After 6 weeks back in the UK, I am now in Vietnam again. Being practically local now, the transition to being back was far easier this time. No problems with jet lag or the culture shock of the noise and traffic. This time it was like arriving at a second home, comfortable and familiar. Spent most of the first week catching up with people in the office and re-establishing the routine I had set previously. After a day it was like I had never been away. As the weekend was my birthday though, I decided to get away for a few [View Full Entry]

---

---

The Demilitarized Zone stands 4km wide and stretches the across the whole border between North and South Korea. The Joint Security Area is the only part of the DMZ that allows visitors. It is here that negotiations are carried out between the two sides and where the armistice is seen up close. Armed soldiers from both North and South Korea stand metres away from each other monitoring the ceasefire than has been in effect since 1953. The tension is so high you can see it, and it is not a good place to have diarrhoea. Unfortunately, I did. In a place [View Full Entry]

---

---

After 6 weeks in Ho Chi Minh City it was time to bid a tearful farewell and head to Seoul (don't worry, I will be back in Vietnam very soon). The Korean Air flight across was good, I slept most of the way and got a free upgrade to business class. I was met at the airport by the hotel transfer and quickly taken to my apartment in Fraser Place, my home for the week ahead. The things I quickly noticed was how quiet Seoul was compared to Ho Chi Minh City. No motor bikes, no street vendors, no offers of [View Full Entry]

---

---

Having heard from various people that 'you must go to Dalat', I decided to venture to Central Vietnam and visit this quiet jewel of a city. I booked the night bus for the journey, leaving at 1115pm. It can take anything from 5 to 7 hours to reach Dalat from Ho Chi Minh City depending on traffic so this seemed to be the best way to go (actually flying was probably the best way to go, it only takes 50 minutes; but since this was as much about life experience as it was about getting there the bus was the only [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hello again and welcome to part two of my Saigon Tourist tour. After the beauty and peace of Tay Ninh temple it was time to head to Cu Chi Tunnels. The journey took about 1 hour and 15 minutes, but the roads were a lot worse. Bouncing along the road, I was glad once we arrived at our destination. Construction of the tunnels begain in the 1940's as a response by the peasants to the superior military strength of the French. They reached legendary status during the American War (I like how it is known as the American War by the [View Full Entry]

---

---

So I finally decided to book one of the tours I had been planning on doing, not bad for 4 weeks in to my trip. I have enjoyed seeing the sites of Ho Chi Minh City but it was time to venture a little further away, starting with Tay Ninh. My hotel had been very helpful in organising the excursion through Saigon Tourist for me. Although there are many other good tour groups (Sinh Cafe being one of the most recommended), I had previously been warned that you get what you pay for and hence opted for the higher end group. [View Full Entry]

---

---

I spent the weekend visiting various parks and temples. The weather was warm and sunny, but as is always the case with the risk of sudden and heavy rain. I find myself constantly remembering where the nearest shelter is, just in case the sky opens up. The first park I went to was very pretty. Open and green, with a temple dedicated to the Huong King in the middle. The temple itself was quite small, but ornately decorated (pictures to come, I promise). Later I went to Binh Quoai country park. This is quite a way out of the city, but [View Full Entry]

---

---

What a busy week it has been, this is the first chance I have had to update the blog. So without further delay, I will tell you about Sunday. Had a lazy start to the day before heading out to Dam Sen Park. This is kind of the Disneyland of Vietnam, although without the gloss (but with fake Mickey Mouses and Donald Ducks, everything has a cheap immitation in Vietnam). It has idyllic surrounding and you soon forget about the chaos of the city. Starting with a walk around the Orchid Garden, the beautiful scenery surrounding hundreds of fish in ponds. [View Full Entry]

---

---

Decided to go to the zoo yesterday. The day started quite sunny but as the afternoon drew in the clouds started to form and it was clear rain was not far away. So, the visit was broken up by spells of hiding under shelters to avoid the down pour. The zoo itself was very good, but very easy to get lost in. All the usual suspects were there: lions, tigers, monkeys etc. The surroundings were beautiful though so well worth a laid back stroll around. The thing that surprised me was the lack of bikes. The people of Ho Chi Minh [View Full Entry]

---

---

The people here love sport. Whether it is the people that get up before 5 to do aerobics in the park or the football crazy kids, it seems if you can find a enough space to swing a cat you can easily play with a ball (except for those playing that popular pastime, swing the cat). Almost any park or beach you go to there will be multiple games of football going on. It is amusing to see how boys football is the same the world over. Everybody chases the ball, there are make-do goalposts and arguments as to whether the [View Full Entry]

---

---