour through the market and went straight to the egg coffee class.

    Only 2 others, a lovely girl from Mongolia (we discovered we had a lot in common in 60min) who owns a coffee shop there and a Vietnamese girl. Can’t believe I left it til the end to try the egg caphe, it’s delicious! And the inventors family place is in Hanoi. Next time.

    I couldn’t have planned it any better, with the $20, 2 star hotel up the road only 450m. Smells a little dank….And that’s where I’ve been for the last 3 hours tying to sleep as I know I’ll get none on the plane. It’s in the middle of the building, so can’t hear any street noise, air-con and I’ll be able to have a shower before I go. And that’s all it’s got going for it….

    A short wander around the corner and stopped at the first place full of locals - ice cold Tiger and a bar snack to go with it. Just spring rolls.
    As I munched away it occurred to me that I had not checked the cost of the Grab to the airport … and of course on checking not quite enough once I’d paid for dinner …. So via an ATM to the hotel and a shower and then when I actually booked, it was considerably cheaper, now I don’t need the money I got FFS.

    8:30pm
    Change of plans … staying til Monday because I can’t read a ducking 24hr clock….
    FFS

    9:17pm
    Flying via Melbourne - expensive lack of attention to detail!    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    2
    Day 22

    Ho Chi Min - MeKong Delta

    January 12 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Up early again, walked a little further afield for breakfast and then a coffee a few doors up before being collected for the Mekong tour.
    Greeted by the 3 new Phillipino friends from last nights food tour. Only 10 of us again and we don’t go to the main touristy bit. We will see.

    First stop was a brick works, one of hundreds along the river, using sand dredged from the river, then a boat ride along the river with a fresh coconut and fruit platter.

    From the boat to bikes and we rode through the small villages and visited a number of small businesses. Coconut candy, chocolate, honey, tea all farmed and produced within the small area we visited. On we rode to a local family for lunch and then into a couple of Sanpans to be rowed back to the boat for the ride back to the bus.

    We got back to Ho Chi Min at 6:30, I did 4 lefts and found a fabulous wonton soup for dinner on my way home. Ready to crash early and with no alarm to wake up to maybe I’ll sleep through the night!

    I found a cheapo hotel to go to after I check out of here tomorrow. And with a loose plan, we’ll see where the day takes me!    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    2
    Day 21

    Ho Chi Min Day 1

    January 11 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Have had a huge day with 15 minutes to shower change and join a motorcycle food tour. So just photos for now..

    On the way to Mekong River, a 2hr drive.

    Chu Chi Tunnels today with a pick up of 7:05 (oddly exact for a place with such crazy traffic), and I was awake every 30min for no reason….

    I turned right and walked for a block - no Banh Mi, went left , none that way either, couldn’t believe it. Wasn’t game to go too far in case pick up changed, so away I went on an empty stomach. The snack collection saw me through to a road side coffee stand where we waited for a guy who had to catch up by bike as he’d slept through. I found a Banh Mi down a nearby alley and with a coffee to go. We were away.

    The tour was great and we were at a less touristy area of the tunnels. Tom our guide had lots to tell and it was a fun group. The tunnel system and ingenuity of the Viet Cong astounding. The whole history of independence fascinating and tragic.
    Ho Chi Min a very smart man and brilliant politician.

    A couple of men on the tour had a go at firing an AK 47, and we watched another on the machine gun - they are fixed in place and can’t be picked up. Unbelievably loud! Norway tells us they instantly start damaging your hearing.
    The adrenaline/testosterone was high for a while and the chatter amongst them hits home later 😢.

    We called in for a rest stop at the craft village of the people with Agent Orange/Disabilities. The ramifications are into the 2nd generation now and they expect there will be for up to 5 generations as it destroys the dna of the first person exposed. After the initial financial compensation by the US government some villages
    rebuilt on the poisoned lands and continued to farm. Whilst the chemical companies denied there would be long term residues.

    Norway and I got dropped at the War Remnants Museum on the way back.

    I cried the whole time and over 3 floors had to regroup each time I moved between the exhibition rooms. The adrenaline and false sense of power that might come from wielding the weapons can’t justify what individuals did but might explain why they did what they did. The guys that had them in their hands for 2 minutes were pumped up.

    Acts of humanity by soldiers who saved villages from certain slaughter, worth noting.
    American Senators lauded for being a Vet, charged with war crimes and being pardoned by the President (can’t remember which one - doesn’t matter, they are all the same!), worth noting, images of piles of dead Vietnamese, children, elderly, women, worth noting. American GI holding up the remains of a blown to pieces child …. And sitting proudly with a pile of skulls. How can we call ourselves Humam Kind….

