May 20, 2013 - Back into Vietnam

And 45 minutes later we were back in Ho Chi Minh City. Great flight with Cambodia Angkor Air. Nice new plane. Should we call it HCMC? Our guide this morning doesn’t. His father fought with the south in the war and he IS NOT HAPPY living under the corrupt communist system. He calls it Saigon. He is 50 so was a young boy during the war years. His son is now studying pharmacy in America and he doubts if he’ll return. He hopes his daughter will study in Australia. He says the people in positions of power are all corrupt. The politicians, the...

May 10, 2013 - HCMC and Hoi An

We enjoy that feeling of being hit between the eyes when we travel. Ho Chi Minh City (now on=HCMC) didn’t disappoint! We didn’t even know which side of the taxi to look from as we travelled in from the airport. “Look look!” I said to Mark as we passed an ornate pagoda but he missed it. The one on his side was even bigger he assured me, maybe in a slightly irritated tone. We flew out of Sydney with Vietnam Airlines (codeshare with Qantas) and found it quite ok; we even had 4 seats between us and perhaps Mark would have been less tired if...

Mar 30, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

On our first stay in Ho Chi Minh City, we had the opportunity to explore the city and all it had to offer as well as exploring west toward Cambodia, in the area made famous for the Cu Chi Tunnels utilized during the Vietnam war. This time we headed south to the massive area known as the Mekong Delta. It is the flood plain and delta primarily created by the massive Mekong River. Here some 23 million residents live life as you would picture some 100 years ago! Mostly farmers and fishermen living entirely off what nature has to offer! Water is...

Feb 18, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

We spent a beautiful two days in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). It is a very busy city but absolutely beautiful at night because we hit the Chinese New Year Celebrations! The beauty was the good news, the traffic and crowds were the downside. The motorcycles number in excess of 45 million in Vietnam, one for every two people! They were everywhere in mass! We spent a full day visiting the Cu Chi Tunnels which were used by the Viet Cong to travel in from Cambodia to Saigon without being detected by the US Armed Forces. They used this...

Jan 30, 2013 - Off to Ho Chi Minh City

We had a relaxing breakfast at our hotel. Packed and checked out by 10:30. The ride ride to the Danang Airport was short. This city is a major trading port which is quite modern and has a lot of new buildings being constructed. The airport is modern as well. We watched fighter jets take off and land on a shared runway. It was so cool and noisy! There was a Burger King and so Paul had 2 burgers while I enjoyed a chocolate sundae. Our Flight to Ho Chi Minh was delayed by half hour since the airplane had not arrived. We got to Ho Chi Minh by...

Jan 18, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City

We understand that this city is called Ho Chi Minh City by the northerners and Saigon by the south. Although it is a bigger city than Hanoi the people seem more relaxed, the weather is better and the population density is less. Today most us go on a visit to the Cu Chi tunnels where the locals and Viet Cong hid out and eventually overcame the Americans. They certainly were resourceful people with great skill in both living in such conditions but also in their tactics with snare traps and use of small tunnels that the larger Americans...

Jan 18, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City

Last day Saigon We were quite alert this morning even though we partied last night! Ready at 8 am to board the bus with our local guide for a half day tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Through rush hour traffic it is a 2 and a half hour drive. On the way there we stopped at a pig farm (run by the woman of the house). We visited a sow nursing her 11 piglets. It was fun to watch. The woman fed the pigs rice paper. In front of the pig pen was a cage with an enormous python, all curled up. Our guide told us that the snake is the family pet. In the...

Jan 17, 2013 - Ho Chi Minh City

The day started with a 5.30 wakeup call and 6.00 departure for the airport with a packed breakfast to eat on the bus. Our flight arrives at HCMC at 9.15 but we are delayed because the handle has been snapped off Sarah’s bag and she has to report it. This delay is not enough time for all our rooms to be ready when we arrive at the hotel so we leave our bags in a day room and head out for a walk around to familiarise ourselves. As usual our hotel is centrally located and is also near a park. We lunch at a restaurant that has been made famous...

Jan 17, 2013 - Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Happy Birthday Brian! Brian’s birthday started early – up at 5 am! On the bus at 6 am with breakfast to-go. Everyone wished Brian a happy birthday which was really nice. On the way to Da Nang we saw the sunrise which was quite amazing. We arrived in Da Nang at 6.45 am. The airport is very modern and efficient. We had time for a coffee/tea before boarding the bus that brought us to our plane. Departure was at 8.15 am. We paid US $3.00 (60.000 dong) each to have extra leg room. The flight was short and easy. Arrival at Ho Chi Minh City...

Dec 16, 2012 - Ho Chi Minh City

As I write we are speeding south on the train from Danang to Ho Chi Minh City. We slept through the night section having boarded the train at 10pm and now it is 7am and the sun is up. In the past hour we have passed through a hilly coastal region which I deduce to have been Ben Gol Bay but it is hard to determine exactly where we are as the map we have is not proving to be that accurate. Unfortunately the windows are encased in a thick mesh so rather ruins photographic opportunities. Back to yesterday. We hired bikes for $1 each for the day...

Dec 6, 2012 - Help the children in the orphanages in Vietnam

Dear reader By now, you may have read my 2 stories about the disabled and the abandoned childrens’ orphanages in Vietnam. We were so touched by the children in these orphanages that we have decided to raise money for them and I invite you to help. If you haven't read the stories, my page has a couple of stories that you can read to learn more about the two orphanages that we are supporting by clicking on the Pdf file. Please copy the link below and paste into your internet browser to donate now and leave a message. You will be immediately...

Dec 2, 2012 - Clumsy Reporting In From South Vietnam!! (Kadence)

Hello Kadence and Friends, It has been many days since I last wrote to you. We have been at a beautiful beach resort in central Vietnam near the city of Da Nang. I had never heard of Da Nang, but my travel mates knew about it from the American-Vietnam War that happened a long time ago. The weather in Da Nang was around 30 degrees everyday. We had a lot of fun in the ocean, in the pool and in the sand. After six days at the beach, we got on another airplane and flew to the biggest city in Vietnam. It used to be called Saigon, but after the...