Blogs from Ho Chi Minh City, Southeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 230

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Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 26th 2006

It's always nice to know that you are headed to a tropical destination during winter, but to know that it will be -25c when you are away is even sweeter. With that, we said good-bye to Edmonton. After a full day of flying, we finally made it to Saigon on Saturday night. Other than a very long 14-hour flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong, things went off with out much hassle. Shauna didn't get any sleep on the Hong Kong flight, so I was bracing for the worst of "Dragon Lady" (aka Shauna) upon our arrival in Saigon; however, she handled everything in stride. While I was putting the bikes together at the airport, she arranged a mini-van to downtown. It was now 11:30 pm and even though the center of town was only seven kilometers ... read more
Rice in all kinds of varieties.
Street food... Hmmmmm....
Colour!

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 24th 2006

Finally to Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as it was previously called before the unification of Vietnam in 1976. I'll call in Saigon as its easier to write as well as that most locals still refer to it as that and its listed as this on most train timetables. We arrived ito some far flung bus station miles from De Tham and Bui Vien street we were hoping to stay at so sadly with the lack of Tuk-tuks present, we had to go on the back of a scooter. This was my first experience of the Siagon traffic which if anybody really wanted to see the true meaning of chaos, it is here. Nothing seems to have any order, bike will just shoot across junctions, with a beep of a horn to warn any traffic ... read more
Saigon Traffic Mayhem
Saigon Traffic Mayhem
Me and a Huey Helicoper, War Museum

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 23rd 2006

We're finally getting to update our travel blog - apologies for being so lazy! After leaving Nha Trang, we flew down to Saigon for a couple of nights. Did some touristy things - the War Museum and the Chu Chi Tunnels. Dave got to fire a M16 semi-automatic which he thought was really cool - you can all see the video when we get home. Apparently, he hit the target!! Lynn only made it through the first of three tunnels before having to get out of there - Dave of course made it the full way! Randomly bumped into two girls - Kerry and Marie (hi girls) - who we had met previously in Nha Trang. Had a good night out with them - bit of a random meal - our last Vietnamese meal! The next ... read more
Dave and his tank
Dave shooting his gun
Having drinks with Kerry and Marie on the rooftop of The Rex Hotel, Saigon

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 23rd 2006

Hi everyone. How you all doing? We apologise for the lack of pictures on all the previous entries but promise they are coming - still cant find a place that has a DVD disc drive so I can download some of the pictures from my camera like the monkeys : ( Anyway... we are in Vietnam now and we are LOVING it so much. I personally fell in love with Vietnam from the moment we crossed over the boarder. I want to live here. ...... We woke up very early again - 5.40am to get to the bus station to take us back to Phom Phen so we can get to the boarder to Vietnam. The bus journey took the whole day to HCMC but it was okay apart from right at the beginning when poor ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 21st 2006

Travelled from the Mekong delta on a local bus for $1!!!!!!!!!!!!! Discovered Saigon beer and stayed up past my bedtime. Played International Thumb war with some Swedish ladies. Visited the War Memorial museum which told the story of the American War. It included a documentary, photos and they also had foetuses on display that had been affected by Agent Orange - not pleasant at all. Read the memorial book in the final exhibit and was not amused but a comment made by an American stating that 'You must remember that America did not start the war - it was Ho Chi Minh and the VC'. Couldn't believe that somebody had written this after what they had just seen. Went to the Cu Chi tunnels where they still have some of the underground network intact. Fired an ... read more
Going down the Cu Chi tunnels
Firing an AK47 at the Cu Chi tunnels

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 20th 2006

Our last few days we spent in Laos were nice. We spent an afternoon tubing down a river and stopping at the many different bars alongside the river for refreshing beers. Our last day was spent in the capital of Laos, Vientiene. We went to the buddha park adnd had dinner and drinks at a rooftop bar/ restaurant. It's not a bad city but deffinately not our favourite.Then we finally reached Saigon and what a sight. There's something like 82 million people living here so it's hot, noisy and crazy all the time. Not the sort of thing that we're used to after being in charming, laid back Laos for a week. However Saigon is a nice city it just takes a little getting used to especially to temp. It's about 35 deg all day and ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 15th 2006

Odotellaan Saigonin lentokentalla Phu Quocin lennon lahtoa. Kone on ainakin kaksi tuntia myohassa, mutta onneksi taalla on sentaan ilmainen nettiyhteys. Nelja paivaa Saigonissa on mennyt yllattavan nopeasti. Ennakkokasitykseni kaupungista ei ollut kovin kummoinen, mutta paikan paalla sain todeta kaupungin ihan mukavaksi. Liikenne on taalakin aivan jarjetonta, mutta muuten kylla kelpaa. Ollaan kierrelty hoitamassa pankki- ja lentolippu asioita, kavelty kaupungilla ja syoty hyvin. Nahtavyydet jatettiin ihan suosiolla valiin. Nyt sitten ollaan menossa Phu Quoc nimiselle saarelle, missa pitaisi olla Vietnamin parhaimmat rannat ja viimeiset suuremmat metsaalueet. Ollaan siella hetki lepaamassa ennen Kambodzaan siirtymista.... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 14th 2006

This will probably be my last post for a while... it's not that I'm giving up on the 'travel blog' world, but since the last time I was travelling it was to Phan Thiet to be fitted for another maternity dress, I think I ought to be realistic with myself. I'm re-locating to the following address: alisagreenwood.blogspot.com Thanks for checking me out over the past year, for your kind comments and words of encouragement, discouragement and support! I hope to see you all soon. ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 13th 2006

Sorry about the title but couldn't resist. Well we are finally in Vietnam! Our main destination for the trip to asia. We got the bus from Phnom Penh and travelled direct to the city. Bus was run by Capitol Tours and was very well organised with a few toilet stops and all the passport stuff sorted by the guide on the bus. All this for 12 dollars each. Took about 6 hours in total but flying would have costed nearly 250 bucks so good saving made! (see Anna, we can budget!) We then proceeded to blow the saving by staying in the Majestic hotel on the river front which was absolutely lovely. (sorry Anna!) Total luxury at a reasonable price. We've moved to the travellers area tonight (24 dollars per night) but great and plenty of ... read more
Notre Dame
Yum Yum
Learning fast!

Asia » Vietnam » Southeast » Ho Chi Minh City November 12th 2006

Dalatin retki oli oikein onnistunut. Vesiputouksessa oli runsaasti vetta ja kanakylan kanakin tuli nahtya. Kaytiin myos viihtyisassa meditaatio luostarissa, minne matkattiin koysirataa pitkin. Maisemat olivat melkein kuin Suomessa - jarvi ja havupuumetsikkoa. Dalatissa olisi viihtynyt pitempaankin, mutta koska aikaa siihen, kun on oltava takaisin Bangkokissa, on jaljella enaa puolitoista kuukautta, oli pakko taas jatkaa matkaa. Me matkattiin suurin toivein ja odotuksin rannikolla sijaitsevaan Mui Ne nimiseen paikkaan. Toiveissa oli paasta uimaan ja rentoutumaan palmujen katveessa kylmia hedelmamehuja nauttien. No se ei sitten ihan mennyt niin... Oltiin kylla jo ennakkoon kuultu varoitteluja siita, etta Mui Nessa on likaista, mutta pettymys oli suuri kun rannan tila selvisi meille. Lahdettiin heti ekana paivana kavelemaan ja katsastamaan ymparistoa. Hotellista oikealle kaveltaessa tor... read more
Vesiputoukset
Kanakylan kuuluisa kana
Kalamies Dalatissa




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