Papa Ho

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Well, we are now here in Vietnam finally!
Currently I am typing this from a reliable if slow internet connection at the Oscar Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam where we will be staying until Friday morning. So I will be able to update at least until we leave here, from there your guess is as good as mine. So far today we arrived and cleared Vietnamese customs with no hassles and after a little trouble finding our bus service to take us to the hotel. The drive from the airport to here was nothing short of bizarre and bordering on the traumatic. If you do not like car horns, do not come here. If you do not like seeing people and scooter riders literally brushing up against the window of your van while it travels at 40-60 km/s do not come here. Nothing can truly describe that which is Vietnamese traffic conditions. Except to say, there does not seem to be any road rules past 'Don't die.' Then we were here... and then had to wait for about 30mins while they puzzled over the hotel booking sheet Paul handed them. But we sat in relative comfort and watched the insane scooter riders flying past the window while we sipped aniseed flavoured water before finally being cleared and sent up to our rooms.

After a short rest we ventured to the great beyond and headed out to brave Vietnamese traffic. I am proud to say we acquitted ourselves well. Aside from our (understandable) reluctance to enter heavier traffic tidal waves we have strode boldly forward and have become quite proficient at navigating the controlled chaos of a scooter rush. So, what followed was an interesting lunch at Hudson's Coffee which was fine enough with a great mint choc ice cream in a cup being the highlight of the meal for me at least. Also of note was when Sam was (as best as we understood it) offered a four year old girl from her professional looking middle aged female 'handler'. Interesting to say the least.

A quick trip to a nearby market followed wherein snake and scorpian wine was offered, a Tin-Tin shirt was purchased as were a selection of cigarettes. More wandering, some photo-taking and harrowing traffic dodging eventually led us back to the hotel in which internet was discovered and this update was typed.

To Be Continued...

Your correspondent in the field:
-Benji

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