    I crossed paths with Norway and he told me he was crying on the inside, I looked at him in tears and couldn’t say anything.

    10 minutes as an urban Bear Grills had me use the museum
    Wifi to get a screenshot of maps to get me to the closest phone place - I had half the bus establish that my SIM had expired - and bravely I set off.

    Mission accomplished at the first place I came to - huge flash place with 6 attendants who raced each other to open the door for me, could have bought no end of gadget but just 15000 dong for 3 more
    days instead. Very helpful girl, who did everything through Google translate called the provider and sent me on my way.

    Before I left the shop I’d booked a motorbike food tour to join Sheryl & Rayner from the days tour and a Grab bike to get home to meet my bike.

    Motorbike foodie tour with 5 others and a bunch of female uni students who do this as their job, 3 nights a week to help them practice their English, great fun and a great
    bunch of girls.
    Rachel my driver was on her first tour and we had a great chat as she weaves in and out of traffic “like a fish” she tells me!!

    Fell into a food coma at 10, pleased to be off my feet.    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    Day 20

    Hoi An - Saigon

    January 10 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Best start to the day, Etienne (French) picked me up at 4:45 on the dot, we collectedo 2 other photographers (both women, a French and an Australian) and we went out to a small fishing village to shoot life!

    I knew before I left that my SLR, was on its final adventure but the reality is that, what it can’t do is like comparing a washing machine to a toaster!! So my takeaway from today is going it’s going to cost me!!

    My “dinosaur” and I did the best we could, but I won’t really know if I got anything worth the 4:30am start until I can see them on the computer. It was the experience that I wanted in Hanoi at the start of my trip … and has inspired me again, we chatted and laughed with locals - Etienne has been visiting that same village for 10 years, has lived here for 13 years, most of it in Hoi An. It was his dream as a child to live in Asia. So he has a very good relationship with the people there and they don’t mind being photographed. There was one little lady, who I reckon will be in the background of most photos as she seemed to be everywhere.

    Too busy watching where I walked staying out of the way of motor bikes and busy people and composing photos to whip out the phone to get a snap. We stopped for breakfast in a smoke filled cafe full of fisherman playing cards, while a shower of rain went over and then headed down to the ship yard for some more photo ops.

    Oh the rubbish …… while we were sitting and watching and waiting Etienne was interpreting a conversation between a group of fishermen and customers. They were complaining about how they have to pull all the plastic out of the catch/fish and at the same time throwing it back over their shoulder.

    Etienne believes it’ll be another generation before there will be change. I asked if he had kids, he said he tries not to think about their world “it stresses me”. I noticed that he wore a thing around his wrist that he fiddled with for anxiety I guessed. When we talked about different nationalities he said the entitled American stress him the most - treating him like the hired help and they’re never content. Everything from rain to sunshine is his fault and he doesn’t have fun on those days. We laughed a lot today.

    Back to the Little Boss, with plenty of time to get ready for the car. I tried to go in the shuttle bus, but the photo shoot didn’t fit with the departure, so just had to. Bonus that I didn’t have to drag the bag anywhere as he came to the door.

    I’ve had my first thing “taxed”. I noticed that a light fingered clean freak at the fish market has souvenired the hand sanitiser that was attached to the back of my pack with a carabiner. I’ve hardly used it as everywhere has a sink and soap or they offer a hand wipe. So they are welcome to it. One less thing to take up space.

    I entertained myself on the drive watching the motorbikes. Everyone has something to note - a Pokémon helmet with ears, a hard hat or pith helmet, a half dozen bikes, baskets of ducks, a fridge, a tv, pretty high heels, a neck to ankle Gucci raincoat, ovenmitts for hand warmers, a toddler in a teddy bear onsey standing between the helmeted parents, 3 or more teenagers etc
    A constant source of amusement.

    Left a little bit of overflow behind, including my brand new rain poncho, but I know it’ll be used… it’s a tight pack, so there will no more shopping in Vietnam, and that’s what I’ve been telling everyone that hits me up to buy something.

    At the Da Nang airport watching people wheel around their carry on (even though I know they’ve probably checked the duplicate bag 3 times the size) makes me think I need more practice at travelling light. The air mattress doesn’t help matters and the bed in Saigon better be rock hard or I’ll be bloody annoyed as I haven’t used it in Hoi An.

    I’m in my penthouse (4th floor) apartment in Saigon, haven’t ventured out yet, tried to have a little nap. Backpack straps have been used for the second time this trip, and the third time will be going back down the steps. I’m on top of a coffee shop, weird how that works. I’ll have to go through the kitchen in the morning.

    Hunger is driving me out into the neighbourhood, I won’t be going far, and with an early tour in the morning to the Chu Chi tunnels, I won’t be awake for
    long either.    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    1
    Day 19

    Hoi An Day 5

    January 9 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Quote of the day!!!

