9th

Tuesday, 9 October 2018

9th Oct

7 am start to the airport, which was just across the road, but because of luggage we got shuffle to get there.
Wait of about an hour or so before boarding, my first international flight. Dealing with passports, customs, and showing of passports at every exit, which took up some time, and experienced a roller coaster of emotions, happy, nervous, excited.
Once on the plane all good. I was finally starting a new adventure. I enjoyed our upgrade to business class, no waiting in line to get on, that was very cool. Singapore I am on my way
As Bob said 8.5 hrs in the air, hmmm, food was good, and attendants were good. A little conversation with the lady sitting next to me was good. Played some games and watched a movie on my phone via the scoot net, until my phone went flat, then what.....
We arrived at Changi airport after we had to circle for 15 mins due to traffic congestion.
The taxi system getting from the airport is superb. They have numbered waiting lanes, and you are told which number to wait at, and just as you get there, taxi is arriving. Our driver was a chatty fellow and full of interesting information.
Robertson Quay motel was nice, with a good view from the room. Went for a walk, had tea at a local eating place where I had chicken and cashew and some fried rice and a Guinness stubbie.  A stubbie over here is the equal of a tallie  back home. We ventured on a river cruise and saw some wonderful buildings and rich in history.  The design of buildings here is amazing. The lotus flower building springs to mind, which is the Science  and Art muesum. We missed the light show they have as we had a very early start in the morning.
Back to the room where I faded fast.

10th

Thursday, 11 October 2018

10th october

4 am start. Car was waiting for us to take us to the airport. Once again our driver was nice and chatty. We learned that he was a banker, and then was in insurance for 3 years, and now he is a car driver. When  we got through check in and without our bags, we looked around the airport. This place is beyond believing. No matter how far you looked, all you could see was the terminal. Our driver told us that Singapore is building a 5th terminal. It was just amazing.
Inside the terminal we were in there was amazing orchid displays and gardens.

We walked around filling in time until our boarding time at 7 am. I tasted Singapore's national cake, Pandan cake or Chiffon cake. A couple of the ingredients are coconut milk and Pandan leaf. It was very nice. 

This time we were in economy, and every one was bused to the plane. Apparently this happens a bit as there are not enough gates for direct boarding. Being on the bus, was standing room only for some, and there were a few trips made with passengers. 

Arrival in Vietnam was 2 hrs, exciting times to begin. 

When we got inside the terminal, we were confronted with wondering if we needed to fill out the forms that every one else seemed to be completing. Up to the counter we go, thinking we had all the paperwork we needed. How wrong we were. Apparently, we needed a letter of approval that we thought we had. So with much tooing and froing from men in green uniforms, (military) and airport staff, we finally got an emergency visa, after a substantial fee was paid. I will let you draw your own conclusions on that. Options were, 1 we get flown back to Singapore and get a visa issued there, or stay and pay. So we waited, and I had a meltdown, but survived. It is very daunting to be in a country were there is basic understanding and spoken English. But alas we progressed. After we got through another scanning of luggage we got to see outside. People, buses, taxis, and scooters. A taxi was booked, and we waited, and then escorted to the appropriate place by a young lady until the taxi arrived. 

Oh my, how very different Ho Chi Min was to Singapore. One was organised, clean and almost relaxed, and here was the dead opposite. Crazy, insane scary, and that was only in the taxi ride to the motel. Bob's hand and legs may never be the same. All car drivers know the precise length and width of their cars. Scooters and cars missing each other by millimeters. But amazingly, no one got agro, hit or mamed. 

It was 12.30 by the time we got to check into our motel, the GK Central. What a relief. And the room was good. Air con worked, the view was ordinary, but not a brick wall. Down below, the street was a hub of scooters, cars, and constant beeping. So after some chill time we decided to take a walk. 

This is not for the faint hearted. It is like, who dares, wins. One does not hesitate, one holds breath and goes. These folks riding the scooters on the roads are scary to watch. They text while riding, they weave in and out and around. Men and women, all sizes and shapes. And then the loads they have onboard. Nothing like the road rules in Australia. In fact there are no rules. Even when the lights change red, some scooters will go on foot path and cross. But at least there are traffic lights. The footpaths are basically for parking of scooters. Pedestrians have to maneuver around them. 

Our concierge told us that there were no police. 

