Happy Confusion...

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Geo: 10.7592, 106.662

We got up late, as the rest of the tour group are going into Cambodia with Gap and were up at 6 for a trip to the Mekong Delta, so we lay in and had a late breakfast! Bliss. As we were deciding what to do for the day, the phone rang. I knew at once there was a problem. "Ah, Miss Turner," the voice said, "the room you have booked for tonight is not in this hotel."
"What?!" I think the confusion in my voice was evident, as I had taken the booking voucher to reception the previous night and requested to stay in the same room to avoid packing, unpacking and repacking in one day. "The room you have booked is not in this hotel," the voice calmy re-iterated, "It is at the hotel next door."

Relaying this information to Stacey was met with disapproval. Our tour group had been split into 2 sections of what we assumed was the same hotel. However, it appeared that this was not so. We asked for the time we had to be out, aware that the clock already showed 11am and were told, fortunately, that it was 12pm. Hasty packing ensued and we made our way dowstairs, expecting to walk 10 yards into the adjoining hotel. "This is Hoang Hai Long 1," the grinning receptionist told me, "you have booked TAN Hai Long 1. This is a short walk along the street next the market. Did you have anything from the minibar?" And just like that, we were out of the hotel, out of the loop of our tour group, and out on the streets of HCMC, clutching our daypacks and heaving badly packed rucksacs! However, we are troopers, and off we set, not knowing what to expect of our actual hotel. Admittedly,we were fortunate as it was only a 5 minute walk from the hotel we were already in! What would wait for us though?

A little piece of heaven in the midst of confusion is what was waiting for us!! A gorgeous marble reception, bell-boy service, windows (a luxury in HCMC), a deep corner bath, a distinct lack of 6 legged friends (we had ants and our friend had roaches in the previous hotel) and a huge widescreen TV. There is a spa (which I intend to make use of in a while) and the room is lovely. Happy happy Ruth and Stacey!

We took out time getting ready to go out for the day, enjoying Glee on the TV and aware that we had seen most of the sights Ho Chi Minh had to offer. We enjoyed lunch at a spring roll place, and then an ice-cream at KFC! (well, it;s only once!) Then ventured back to the hotel to use the free business centre and take advantage of the August offer of 50%!o(MISSING)ff at the hotel spa!

UPDATE!

Just back from my massage: 45 minute head and shoulder massage in incredibly serene and plush surroundings.I was manipulated, poked, prodded, pummelled and whole other list of P words which I cannot think of right now but felt incredible immediately afterwards! I had to use my credit card as I didn't have the cash. A whole 6 pounds will leave my account soon. Hot damn!

Out for dinner at the market again later, and then an early night for our early bus to Phnom Penh tomorrow!

Until then, aaaaaaah...... ZEN! xxx

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