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  • Vander Wonders
January 2017

Vietnam

A 13-day adventure by Vander Wonders Read more
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  • Trip start
    January 13, 2017
    Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Getting my history on

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Vietnam War Facts
    Dates: 1954-1973

    Location: South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

    Result: North Vietnamese

    Troop Strength
    South Vietnam: 850,00, United States: 540,000, South Korea: 50,000, Others: 80,000 plus

    Casualties
    South Vietnam: 200,000 – 400,000 civilians, 170,000-220,000 military, Over 1 million wounded
    United States: 58,200 dead, 300,000 wounded
    North Vietnam: 50,000 plus civilian dead, 400,000-1 million military dead. Over 500,000 wounded    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Visa on arrival in Vietnam

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    2:30PM: Our plan landed in Vietnam. It took us 30 minutes just to get to the airport building.

    3PM: We arrived in Vietnam, the first room in the airport you walk into is clearly immigration. We quickly scouted around and found a line for Landing VISA. We get into the line and start asking others in the line where they got the forms from to complete. We managed to get our hands on a form just lying around and start completing the form.

    By the time we got to the front of the line I literally only needed to complete the expiration date of my passport and they wanted to send me to the back of the line. I managed to just complete the form and stick it down for them to take it.

    With little to no english ability the guy behind asked "how many?" Isabel responded two but he clearly didn't understand so I just showed ✌🏻and he took our passports and photos and said, "take seat over there". The over there that he was referring to was 10 lines of airport benches full of people who clearly have been waiting there for some time.

    3:22PM: I guess this will take a while.

    Isabel is stressed as per normal when it comes to immigration. I am sure she has done something wrong that I am not aware of in her life before me and she is scared her history is going to catch up with her at some border post. This time she might actually be worried for a good reason as some how her first application for the visa online somehow come out with my date of birth for both our date of births. She did correct it by applying for a new visa but her name still appears on my visa with the wrong date of birth and she is worried that they don't see her name is on two different visa applications.

    3:29PM: Needless to say I am the only one sitting in the seating area, Isabel is pacing around.
    On that note, we had two seats next to each other and then Isabel got up without putting her bag on the seat and within seconds some asian sat down. They just see and open space and no matter how small they will squeeze into it. Seriously at the KL airport 6 people literally jumped the line in front of me on 6 separate occasions because I was not touching the person in front of me. They take invasion of personal space to the next level!

    3:40 PM We are still waiting for better days, and two unsuspected British tourists asks us if we are waiting here to take photos. Lucky for us we had photo before we got here (thanks to Isabel's good research), I they are probably going to be here much longer than us.

    Every couple of minutes they announce who's passport is ready, the announcement is almost impossible to hear or understand, its basically sounds like this: "gggg whi phillahubdkgajbfk".

    4:05PM: By this time it was comfortable on the seats waiting, i mean I even had a earphone in one ear watching some videos to kill time. The next moment they did an announcement that again I could not hear or understand, luckily Isabel heard it was my name.
    We went to the front, got our passports with visas in and we had to pay USD50, I only had USD60 and I got 200,000vd change. While i was paying some other asians name got called and he felt that he had to pay immediately so I just saw and arms reach over my shoulder with USD25, and the joke of it all the lady behind the counter helped him before she gave me my change. The rules of standing in line and wait your turn do not apply in Vietnam.

    4:16PM: Now the fun starts as we have to join yet another line to go through passport control. Its almost easier to get into the US than to get into Vietnam.

    4:29PM: We get to the front of the line and they call us, we walk forward and they send me away as we are only allowed one by one at the passport desk, not in families just one by one. Good luck to those who come to Vietnam with Kids.

    4:31PM: Finally we are through, I guess its not too bad we have only been here 2 hours.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    My gunsteling tydverdryf WAG en VISA

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Hierdie is 3de wêreld pappie!! Geduld moet jy hê of vinnig kry!! En kommunikasie is taamlik min tot geen in 'n obskure taal gelukkig is Isabel, 'n "global" naam so hopelik sal ek hoor as hul my naam in tjonkie roep nie so seker oor die van der Westhuizen nie.

