Goodbye Hoi An, Hello Saigon!
Trip Start
Dec 02, 2008
1
29
37
Trip End
Jan 03, 2009
Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Today we woke up, ready to say goodbye to Hoi An and welcome Saigon back with open arms (and hopefully drier hair).
After a shitty final experience with our nice hotel in Hoi An (they gave us our laundry back, still wet), we got into a cab and were driven to Danang Airport. We checked our baggage and went searching for breakfast.
Over the road from the hotel, there were two restaurants. The first tell us they only have one baguette left. We left. The next says "no baguettes at all" - sounds like a bread shortage here, we thinks.
We swallow our pride (and our wallets) and head into the departure lounge of the airport, and find a little area that does bread and butter, yoghurt and some other snacks for slightly exorbitant prices. Happy anyway, we are, to get breakfast.
As the kids and Kythera chowed down on their food, I went in search of an ATM. No change in our bank balance which means that our money transfer hasn't gone through. We've got less than $200 to last us until Tuesday. (stupid us forgetting about Australian bank holidays - they don't have them on Xmas and Boxing Day here) Cue a little bit of panicking. I resolve to call Dad the moment I get into a hotel in Saigon to try and work something out for the next couple days.
Anyway, as we waited for our flight to Saigon, we started talking with a young London couple, Lawrence and Lucy (firstly about the kids, and then about everything). These guys are our age and we liked them immediately. After a good halfhour chat, sharing stories and war wounds, we invited them out for dinner tonight. We agreed to meet at the Original Bodhi Tree at 6pm and enjoy a vegetarian meal.
Our flight was short but fine. Jonas slept the whole way and Ophelia did some drawing and playing with her Jetstar plane (bought at Melbourne Airport and has survived the whole trip!). We had one funny moment when we were heading into land and a lady next to Lawrence and Lucy put on her crash helmet. Way to feel comfortable in the skies, lady!
After landing in beautiful sunny Saigon (yes really), we got our baggage and headed in search of a hotel. We had picked to stay at Miss Loi's Guesthouse but as we rocked up (and as the rain began to fall, yes really!), the receptionist runs out to tell us that they are full. Shit. She offers to call around some local places to find a good cheap room for us. After ringing four different hotels, we finally get offered a room at US$24. Fine, we'll take it. We walked from Miss Loi's to Lan Anh Hotel and the rain started coming down harder and harder. We finally made it into the hotel just as many buckets started falling (seriously, a bad storm of rain) but still SO humid!
After checking in, I gave Dad a quick call and met up with him on Skype. After explaining our situation (and providing some funny insider info to prove to him that I was me), he was able to help us out. Gotta love parents sometimes!
We let the kids nap a little before we hungrily headed out to dinner (have you heard me mention lunch? that's right, we completely forgot to have it). After getting into a cab and telling them where to go, resulting in the driver telling us where to go - out of his cab (it was 300m up the street, we hadn't realised) - we went in search of the Bodhi Tree restaurant. Turns out, it ain't there anymore. After searching up and down, we ran into Lawrence and Lucy coming out of a cab.
We collectively decided to go for a wander and find a nice restaurant to have a good meal and conversation in. We found one called Street Underground - wallpaper of Saigon train network and old Melbourne street signs (seriously - "Tullamarine Airport, next exit"). Lovely couches and seemed to have some good food.
Suffice to say, we had an excellent dinner and chat with our new friends. They are truly awesome people and I'm glad we got a chance to get to know them a bit before they leave to head to Cambodia - pity we didn't have more time, Jojo had to go to sleep when it hit 9pm.
We headed back to the Hotel and hit the hay - I watched Liverpool beat someone and Manchester City absolutely slaughter Hull... sleep came.
Wasn't a good night though, kids woke up a bit (not used to the heat).
We continue....
Comments
after Christmas
Hi guys - I am still following your travels. I will miss reading them when you come home. Glad to hear you had some joy meeting that couple. Take care
Lisa
me again
Keep those stories coming, so entertaining and bring your experiences to life for the reader! Will have a drink to you all at New Years Eve party, hope you have a wonderful celebration. Love Janet