So our next adventure was to find food. We were starving. We found a place and had some lunch. Back to the room to soak up some more air cond. 

We went back out in the afternoon and explored the area a little more. Found somewhere to convert our Aussie dollar to Dong. Then onto the markets. 

Wow, wow and wow. Big is an understatement, so many things from bling to materials, food, clothes, decorative things, suitcases, bags, fruit. So so much. 

As you  walk past each stall, they try to get you to look, ask you what your looking for. Even if you look sideways at them, they pounce. An amazing experience. 

When we were having out evening meal, we sat and watched the traffic glide by, if that is the right way to describe it, and Bob noticed whole families in the scooters. Dad, child, mum, child. Finally we went back to room to retire. It had been a roller coaster of a day. Emotionally and mentally. What will tomorrow bring. 

11 oct

11th October.

Morning.
Traffic starts early. Beeping scooters sound the days start.
Bob and I are recharged. Watching the street below come to life once again. People setting up street stalls, woman on bike selling some sort of food with the help of a recorded ad on a loud speaker.
We go to the motel restaurant to have some sustenance. A wide variety of foods, I tasted pomelo, which is a family of the grapefruit. One of the staff tell us that all the fruit is grown by the owner of tbe restaurant.
After breakfast, we once again set out for the Ben Thanh markets. Ok, this time we were early, and for me this was not a good thing. We entered by the meat hall. There were slabs of meat of which I was not sure of what they were. There were fish out on the concrete, well one. And the smell!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. I thought I had a strong stomach, but it was sorely tested. An assault of fish smells, some sort of intestines, and (Bob told me there were brains aswell) and meat and no refrigeration all combined,  was almost too much. Food hygiene is well out the window here. Next we pass where food is cooking, slightly better, but not by much. We brave our way through the stalls, and find what we were looking for, a power adaptor for our devices, that works with their power sockets here. Haggling the price is expected , and we found that if I started to well away, they would reduce the price, and so the dance goes on.
After we decided to go to the chocolate and coffee shop next door to the motel, we are told they are having problems with power, and can only serve cold drinks like juices,  or hot coffee, of which we settle for. The chocolates are handmade locally, and were nice.
Today we check out and plan to go on to Vung Tau . Sounds simple, get taxi to take us to Greenline ferry terminal. Upon which ferry takes us to Vung Tau . Ha,
Taxi picks us up, and given the address to go to. Well some time later, like an hour we are dropped off at somewhere that does not look like a ferry terminal. As you can imagine, I am struggling to keep myself together. Here we are, in god knows where, with suitcases in tow  looking so out of place, and we were. No English, and we know 2 words of Vietnamese, xin chow, ( hello) and xin gahn an  ( thank you). Fat lot of help that will be. But, my man to the rescue,  wonders to some people across the road,  and with limited english a phone call to the ferry company and the phone going to someone to explain where we need to be, we get driven back to almost where we came from. Hallelujah
The ferry to Vung Tau is a 2 hr journey along the Mekong river.
We get on land again, and a short taxi ride later we are at the Grand Hotel Vung Tau. This old motel would have once been THE place to be. Our room is lovely, with lots of room.
This seems to be a little less crazy than Ho Chi Minh. We will explore tomorrow. Meanwhile, food is needed. We wander down the street and pass a place called Ned Kelly's. We go on further, but don't find anything suitable, so I suggest going back to Ned Kelly's.
Erm, I notice this place only seems to have men drinking here, and lots of young women serving drinks. But we are in need of a beer and something to eat. So I figure that it's not just drinking that's the draw card.
Oh well so ends the day. At least the beer was cold.
One adventure after another. All in all its been good

5th of oct

Last day of work for 2 weeks. I am so excited. Don't know how many times I have checked my clothing. Still need some sandals, but just slip on ones. So may just have to get them from Singapore or in Vietnam.
Last night Bob rang to say Sam had double booked himself for staying at their place on Sunday night, so we will travel down on monday morning and meet up with Sam and Marnie at their place, as Sam is taking us to the gold coast for us to catch the plane on Tues morning.
Now we are able to stay with Sam and Marnie.
Went over and saw the neighbours .
Mixed emotions as i put my port in the Ute to go to b Bob's, nervous, excited, very happy, apprehensive. Always double checking to make sure i got all i need.
Got Kenzie and Vinnie sleeping over tonight, so all is good.