    Per die website het ek verwag dit gaan 'n 30min oefening wees want jy het klaar 'n visa approval letter van immigrasie en fotos, dus moet jy net hoes en 'n stamp of papiervisa in jou paspoort kry. In elk geval dis nie die beste sisteem nie maar sekerlik 'n beter sisteem as om jou paspoort by 'n ambassade te kry van 'n eiland af en jou hele pedigree te gee maande in advance. In Vietnam soek hulle net jou naam, van, geboortedatum , paspoortnommer en arrival date. Ek het darem lekker binnepret want Amerikaners, Britte, Aussies en basies almal onder die son met 'n posh paspoort moet ook 'n visa kry en dit is totaal en geheel en al buite hulle comfort zone.

    Hier sit ons half frustreerd half gefasineerd en dankbaar dat ons dinge beplan het om n hele dag aan travel te budget... want hier is die pas anders en êrens het ons al 'n les of twee geleer.

    Weereens leer ek, ek wag nie graag nie!! Daar roep hul nou van der Westhuizen (verbasend goed uitgespreek) BOOM hier gaat ons. Roedolf sit met oorfone en hoor skaars!!

    65 min not TOO bad🤣    Read more

    See translation
  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Vienglish

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Man the peops here speak english very deliciously if AT ALL!! So expect nothing and less than nothing, it's back to the basics -sherades. Then I got a brainwave -google a picture and show them what you mean or google translate but then they struggle to answer you back. (Bought a sim at the airport with 3G data unlimited mmmm ?? and at least we are equipped to kinda communicate) Well then its the Wing attitude - I can do that!! It's been 4 hours and we have laughed so much!!

    Part of the dilemma was to try and figure out if our room on the Mekong Delta trippie has an ac and if we should pack swimwear?

    UmHHH Roedolf was like this is not going to work!!

    #excitedmuch#expectnothing

    {Issy}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Cheapest most expensive dinner ever

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    On the way to the the Bén Thành Market I withdrew cash at an ATM and for the first time ever I was a cash millionaire. It felt so weird to select "withdraw 2,000,000 Vietnamese dong".

    Anyway after I was done feeling like Donald Trump, Isabel actually picked a restaurant (street food vendor). For those of you who have never been to Asia. Basically a street food vendor/restaurant is basically a bunch of tables and chairs in the street or on the side of the street and they cook your food ons bbq grills or ovens next to the road.

    When they asked us what we want to drink, naturally I said local beer, Isabel also wanted to join in the local vibe and she saw they had local vodka so she said vodka and diet coke. She ended up with a 200ml can of diet coke and a 300ml bottle of vodka. The she asked for a cup or a glass to put it in and they brought shooter glasses. She had to explain she wanted a bigger glass before she could start drinking her vodka and diet coke.

    The food was awesome, we even had a fan blowing above us, that is what I call upperclass street food.

    At the end the bill was 350,000vd, I mean the last thing I bought with that many zeros was a house. But if you do the math its only about $15, for 2 beers, a bottle of vodka, about 5 cans of diet coke to mix with the vodka, a starter and mains, I think thats good value!

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Ho Chi Minh City hustle and bustle

    January 13, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌙 29 °C

    Everyone tried to prepare us that Ho Chi Minh City (Saignon City is the old name)will be overwhelming because there are so many people.

    Nothing could have prepared us for what actually awaited us here.

    Traffic rules, driving side of the road, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings are all mere suggestions it seems, its an absolute free for all with the majority of the traffic caused by scooters and bikes.

    Crossing the roads is basically two things. Commitment and faith. You just need to choose a time and place to cross and the commit to get across without stopping in the middle of the road and the have faith that you would not get hit by a car or bike. Some how the traffic just keeps going around you.

    Don't be fooled that the sidewalks are much safer as some scooter drivers revert to driving on the sidewalks when the roads are jam packed. Thus you should be ready to dodge scooters everywhere.

    People truly live their life's on the streets, as each little shop owner will have a little table and chair outside the shop where they will sit and eat noodles while people watching and in between they try call people into their shops. There are even the odd bike repair on the side of the road.

    I think the biggest tourist attractions here is just walking down the street to experience the chaos.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Ho Chi Minh home

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    The uber dropped us off in a very small alleyway, and in the middle of the old, rugged looking street is a brand new modern apartment building. The security guard wants to take our passports which neither of us are entirely comfortable with but luckily our host warned us beforehand , it general practice in Vietnam to register guests (hotel and any other) at the police office. Roedolf gave his expired passport and I handed my almost full Gouws passport. No one can tell what they actually do with the info, I doubt they reconcile to the border entries . Noone blinked over R'a expired passport.... this still baffles me.

