Blogs from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 2

Up bright and early this morning, for our bus to Ho Chi Minh City. As per usual (we should have know really as everything runs on asian time here... late!), it didn't arrive on time, only a mere 2 hours late and we were off. It was another sleeper bus, so basically we got to lounge around in beds all day whilst we were whisked miles away to the south. After battling through the rush hour traffic we made it to Pham Ngu Lao, one the the busiest places for travellers to stay in the city. We easily navigated the small alleyways or 'gangs' , getting to be such pros at this, and found our accomodation for the next few nights. We were given a 4 bed dorm room even though there was only 3 of ... read more

So, my time working in Vietnam has come to an end. The last few months have been incredibly busy, hence why I haven’t really been updating the blog. Also, school really has been the same old same old, with nothing really of much interest to report. My weekends too are normally spent recovering from the long week, and not really getting up to anything exciting – just trying to relax and recover ready for Monday morning. Although school has been tiring and hard work, I have really enjoyed the challenge. After teaching kindergarten in Korea for a year, I was beginning to feel like my brain was beginning to waste away a bit. I loved teaching the little kids, but it never really presented me with much of a challenge. Teaching in Saigon has been at ... read more

Today felt like two days in one. The first part was two short flights that felt like eternities for some reason! We flew from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, then from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Some of the information on Stacy's entrance visa was incorrect so it took a wild goose chase to track down a computer to print a new one. We ran all over that blasted airport then finally got some food. I chose a really authentic Asian dish--grilled tuna melt. On the second flight we watched a little Step Up Revolution and dreamed about dancing some sick moves like they do. It took a while for them to review our visas when we landed so we were really nervous about not getting in. Some of Stacy's info was still wrong but ... read more

29.4. Máme tady už třetí týden mého putování, i když první týden jsme vyrazili až ve čtvrtek. Ráno chceme vyrazit dříve na popud Petra, avšak nakonec on je ten, který spí nejdéle:-) Chtěli jsme se trochu prospat, ale zazněla falešná informace, že některé památky jsou otevřené jen dopoledne. Už od rána začíná být pěkné parno a já udělám zásadní chybu tím, že si obleču džíny. Prvně jdeme pěšky přes město směr Zakázané město a přímo u něj naskočíme do místního vozítka, které nás zaveze až před bránu. Náš průvodce David je tak ochotný, že nám nejen první dny nosil tašku s vodou po památkách, ale dnes si přivstal, aby koupil vstupenky do Zakázaného města, protože je zrovna svátek a museli byc... read more

7 April 2013 Ho Chi Minh City Arriving at Saigon station is a little like arriving at any small town station in Vietnam, chaotic and unorganised and you still have to clamber over the tracks. But Saigon is by no means a small or primitive town. With a population of 10 million plus and growing by the second, we have made bets as to how much this city is going to change in the next 10 to 20 years. I believe it is going to go the same route as Shanghai, Andrew thinks I am being ambitious, but the place is already massive and far more "sophisticated" than anywhere else in Vietnam. I use the word sophisticated with caution because it is not the same sophistication as that of the more culturally aware Hanoi. It is ... read more

Too late a night last night. Too much to drink. Wasted day. Cheap though :) Ate delicious sidewalk restaurant skewer food. 11 servings, the most exotic being crabs and chicken hearts and two longnecks for a grand total of 65r. Met a Spanish couple. Good conversation. He was a stock trader and she a government worker what had options for working longer with longer holidays. His advice for travel; never take the first option. Succinct and quality. Also met an Aussie girl and had a wander and explore through the city. Returned to hospital for vaccine number 2 of Rabies n Hepatitus B. The nurses there are in Kubrick-cute white uniforms with the little hats. Well maybe not Kubrick-cute, he woulda dressed them in short skirts not long pants with possible cleavage boosters. Dirty, disgusting, brilliant, ... read more