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Grand tour of South East Asia 2018


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Flight from PP to Saigon today left 25 minutes early! Crossed into Vietnam airspace and captain announced we will circle for 20 minutes, after doing that for 40 minutes announcement was due to heavy rain in Saigon we are returning to PP, so after sitting on tarmac 45 minutes we are almost ready to try again.

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Finally did arrive in Saigon, only 2 hours after advertised arrival time which was'nt tpp bad considering. I should note that immigration at depatures in PP and arrivals in Saigon were both empty and flew through at either end.

I took advice that I had read online to catch the metered taxi and not the taxi counter and it was not until I had got to hotel and read their warnings advice to only use either of 2 taxi companies Vinasun or Mailinh asthe taxi industry is unregulated and taxis can set up their own meters to run at whatever rate they want.. The meterd taxi I took was not of those 2 and at destination wanted to charge me 860,000 VND plus ariport access fee of 100,000 VND. I knew the fare should be between 150K to 170K but as my luggage was in the boot (trunk for you in US) he had the upper hand and I finally got it down to 350K so blew approx $10 AUD. So anyone wanting to go their take note to only use the 2 companies mentioned and when outside museums, touristy places etc never take one parked outside and hail one driving along the street.

I have been using Grab on my trip to date except when arriving at airport as often its hard to find a location where they are able to pick you up. Checked Grab pricing when at hotel and was 115,000 VND.

Hotel stayed at is The Beautiful Saigon 3 Hotel in a laneway just off the entertainment street which luckily was faorly quiet as another of their hotels is in the main "walking street" and apparently sleep is impossible until after 3am.

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Saigon's walking street Bui Vien St is the only walking street that I have been to that allows traffic. It's a one street but that doesn't stop the motorbikes from going both ways. Venues are a mix of loud volume bars, restaurants and footpath plastic tables and chairs with beer prices for a small bottle of Tiger ranging from 20,000 VND in the plastic charis to 55,ooo + at high end. Lots of backpackers around, the usual array of street merchants, beggars etc with some FL GGs but no LBs that I can comfirm although saw what might have been one running down the street about 10 npm one night.

I went to a couple of the musuems and the War Remnants Musuem was very interesting giving the Vietmanese view on th 'American War'.

Among my researd prior to arriving I had read an online warning about scam happening at parl close by where I was staying (2nd September Park) whereby unsuspection farangs get lured into befriending a local who claims to know them, befriends him, intro's him to some of his friends and card game starts and farang loses all his money. In another article I read that students also sometimes approach farangs and want to have conversation to improve their English.

I had a couple of hours to kill one afternoon and sitting in the shade on a hot day was nice and relaxing while watching locals and tourists enjoy the park when well dressed local walkied past and stopped, turned around and said he recognised me as he is supervisor at immigration and saw me at the airport. I asked what day and he couldn't remember exactly however I congratulated him on his memory of a face which he said he is trained to do. He told me that he is now on holidays from the day before and at the park with some of his colleagues nodding his head further down pathway. He queried from where I was and when I  said Sydney he said that is such a coincidence as my sister is starting at St Vincents (a big hospital in Syd) next week and would I mind telling him and his friends more about Sydney so he can pass on to his sister. Unfortunately I had to tell him I was due elsewhere and again commended him on his powers of observation. I walked away and so did he but I had noticed another well dressed local on another pathway which intersected with mine seemed to have been watching us and when I was at traffic light to cross the road and go the green to walk I hesitated for a few seconds did an about turn and the 2nd local was forced to cross the road first and when he went straight ahead which was where I was looking when he glanced back I waited a bit and headed left. So whateverr may have been planned fizzled out. Its a pity really as I was hoping to help a student learn English  

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After 6 weeks solo travel I finally have got sick of my own company nd heading home from Saigon. I have had a great time and will continue where I left of sometime in the next year or so.

Probably picked the wrong time to travel as temperatures hovering in mid to high 30s with real feel much hotter and high humidity. Forecast for next week is thunderstorms and hot humid weather so will plan next trip in cooler times.

Hope I haven't bored you too much.

Cheers

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On 5/31/2018 at 4:44 PM, sydneyjohn57 said:

After 6 weeks solo travel I finally have got sick of my own company nd heading home from Saigon. I have had a great time and will continue where I left of sometime in the next year or so.

 

Quite useful for future travellers!

Thanks for posting SJ!   :hi:

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