    Big tall English guy, who on handing the phone back to his girlfriend to check the photo of herself said “There is a total ban on photos for 30min”.

    I laughed out loud!!

    Up early to be out at the My Son ruins by daybreak. Worth the early morning as we were leaving when everyone else was arriving. There would have only been 30 or so people there and they kept us pretty spread out. So that was great.

    Amazing place, will add more details, when I’m not getting up at 4am.

    Back to Hoi An, after breakfast and started to get myself sorted. Wandered back to the market to collect the other pants that were made, bought a book from a young man with polio, he said “I know you don’t want one, but could you help me?” - lunch of the fried wonton, rose dumplings and the spider web spring rolls which Hoi An are famous for, started the book at another cafe over a coconut coffee and then crashed for a bit.

    Went to the Bamboo Circus on recommendation by Thuay, this mornings guide - absolutely brilliant! Dinner on the street of fresh spring rolls, have managed to get everything into the bag and need to be asleep as I’m heading out for a photography session at 4:45.    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    2
    Day 18

    Hoi An Day 4

    January 8 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    No real plan today until my walking tour this afternoon, so I set off looking for a couple of random things on my list.

    On the way I was hoodwinked by a very friendly lady who could not believe my hair! I ended up letting myself be whisked away from my original agenda for a coffee at her brothers cafe, a lantern making workshop in the central market with her friend and a pair of pants from her. She was lovely though and she was full of local tips and stories about what to spend on what and where.

    I picked up a couple of cooking gadgets on my way back to my original plan and then found my Thingy for the Christmas tree before lunch and my walking tour with Trang. Another fabulous afternoon.

    Back to Remy the tailor, whisked away to pick up the leather jacket, final try on of the other clothes and then I was dropped at The White Rose to try the famous rose shaped dumplings. Had a chat with a couple of young Aust girls at the restaurant.

    I had a go at making the rose dumpling wrappers today and the ladies, amidst lots of giggling said I’d get a job if I kept practicing for 3 months.

    Wandered home, sat outside a Buddhist temple to listen to the chanting for awhile, through the busy night markets and the bars. I feel sorry for the ones on the edge with no customers, but I’ve supported the economy enough I think.

    I’ve walked a hundred miles today and an early start tomorrow, so we can get to My Son before everyone else.    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    Day 17

    Hoi An Day 3

    January 7 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Today’s plan is to try not to get killed whilst I explore by bicycle. Apart from modes of transport that have legs, I’ve pretty much covered them all now!!

    My butt is not a fan of bike seats, but it wasn’t too bad after yesterday’s adventure.

    So off I set looking for a bike. They seem to be everywhere when you’re not looking for them, but the only one I found this morning as I walked towards where I was going was just ok!

    After a quick run down on how to lock it 🤣🤣 away i wobbled. Not much traffic at 8, found a place for breakfast and continued to the Charming Homestay for my morning cooking class.

    There were only 3 of us in the class, we were in the kitchen and not wearing a chefs hat and apron!! Like some of the bigger touristy ones publicise.

    We rode 10 minutes to the local market - with a road side shop stop to buy raincoats. A brief but heavy shower as it turned out. The couple from the Netherlands quite well adapted to the biking, but the raincoat was just one more thing to think about and it was about here that I noticed the seat slipping.

    The market was fun and interesting, they always are, but Ha had some great things to share about different things and the couple were very curious about all the food types they’d never experienced before.

    Equipped with what we’d need for our dishes we rode back to the Homestay and cooked our meals.

    Banana and prawn spring rolls, a simple dipping sauce, a beef and a chicken dish. All delicious and the recipes recipes will be shared with us soon. We were given one of the kitchen gadgets that we used, which was funny as we’d taken a photo of it to go track it down at the markets.

    I wasn’t far from the Tra Que Vegetable Village, so I detoured there on my way back to the tailor. Little plots of land, all owner by different families and farmers that grow all the greens and vegetables that we’d seen earlier in the markets.

    On the way to the tailor, I had a young guy on a scooter pull up next to me and tell me there was something wrong with the bike. Eventually we figured out it was the seat he was trying to tell me about, fixed it again and then he rode off.

    A few minutes later I rode past him again and he started riding along beside me making conversation. I eventually pulled up near other people to check my bearings and he took the opportunity to ask me if I wanted to “try a local boy”, I laughed out loud, and said “No thanks, I’m too old for you!” He said very seriously - “No, you are still good”, I said “No, but thanks for the offer”, and still laughing he shrugged and rode away.

    I told the girls at the tailor when I got there, they could’ve believe I thought it was funny.

