Vietnam 2023

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
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