    Anyways our host is an American teacher who recently moved to Vietnam, we are the first people in his brand new modern apartment. It was comforting to be welcomed by a English host after very limited English in Vietnam so far, at least we know we have some sort of a lifeline. What a great feeling to know we are the first to use everything, shower, ac (a powerful heavenly one ), hairdryer etc. (makes me consider building a house from scratch)The cleaniness is quite a contrast to the filthy city.

    Other that the wifi that wasn't working (we were not really surprised) and the shower that is leaking a bit everything was perfect. There were two bottles of water and local beers in the fridge to make us feel at home.    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Lunch at Nà hàng Cõn Phung

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Included in our tour was lunch. I am not sure how this works but everyone on the tour with us are on different tour itineraries and its seems we are the only people on the 3day/2night one. Everyone else only had rice with pork included but we also had Elephant ear fish (Cá Thi Túqng) spring rolls included for some reason. More food so I won't complain.

    The fish arrived first and to our surprise it was a whole fish and we actually had to roll our own spring roll. They first showed us how and then left us to do it for ourselves.

    Isabel didn't enjoy the food as much as I did, i guess the knowledge that the fish actually comes from the polluted waters of the Mekong river was what put her off and also she is not big on rice in normal circumstances. I might gain weight here but she might shed a few kilos. I took a picture of the Elephant ear fish in a tank they had next to the restaurant, hopefully the one we had also lived its life in that tank because the tank looks a million times cleaner than the river.

    The rice and pork was nothing to write home about, but the fish spring rolls was amazing!

    {Roedolf}

    Ek is maar eenmaal nie so eksoties nie ek sal proe maar as iets nie lekker is nie los ek dit!! Daai vis moes uitblok want ek kon nie dink hoe dit van die morsige water tot in my bord kom nie. Ek is maar anti hoender en vark hier want eks bang ek kry iets anders die goed lyk en ruik vreemd as wat ons gewoond is. Op noodles kan ek leef ma die vleis hier is borderline dodge en ek is nie lus v siekword nie. Probeer alles (of amper alles) en behou die goeie

    {Issy}    Read more

    See translation
  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Heal the world

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    The lyrics of the Michael Jackson song starts with the line: "Heal the world". I feel like no one in Vietnam has ever heard this song or they miss heard it as "Kill the world".

    It's absolutely shocking how little they care about the environment here. The Mekong river is so badly polluted that I think the damage is permanent.

    I saw one of the boat drivers take out his last cigaret from a packet and just nonchalantly tossed the empty pack in the river. Everywhere we went garbage were floating on the river. At some point in the tour we took a small boat up a smaller leg of the river and a couple of the boats around us had to stop to take out plastic bags tangled around the boats engine. You reap what you sow I guess.

    The worst thing is the river is their livelihood and they just don't care. Ironically I actually found a "save the world" sign that have seen better days.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Day one on the Mekong Delta

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Rich experience, so glad we are here!

    My heart bleed for the poor people here. But as our tour guide said "People here are poor but happy. People in the city has more strong brain".

    Its just lucky if you were born into a life of privilege, nothing to do with "strong brains" in my opinion.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Mekong delta

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We left the city at 8am , a few hours later after a bumpy bus rid we arrived in My Tho town. Roedolf spoiled me with a cool hat so I can look the part of a local. Here we got on a very primitive motorized boat to explore Mekong delta and surrounding islands.

    We first visited a honey bee farm and tasted delicious honey tea with lemon and local made dried banana.

    Then we headed to a nearby spot where we got on a smaller even more primitive boat and drove to Ben Tre province, where we visited a coconut candy workshop and saw how the locals make tasty candies by hand. The boat experience was pretty priceless, you can't think about risks or safety too much otherwise you might miss out on the adventure. You just take a leap of faith and hope that the wooden structure can do the job. Its fun and amazing watching everyone big, small athletic and old making there way on and off the boat.

    My heart feel a bit broken about the pollution everywhere, it is clear that there is no education on looking after your heritage. I understand that poverty brings this kind of dynamic but its like the locals have no respect for their environment.

    My highlight was the hand – rowed sampan (a very basic canoe) ride through the creeks, this was very touristy but one of those must do's in Vietnam that is not to be missed. It is not exactly a gondola ride in Venice but romantic in its own unromantic way. The water is smelly at places, but a unique experience.

