Onto the hustle and bussle

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After writing my last blog, we headed to the Batu caves, just North of Kuala Lumpur, a Hindu temple inside spectacular limestone caves. Despite the (272!) stair walk to the caves, it is an attreaction well worth a visit. The next day brought more travel, and after spending the morning in the markets, we headed to the airport for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. This was a relatively easy trip, and within an hour we were on the tarmack at Saigon airport.

By far the biggest challenge in Saigon is crossing the road, with rather manic traffic (see picture), it really is a cae of walk out and hope for the best, and rely on the hope that they are not going to hit you! As motorbikes are the main form of transport here (ever since the Vietnamese govenment introduced large import duties on cars, the roads are clearly designed for them. It's often, therefore, highly amusing to see the odd buss attempt to get up a street clearly meant for only 2 motorbikes side by side.

Today consisted of a visit to the main market in town, and the Independence Palace (the hub of the South Vietmanese government during the war). Both were rather pleasant, and interspresed between a rather bizzare incident. Having walked a fair way, we decided to stop in a local ice-cream parlour for some refreshment. We were followed in by a young Vietnamese woman, who had an entourage in tow. It seemed that she was some B-list Vietnamese celebrity who had been chosen to promote this resteraunt's brand, and was there to have her picture taken next to one of their ice-cream counters for their advertising campaign. This cued all their staff having their picture with her, as well as various other resteraaunt goers. somehow we managed to resist.

Tomorrow is our last day in Ho Chi Minh City, before we head to Hanoi, on what I expect to be a greulling 30 hour train ride up the coast. We do have a soft-sleeper compartment, which I can only hope will bring some sort of comfort on the long journey. The plus side is that the price for the two of us was only 133 dollars, not much more than a peak train ticket from Horsham to London!

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Comments

[Gravsie JNR]

Sounds like you're having a good time! Dont forget to promote the Get the FC back to Horsham campaign!!! Oh actually, wait you dont have to........ they're already coming back home!!! :D

[Simon]

Steps
272 steps! Thats pathetic, we had to do 3300 in Nepal after lunch one day and in Peru the steps were huge, fortunatly thanks to my growth spert I owned them. In conclusion walk up more steps and dont do drugs!