HO CHI MIN CITY (SAIGON)

17TH - 19TH NOVEMBER

By the time we had arrive in Ho Chi Minh City it was raining and had gone dark. We hadn’t really wanted to arrive in the dark as we’d heard reports of bag snatching and petty crime after dark. The minibus pulled into a garage in the middle of God knows where, and being the only non-Vietnamese on the bus we decided to ask some Westerners who were waiting for the bus back if they knew where we were and if so, could they show us on the map. Bad Mistake! The woman was a proper gobby Yank who just insisted on banging on about the hotel they’d just stayed in and how the area we’d chosen (and Noah had recommended) was no good and we shouldn’t go there!! After asking on numerous occasions ‘do you know where we are on the map’ all we got was ‘oh you want to stay at this hotel, let me find the business card’, then she went off to continue rummaging in her bag, how annoying is that? We felt like saying to her ‘why don‘t you just listen to what we are asking
you?‘!!! In the end we gave up and just asked “Can you get a taxi round here?”, at which point the bus station guy said “Taxi?” and within 10 seconds there was a taxi there. 10 minutes and two quid later we were at our chosen hotel with much less hassle than we’d expected. However it was full. So we went to our second choice, which was also full. To quote the rough guide: “You shouldn’t need to book unless you’re going during a festival”. Nice one!!! Still, the second hotel recommended another one which had a room which, it has to be said was lovely. Air conditioned, with a great view over the city and breakfast included. It also had a mini bar, which we immediately took advantage of and relaxed for the first time in days with a cold tinnie each!!! (Hel says she does miss her strongbow but is complaining less and less about beer these days!!)

After the lack of food that tasted of