It took minutes to book airline tickets on line. Then, the 6 month wait, till we travel. It’s like waiting for a life time to go by.
Vietnam is a country I have always wanted to visit .I hear the history, culture and food are fantastic.
Miss C and Miss G will be joining me as we visit Vietnam. We fly out of Sydney via Darwin then onto Ho Chi Minh City .We will spend a few days in HCMC and tour the Mekong Delta and visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. Then we fly onto Nha Trang, for a few days. Then its fly back to HCMC for the day and part of that night we leave for Sydney via Darwin. Which, I never look forward to. But, for the price for 3 people return with Jetstar. I will put up with the few hours stop over.
Then comes the what to do and where to stay and what to see, thank god for the internet.
I organised our visas . And a fee of $72 each, for single entry visa’s, maybe that includes a little red carpet treatment on landing.
The only worry we have now is Miss G and her fussy eating.
I used Saigon Hotpot for a tour of the Mekong and a city tour I was very happy with both the tours , and both the guides who spoke great English and were both very informative .
click HERE to read my diary
At home waiting for airport transfers
Nice spot to sit girls.
We stayed at the Sapphire hotel , which was a great hotel and fairly central
Changed some money at a good rate higher than 20 000 dong to the Australian dollar , instant millionaire
I booked a one day trip to the Mekong Delta . With Saigon Hotpot . The tour Cost me $50 US , for the driver , my guide was free and the boat trip cost me $28 for the 3 of us . We had a great day and very informative . Miss G , Miss C and our guide Andy
Floating houses
Rice wine with a hint of snake and scorpion .
Sanpan ride
A ice cream from Fanny
Night markets Saigon
Wires in Saigon
I booked a city tour with Saigon Hotpot . It's a free service were you pay for taxi's and lunch and a drink .All up cost about $25 for the day.
The girls and our guide at the Independent Palace .
Notre Dame Cathedral
Post Office
Municipal Theatre
Lunch
The food was fantastic , but the drink I think it was called pennywort tasted like dirt with a hint of broccoli.
Cu Chi Tunnel We booked a half day tour with The Sinh Tourist travel service , a good day for $5 each plus $4 entrance fee to the tunnels , but a little rushed .
Miss C and me took on the tunnels I think we went down about 10 odd meters down and 40 - 50 meters long , it was funny at first , but come halfway . It was hot dark , and the top of my legs muscles ached , from crouching down . I have no idea how anyone could live down there .
The photo below is the original size tunnel , and not the modified version .
Some traps
Coming out of the tunnel
Used M16 bullets
Shooting a M16 rifle
Love the bike lock
Ben Thanh Market
Skinny houses
Early morning , filling in time , while waiting for our flight to Nha Trang .
Novotel Nha Trang
View from the room
This is yummy .
Long Son Pagoda
The start of our 168 step pilgrimage to see the white Buddha on the hill .
Halfway
At the top
Nha Trang harbour
Pongar Cham Towers
Nha trang coastline
I bought a Viettel sim as soon as I got to Saigon , very cheap to call or txt home , but the spam was crazy . I'm not sure what quite happened to poor Jennifer Lopez
Sailing club
Cable car to Vinpearl
Vinpearl aquarium
We paid an extra 120 000 dong which is $6 each extra for a set menu meal and a ticket to Miss Earth
At Miss Earth
Ronan Keating sang a few songs
Dinner at Lanterns
The girls with Miss Earth 2010 .On our flight from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City
We loved Vietnam , I loved the food and both girls tried something new . I want to go back and see more of the country . The people are great and friendly . I did have problems with communications at times and found it easy to carry a map or a business card . It was easier then trying to explain .
With Taxi only use Mai Linh or Vinasun and make sure the spelling is correct and a uniform is worn .
Watch the pavement in Vietnam as I found they become very slippery when wet .
Map of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Map of Nha Trang
Videos
Me shooting a M16 at Cu Chi Tunnels
In the Cu Chi Tunnels
A taxi ride . Ho Chi Minh City
Part 2