    Tried on the things I’d ordered, with just a few adjustments, and then was whisked away with Ahmi, to pick the leather for a jacket I decided to have made and the dress I’d bought with me to have copied. Back to the tailor, and onto the bike to make my way back to get rid of it. I ended up walking it through the busy tourist section, no one paying attention to anything let alone me, and the groups of Chinese or Korean, just come at you like a wall, so thought it safer for everyone if I wasn’t on the bike.

    An atm, a snack and then to the other tailor, around the corner who has knocked off a couple of my reversible skirts - but messed up the pockets and then out to dinner and ate at my first and last restaurant. It was nice, but nothing to get excited about.

    It’s 9:30
    A walking tour of the old quarter planned for tomorrow.    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    Day 16

    Hoi An Day 2

    January 6 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Up and out early to grab a Bahn Mi and a coffee before a local bike tour, a small group and for a change I wasn’t the only Aust.

    In total we only did 9 ks on the bike, but covered all the basics. Boat building village.
    Happy Water distillery - I quite like the Mulberry flavoured one. Sleeping mat weaving - no wonder the beds are so hard!!
    Local family for a delicious lunch.
    Family pagoda visit - aha moments about the way they worship and celebrate the ancestors. Discovered more about the paper sacrifices at the market yesterday. They have everything you can think of made from paper including iPhone, iPods, Apple Watch and of course the charger! - the area where they are made is in Hanoi, wish I’d known that.
    Paddle in a bowl boat - after we learnt how they’re made.
    I mastered going backwards.
    Mother of pearl in lay factory-no hard sell AT all.
    A hair raising pedal across a floating bridge, actually the bridge wasn’t as treacherous as the “path” through the reeds on the other side, I have an uncanny ability to see the hole/bump any obstruction actually, and still manage to run in to it.
    I blame yoga!!

    We had a lovely boat ride back, not a sunset cruise like the ones I watched over beers last night, with pretty lights and loud music or karaoke.

    Friendly bunch of people, most well travelled, so we swapped horror stories of adventures and laughed at each other misfortunes. There was 1 young couple from Belgium on their first trip ever and the rest of us all agreed that it’s so easy these days for them.

    Both guides were very good and interesting to talk to. I was always at the back of the pack on purpose, so got to chat with both.

    We left at 8:30 and got back at 3. A great day. What to do now!?, as I sit and watch the night stalls starting to come out and set up for their nights trade.

    Foot rested I set off in search of the tailor that Laurie (cc) had used and have now set in motion a dress, shirt, skirt and a pair of shorts.

    I then got directed to a local restaurant and directed to go back to the shop after dinner and then was brought home. I’m to go back tomorrow about 3. Will rent a bike tomorrow as the cooking school is more than a walk away.

    It’s 10:05
    There’s some karaoke somewhere near by … earplugs going in. Not even white noise is going to drown this out. Might need both!    Read more

  • TravelerVietnam 2023
    1
    Day 15

    Hoi An Day 1

    January 5 ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Late night to and fro with the guide from tomorrow’s walking tour and Laurie of the missing credit card.

    Each experience I’ve done has been through Air BnB and so far each have been terrific. Today’s back street tour was no exception, including a 5th generation noodle factory, and a bean sprout farm, market snacks, including family histories and names of the locals. The detours through back streets always a great insight to local life.

    A comparison between the ages of the two men with the factories we visited. The noodle gentleman doesn’t mind the happy water (rice wine) and the smokes. He is 66 and the bean sprout gentleman was 72 - lots of vit e in mung bean sprouts. Not a wrinkle on him!!

    Kiwi our guide was marvellous and each time we crossed the road she’d say “Together we are stronger, stay together!”Certainly a different approach than the one in Hanoi!
    There were only 3 others in the group- friends - Swiss and Netherlands.

    On my way home I arranged a way to spend most of tomorrow-another small group tour that advertise why they don’t go where everyone else goes! Sounded good to me.
    So we will see.

    It’s hot and humid, so with a full,stomach I’ve been sitting in the window with a view of the laundry across the way that has most of my clothes for 60k Dong and she’s back from where ever she’s been.

    All of a sudden I feel like I’m running out of time.

    After a lazy afternoon at the homestay, The Snow Society - Netflix. Highly recommend, it was time to head back out. Laurie of the CC finally got in touch as I was about to go out for a beer with a view, so a 2 min walk around the corner and I am on the perfume river with a new friend. Big hug and a few beers later, I’m on my way to the night market for dinner. Can’t believe I’m eating again after this morning feast. But a rice cake pancake was sufficient to top me up and a sweet snack when I got home.

    It’s 7.46 and I’m ready for bed.

    Now that the camera is charged again, so not many photos on the phone today.    Read more

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