    {Issy}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Hotel Xuân Mai 3

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Vanaand se hotel het een ster, nie lekker seker waar hulle die ster gekry het nie. Haha

    Eerste ding wat ek gedink het toe ek hier in stap was, my pa sal eerder dood voor hy hier bly. Die kamer was skonerig. Die beddegoed het darem skoon gelyk en die bed was klip hard, seker die hardste bed wat ek al ooit op geslaap het (ek het 5 jaar op n photon geslaap so eks gewoond aan 'n harde bed). Die beddegoed is defnitief gemaak vir kort klein vietnamese mensies, as ek dit optrek tot bo is my bene van my knieë af ondertoe oop.

    Ons hotel is die middelste gebou op een van die fotos, daar is 'n polisie stasie aan die linkerkant, so dis seker erg veilig. Snaaks genoeg lyk hulle polisie karre asof dit reguit uit die oorlog uit kom.

    Die gebruik hier is om jou passpoort te vat as jy incheck by enige hotel of blyplek. Niemand kan rerig vir ons sê hoekom nie. Gelukig het ons beide nog ou passpoorte by ons met ons US visa in so ons gee daai oudjies in as dit iets oorkom is dit nie einde van die wêreld nie. Nog iets wat ek nie dink my pa mee gemaklik sal wees nie.

    Ingesluit in die hotel is ontbyt, maar dis baie eenvoudig. Ons het omelette en brood bestel. Ons kry toe basies roereier pannekoek en 'n baie lekker baguette, dit was maar bietjie droog maar niks wat soya sous nie kan regmaak nie.

    Ons het egter baie lekker hier gebly, na aandete het Isabel haar boek gelees en ek het lekker le en fliek kyk. Lekker rustige aand na 'n baie vol dag.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

    See translation
  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    GONY

    January 14, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    GONY or Glory of New York was the restaurant/spa we picked for dinner. Interesting combination I must say.

    They provided us with the dinner menu and spa menu at the same time. We already had a packed day so we only had food, but we were tempted to get a massage because its just so cheap.

    We both enjoyed the seafood noodles, its the easiest to order based on the pictures in the menu, this was the only noodle dish with a picture and when it was served it actually looked exactly like in the menu.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Wholesale on the river

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The Cai Rang floating market is the biggest floating market in Vietnam. The market is mostly for wholesale purposes. The traders go and buy fruit and vegetables from the farmers and then transport the good on their boat via the river to the market.

    Once at the market they have to try and sell everything within a week before it goes bad. They sell minimum quality of 100kg in any transaction. Main land restaurants and shops will come and buy their fruits and vegetables here.

    As our guide explained: "big boat seller, small boat buyer". He probably repeated this phrase a dozen times along with: "chicken on boat", "dog on boat" (some boats actually have chickens and dogs on the boat, for pets or to eat I guess), "on bamboo pole what they sell" (one can identify what each boat sales by what they hang on the bamboo poles on the front of the boat) and "family of 5 live on boat" (yeah they actually have whole families on those boats). All great information but as we are use to the US, Aus and Europe where the basically bombard you with information, this tour is quite different.

    I can't even imagine this lifestyle!

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Small vendors at the floating market

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    There are some small vendors at the market, no doubt aimed more at the tourists.

    From the lady in the first photo who sells bread for breakfast, to the coffee and fruit vendors.

    We bought a pineapple 🍍 which is basically left on the branch, then peeled and all the prickly bits removed for you to eat it like an ice cream. It was yummy!

    We even saw some poor chap trying to stop his boat from taking on to much water. Cup after cup he tossed out the water, but did not seem like he was winning.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler
    2

    Cai Rang floating market

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    We walked to the wharf and got on a boat for a 30 minute drive to the market, it is an impressive site. A stretch of boats selling all variety of goods lines the river. Not really a place for souvenirs, people come here to buy large quantities of goods, mostly foodstuffs, and you will get an idea of what water commerce in the Delta looks like. The large boats get products from local farmers and resell it to retailers with smaller boats, which then distribute to shops in town. We weaved through the hordes with our smaller boat, a small boat that sellsVietnamese coffee and drinks dock next to our boat, it was tempting to try till I saw the filthy river water splash onto the boats and into the cups, buying a local Saignon beer in a can is definitely a better option. The peoples whole being and existence is dependent on the river. There are more tourist boats than I expected, thats definitely a huge income for them too.You can identify what the large boats are selling by hanging a sample off the top of a long pole. It is one of those can't put it in words mornings. Between the spectating life on the river, its struggles, the pollution and happiness of people..I challenge our western ways and my own ideas of a decent living.

