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Sin chow (hello from Vietnam)
With a visa stamped in my passport and a small light weight bag on my shoulder (no wheels)I joined the queue at Sydney International airport for a 8 hour flight with Singapore Airlines to Singapore and then 2hrs to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) for a seven day adventure.
What an amazing place, the streets are filled with motor bikes all going in the same direction then they all of a sudden form their own lanes, stick their arms out to indicate then head off in another direction, with little children on high chairs, no helmets, women dressed elegantly in their high heels and business attire, their shopping strapped onto the back of their bikes, face masks on… just another day in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Cu Chi tunnels running for over 250km from Saigon to the Cambodian border, are simply unbelievable. Crawling through them on your hands and knee’s gave you a fell of what it was really like (breathtaking, claustrophobic, and frightening) but simply amazing, how small the Vietnamese people are and how clever they really were. From recycling the war equipment to help them fight back, innumerable trap doors, underground shelters, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens, this part of history needs to be experienced by all.
There is not better way to experience Vietnam than on a Cyclo, uncovering the back streets, hidden gems and fascinating sights.
We then headed off to Hoi An on a 1 hour flight with Vietnam Airlines. After spending some time visiting the local tailors and exploring the Chinese Embassy Halls, Old Houses we then took a 2 hour push bike ride into the countryside, spotting a farm of ducklings, water buffalo, rice paddies, local farming land where all the fresh herbs are grown.
For dinner that night we went to “Morning Glory” street food restaurant and cooking school for an experience I will never forget. I can’t boil and egg, but after a 2 hour cooking show I could make fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese Crispy Pancake with Dipping Sauce, green papaya salad and for main course barbequed chicken and lime leaves. This is a must to do when in Hoi An.
With a short 1 hour flight from Da Nang (Hoi An) to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines we had an organised walking tour of the Old quarter, then a cyclo ride to the famous water puppet show.
After an overnight stay we then departed for a 4 hour drive to Halong Bay to board our private boat and cruise around the 3000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of the Bac Bo gulf and soak in the misty atmosphere of this world heritage site. With an overnight stay in the calm waters, sumptuous food, good wine, great company, what more could you ask for. It is one of the most magnificent scenic regions in Vietnam.
With around 85 million people living in Vietnam there was no shortage of markets, shops, food, museum’s, place to go and people to meet. The beer is cold, the food is fresh, the people are beautiful, the climate is comfortable and best of all the dong is great to the Aussie dollars, which means you can have an enjoyable meal including a few drinks for around $8.00 aud or $180,000 dong!!
I can’t wait for my next adventure!
Hen gup lie (see you later)
Nadine
With a visa stamped in my passport and a small light weight bag on my shoulder (no wheels)I joined the queue at Sydney International airport for a 8 hour flight with Singapore Airlines to Singapore and then 2hrs to Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) for a seven day adventure.
What an amazing place, the streets are filled with motor bikes all going in the same direction then they all of a sudden form their own lanes, stick their arms out to indicate then head off in another direction, with little children on high chairs, no helmets, women dressed elegantly in their high heels and business attire, their shopping strapped onto the back of their bikes, face masks on… just another day in Ho Chi Minh City.
The Cu Chi tunnels running for over 250km from Saigon to the Cambodian border, are simply unbelievable. Crawling through them on your hands and knee’s gave you a fell of what it was really like (breathtaking, claustrophobic, and frightening) but simply amazing, how small the Vietnamese people are and how clever they really were. From recycling the war equipment to help them fight back, innumerable trap doors, underground shelters, field hospitals, command centres and kitchens, this part of history needs to be experienced by all.
There is not better way to experience Vietnam than on a Cyclo, uncovering the back streets, hidden gems and fascinating sights.
We then headed off to Hoi An on a 1 hour flight with Vietnam Airlines. After spending some time visiting the local tailors and exploring the Chinese Embassy Halls, Old Houses we then took a 2 hour push bike ride into the countryside, spotting a farm of ducklings, water buffalo, rice paddies, local farming land where all the fresh herbs are grown.
For dinner that night we went to “Morning Glory” street food restaurant and cooking school for an experience I will never forget. I can’t boil and egg, but after a 2 hour cooking show I could make fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese Crispy Pancake with Dipping Sauce, green papaya salad and for main course barbequed chicken and lime leaves. This is a must to do when in Hoi An.
With a short 1 hour flight from Da Nang (Hoi An) to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines we had an organised walking tour of the Old quarter, then a cyclo ride to the famous water puppet show.
After an overnight stay we then departed for a 4 hour drive to Halong Bay to board our private boat and cruise around the 3000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of the Bac Bo gulf and soak in the misty atmosphere of this world heritage site. With an overnight stay in the calm waters, sumptuous food, good wine, great company, what more could you ask for. It is one of the most magnificent scenic regions in Vietnam.
With around 85 million people living in Vietnam there was no shortage of markets, shops, food, museum’s, place to go and people to meet. The beer is cold, the food is fresh, the people are beautiful, the climate is comfortable and best of all the dong is great to the Aussie dollars, which means you can have an enjoyable meal including a few drinks for around $8.00 aud or $180,000 dong!!
I can’t wait for my next adventure!
Hen gup lie (see you later)
Nadine
