Vietnam to Singapore

Asia » Singapore
February 16th 2008

Published: February 17th 2008

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elisesoph

Elise needs to grow up

So after a week in Cambodia scoring the job of a lifetime for Soph, off we went on the bus to Vietnam. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) was our first point and we spent many hours each night watching the thousands of motorbikes fly past us at break neck speed. Elise won the competition of who could spot the most 'full' bike - she saw 4 people and a bamboo ladder piled onto a 100cc scooter. Who says you need a 4WD for a family car?!

After Saigon, 6 tough days were spent on the beach in Mui Ne - a kite surfing town 4 hours north of Saigon. Our days consisted of breakfast, then the beach (or sneaking into next door's pool), an afternoon nanna nap, and then sampling the fine Vietnames food for dinner, and cocktails (even if Soph did have to instruct them how to make them) before hitting bed. This was about as tough as Gili Meno in Indonesia - we really are doing it hard over here on this trip. Kite surfing would have been attempted had the cost not been astronomically high - the kite surfing world is all the poorer for our inability

Saigon - cheers!

Our first dinner in Vietnam absorbing the street life

to have a go.... we would have been world champions no doubt, especially Elise with her floatie assisted skills.

After 'Nam, Singapore was waiting and what a culture shock. Fully paved roads and a fancy train system made life a lot easier than we were used to, but unfortunately entertaining ourselves shattered our $20/day budget completely. Perhaps $20/day was a bit ambitious in Singers. We went from spending $1 on a beer, to $50 per drink (at the Clinic) - no joke! Unbelievable! But fantastic fun, and all worth it. Stayed initially with Soph's brother Matt and his fiance Aida in their cool appartment, and they ran us ragged with late night partying. Romeo's was the highlight - I never new men could look so much like women!!

We then stayed at Elise's friends Ness and Simon for a few days and caught up with Bec. Thank god Ness was 35 weeks pregnant - gave us a chance to recharge our livers. Unfortunately no photos of these guys as yet another camera of our mysteriously disappeared somewhere - this time is was Elise's fault. I don't know what is with us and cameras this trip - 2 lost

Saigon market food

Yummy rice paper rolls!

in 6 weeks, not a good record.

So after 10 days of partying and lunching in Singapore, it was time to leave for cheaper pastures and roads less paved - India!

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