Duc Vuong Hotel Ho Chi Minh City

... I walked round the corner and got a cab to my hotel for $10. Too expensive, but then again I talked to another guy who paid 25 so I wasn't too upset. Nearly wiped out two scooters on the way.

Hotel is down a really dodgy looking side alley where they set up markets selling raw meat, wierd looking fish stuff and fruit veg, dim sims etc. The hotel itself is really nice once you get inside. Got my wi-fi ...

... year or two, he also invited us to stay t his place. It was such a lovely thing to do, if it wasn't for him I'm not sure what would have happened.

It is $20 for a 30 day visa in Cambodia so don't let the people on the bus tell you it is any more, if they ask for $25 from you just say you don't have any money on you and that you will pay when you are there. This way you get out of paying them the extra $5. The plus side is that they do sort everything out for you.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam brad.leah

... 45 minutes we developed a friendship over a conversation about the NBA, family, work, travel, and Vietnam. He was Malaysian and works on a cruise ship that is in the port here. By this time I’m really wary of everything. I’ve lost a bit of trust due to the terrible estimate of how long it took to get out there and I’ve watched how we got to where we were in case I needed to hoof it out. We entered the house and I met his cousin. He offered me water, it came ...

... then a couple of women. After yet another boat ride, our next stop was the coconut candy factory. We were given a demonstration of the entire coconut candy process as well as a delicious, warm free sample. Everyone was encouraged to buy as many packages of the candy as possible. I purchased two, a peanut one (the one we sampled) and a banana nut one. Unfortunately I didn't like the banana nut version, but met a woman on the boat home that offered to trade her chocolate version (our ...

... plenty of one sided viewpoints for us to hear). Post office- This post office is one of the nicest we've seen on this whole trip, with high vaulted ceilings and beautiful architecture. This was also the smoothest package we have sent in our 8 months of sending home packages. They had boxes, tape, peanuts, etc. and were very efficient with many windows and staff. Fanny- We spent HOURS searching for this supposedly famous local ice cream. We ...

... holiday season and nowhere had 24 hour reception. Great. If it wasnt for a few tears streaming down my cheeks due to hunger and tiredness and frustration, they wouldve kicked me out to the street. But luckily, they put 2 guys in a bedroom together and I got one of their rooms. The travel agent that sold me the ticket, pocketed the extra cash for a direct train and put me on a local one. Nice work. 

A few days in Nha Trang, then I cruised up to Hoi An. Hoi An is a beautiful old town ...

... their oldest sons were meeting for the
first time was kind of a big deal. I have heard so many stories about
Vietnamese Americans going to Vietnam to meet family and getting hit up
for money, so I was prepared for that, but that is so not what we’ve
experienced. They have all been so incredibly generous with what little
they have, it’s so humbling.

Today we are flying to Danang, then going to Hoi An from there,
where Binh ...