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Published: November 10th 2006
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Viet 1
Just blending in with the locals Hey,
It has been decreed(by my mother, think she misses me, who am I trying to kid !) that I will update the blog at least once a week regardless of whether we have engaged in any noteworthy activities.
On this basis, I would like to let you'se know how we're getting on in Vietnam, our current home for the next couple of weeks or perhaps longer as it appears to be a damn fine place so far.
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh or Saigon for the unitiated of Communist Rule on Wednesday morning and headed straight for the public bus stop as we're now fearless in the mode of the public transport, well anywhere outside India(we did use the Metro, but that's only for rich Delhites I suppose) and manged to save ourselves 52,000 of our recently acquired 1.5M dong in the process. A saving of 52,000 dong I hear you holler, but before you rush off in a tizzy declaring your acquaintance of a new Vietnamese millionaire, be aware that the saving equated to approximately US3.3. Now again before you dismiss our pettyness in saving such a meager sum be aware that US3.3 would buy
Viet 2
Gotta look after the skin! us a not too inconsiderable lunch here in the Ho Chi Minh. the small things the traveller must consider on their journey.
As is the norm now, we took it easy for the first day, scanning the local haunts and just settled into our surroundings(feel it's always nice to get your bearings properly before diving headlong in there). Ho Chi Minh appears much more alive than anywhere in India, everyone seems to be active in some form of work or excercise, no one appears bereft of ideas as to how to pass their time as was the case in India(appeared almost like people had resigned themselves to their fate in India, a little sad I suppose, not here though, everyone seems to have a buisness of sorts, a capital of entrepeuners if you will).
Second day was consumed in touring the local sights as I suppose you have too whilst here. We had a gander at the Reunification Palace as well as a couple of cathedrals, all of which left me pretty cold. The afternoons agenda was a different scenario, took our time going round the war remnants museum and although only a museum, some of the pictures
Viet 3
Recreating the communist ideal! (more like Travolta in Saturday night Fever) and reports from soldiers both American and Vietnamese leave no doubt that it was a brutal war for both sides, but perhaps most horrendus was the fall out from the chemical warfare employed by the Americans.
Then spent a couple of days on a tour in the Meekong Delta, was class as far as tours go, especially as we only paid US$15 a piece for the whole lot, accomadation, breakfast and lunch as well as a few tasters off the local sweet factories we visited. Initially thought we were going to spend most of our time being hearded from one factory shop to another but this wasn't the case and got to see a good part of local life afloat on the delta, the kids must pass their days just waving at tourist boats, they never seem to tire of it. The pictures will give you a feel of how we spent our last couple of days I'm sure, so no need of further explanation.
Also had a look at the tunnels at Cu Chi(some 200K of tunnels around Saigon alone) used by Vietcong during the war. Bound to happen and it did, got my my ample frame(fat
Viet 5
I'm a slave for you... (Mei gets carried away with her props at the local kareoke) ass!) stuck in one of the many openings, never was going to be a tunnel rat, best to keep the more intelligent soldiers back at base I reckon, were the important stuff is decided. It was good to see, although not sure how authentic some of the tunnels were, seemed like a bit of a government money spinner to me, could of built it a couple of years ago for all I know and one of our group questioned a particular hole which wasn't there when he visited three years back. There's also the opportunity to fire M16's and AK's if so inclined, but me being of a more solemn nature declined, given we were told so many people were mowed down in the vicinity.
We moved onto Nha Trang from Saigon, it's a beach town but appeared somewhat bereft of life when we got there, busy season was over a couple of months and the rain was coming so it was just the the foreigners about for company and the hard touting locals(they do give it their all and it was nice to see they actually had some bargains of interest to us on the hotel front, competition
Viet 6
I love my milk, coconut milk! is fierce when only a few foreigners about). Being a beach town there was'nt much to interest us apart from a few local islands which we took in on a boat tour, pretty chilled and they had a great boyband on board. Everyone was warning us to be aware of bag snatchers and thieves as they were quite prevalent in the last couple of weeks and most auspiciously the lady boy's (not sure if they were boy's) who had duped a number of lads of their cash after a few beverages too many. Given this current spate of crime I was somewhat put out by the fact I was never once approached by one of these so called lady's, even though the dong were clearly hanging out of my pocket inviting a tender of sorts. Fierce dissapointed altogether!
Head off to Hoi An this evening to buy me suit, it's a town of 200+ tailors, another 12 hour bus journey, musn't complain however and will include that on the next lot.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for posting their messages on the blog, nice to know it's not just the mother who has an interest in
Viet 7
Next big thing on the boy band circuit! our well being, so keep them coming, a special thanks to the lads for their concern on my recent rash which has with the aid of the strong cream(applied liberally four times daily) cleared up quite nicely.
Take care and remember one foot forward is no use unless followed by the other,
Manto
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Dr Magic
non-member comment
Oi!
I am insulted.