    {Issy}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Rice vermicelli

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Isabel volunteered to make some Rice vermicelli now all I need to do is buy the equipment and we never have to buy rice vermicelli again. 😂

    Very interesting process, they take 20% tapioca flour and 80% rice powder and add some water to make a paste like mixture.

    Then they steam the mixture for 30 seconds and dry for 3 hours to create a large rice paper which they then shred into thin strips of pasta. One sheet of rice paper makes enough noodles for 3 servings of noodle soup.

    Interestingly they don't have any waste product from this process. They use the rice cap to burn, the heat creates steam which is used to cook the mixture and then they utilize the burnt rice caps as fertilizer in the rice fields. If only they did not stop here with conservation of the earth.

    Then they showed us how to make fried noodles, basically they deep-fry noodles in a pan, it comes out looking like a pizza base of noodles, they sprinkle some herbs on it and a hot sauce. We both actually loved this, in fact Isabel said and I quote: "this is the first fried food I love".

    {Roedolf}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler
    1

    His and hers

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Isabel wil graag 'n "his and hers" in ons badkamer hê eendag. Eks nie lekker seker of hierdie is wat sy ingedagte het nie.

    {Roedolf}

    See translation
  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Cycling in rural Vietnam

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    This tour just get more interesting by the minute, the communication is very limited wherever we arrive the guide just say lets go. Me and Roedolf realized we are the only people in our group of about 20 that actually have an itinerary (which is a hot commodity as everyone wants to get it from us).

    Well the boat docked we got the traditional LETS GO and moments after we had an option to rent bikes. We don't need much convincing for any sort of biking and for 50,000 it's a bargain . My first bike's front break didn't work, initially I thought I would be ok but then I turned around and got a "new" one. Thank goodness I did because we had to dodge several scooters, dogs and crossed a few shaky bridges. I just focused to not fall into the water as I am carrying our passports.

    We cycled for about an hour, into a remote area. It was amazing to see how these families operate. Everyone leave their shoes outside and it looks pretty standard for a house to have a hammock or two, chairs are tiny or people just simply sit on the floor.

    This was fun and definitely the highlight of our day so far.

    {Issy}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Garage bus wait

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    It rained where our next bus picked us up, again we don't have any info other than "wait 5minutes" . This guy in the pic with a few others were all hiding out off the rain. We got this tea as a "friendlywaiting drink" which I expected would be like lipton lemon ice tea. I don't learn with these asian teas🙈.Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Timetravel

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    It feels like we have been in Vietnam for weeks and its only been two days. In a way I get the kind off time travel feeling we experienced in Cuba. It is just so incredibly different and such a rich cultural experience.

    I am still getting used to the Dong. We are getting around 22,000 to 1 USD, it seems expensive to buy a can of soda for 15,000 Dong but then when you work it out its 67c, it is not even a supermarket price. I think it is all the zeros that are so confusing . I mean I walk around with millions in my purse -mindboggling. In restaurants the local beer is the same price as a soda how strange!!

    As I am typing this blog, we are on a ferry to get across the river to our next overnight stop, we got out of the minibus to have a look around and this bike fully packed with ducks was on our same ferry.. Very entertaining I tell you!! I doubt there are any animal activists in Vietnam as this will cause havoc anywhere else in the world ( or at least the western world..?)

    So many crazy things all around that makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Look at the wires where Roedolf is trying to cross the road- insane!!

    {Issy}    Read more

  • Vander WondersVietnamTraveler

    Crocs and bonsais

    January 15, 2017 in Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Crocs and bonsais what a weird combination for a farm.

    On the way to our overnight spot we stopped at a alligator farm. I am still not sure if this was just a convenient restroom stop or if its actually part of the planned itinerary, but it was kinda cool to see.

    I must be honest the crocs did not impress me too much as I have been to plenty croc farms in SA, however there are way more crocs in one enclosure here than what I am used too.

    I really enjoyed the bonsais, it reminded me of the small bonsai collection I had at university and makes me what to pick that hobby back up.

    {Roedolf}    Read more

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