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Published: February 11th 2006
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So, on Monday Feb 6 at about midnight, we finally arrived in Vietnam! Ho Chi Minh City! We both didnt really sleep on the flight, so we couldn't wait to find the closest hostel... We picked up a taxi to Pham Ngu Lao area (the traveller district), and were dropped at a hotel belonging to a "close friend" of the taxi driver. It ended up being far more expensive then he claimed, but we were tired, and it was quite a nice place, so there we crashed! Silly jetlag... no sleep again! We were still awake at seven, so we meandered down to the hotel Duna's dining area, where we had a great baguette (it's a standard pretty much for brekky here), and chatted with some nice Ausralians. The minute we walked out the front door of the place, we were greeted by a thousand million motorbikes flying at lightning speeds, interweaving, not stopping for pedestrians... so crazy! So much happening at 7 am!!!
We walked down to the park (a beauuutiful park, especially in 35 degree weather!!!) and just absorbed the crazy city, and all the life that was speeding around us. Every street near our hotel was home
to about a million cyclo driver (all quite persistent in requesting our business as riders), and women and children selling water, coke, cigarettes, sunglasses, and other things. There was just so much going on! You wouldn't beleive how loud it wasa, either... at all hours of day and night (we don't think the Vietnamese really sleep at all), there are horns beeping, and loud traffic sounds of motos whizzing by, and music blasting! We spent the day walking around, just getting a feel for the place, and ended up quite tired by 4 pm, when we decided it was time for a sleeeep!
The next day (yes, we slept forevvver!!!), we walked down Pham Ngu Lao, enquired about cheap guitars (but didnt get one...yet), and decided to go to the famous Ben Than (or tham?) market... the cyclo drivers, however, just wouldn't let us wallk this time, so instead of trying to brave crossing the streets through the moto onslaught, we hired them for half the day... Went to see the Jade Pagoda (niiice), and the old post office, a few other things, and the palace... it was left the way it was when the commies took over in
the 70's ... verry eerie... we walked through the war planning rooms and passages, and saw a lot of unpleasant pictures at the end. that war must have been pure hell. We didnt think we'd make it through the American War Crimes museum, so we headed to Ben Than... so crazy! so many crowded stalls and little shops... We bought some chopsticks, then went for some fab pho accross the roaddd....
After two days in the city, we'd had enough! Beautiful, but time for the beachhhh! So we hopped on the 7:30 bus to Mui Ne! (where we are now!) It's SO FLIPPING GORGEOUS!!!! Yes... It's totally secluded away from the city... very quiet, no touristy hogwashhh, but it is getting bigger... many new hotels are in the making here, and we hear that in a few years, Vietnam will be quite a different place.
So about these beaches - sooo nice!!! little palm tree umbrellas, palm trees everywhere,actually, and little family run places on the road. I (Sarah here!) was lying on the beach, getting a fab tan, when a bunch of sand got kicked in my face... I looked up, only to see a a heard
of cows being led along the beach by a little boy.... so neat! (minus the cow poo... gotta watch out). Yesterday, went with a Swedish girl we met to a waterfall... hiking there between the orange sand dunes and the rice fields was just so beautiful... (see pics).
The food here is cheap as dirt.... 90 cent banana choc. pancakes... 2 dollar beef... we'll never starve, so dont worry!!!
Today, our guesthouse owner drove us, on his and his pal's motorbikes, to the sahara-like sand dunes a half-hour away! It was scary, I'm not gonna lie! But soooo exhillarating! The dunes were a bit tough to hike up (ick... sand in shoes!) it was so windy... sand in my ears, eyelashes... EVERYWHERE! but we went sandsledding... all was good. Then we stopped at the canyons, and a cafe where you have your food/drinks in hammocks... coool..
After the ride, we decided to rent one for ourselves... Evan drove us to the little fishing village where we are now, and we'll switch up later! (wish us luck!... scarrrred!). travelling's great though!!! lost of travellers in vietnam... tons actually... families, old folks, middle-aged, our age, you name it! lots of
europeans. anyhow, we're having a blast, ang getting into the swing of things... pretty sure we'll never come home - MUAHHAHAHA!
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mom N
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G 1
All sounds mind boggling. So much to take in and absorb. Hope you're taking care of each other. Evan, how come you won't get your G 1 here, yet you'll get on a crazy motorcycle and drive amongst the crazy Vietnamese? So , it's been two weeks now and I know you only took five pairs of underwear, have you actually attempted to do the unmentionable and do your own laundry? You have no bedroom floor to leave them on. Allkidding aside, you two sound as though you're coping very well. We all miss you here.Every night Laura asks if I have to go pick up Evan when she goes to bed. Habit I guess. Lots of Love Mom