Hi guys,
This is Clare and Rob checking in from Vietnam.
This is our last night in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), we head to Dalat tomorrow. Dalat is a hill station in the central highlands of Vietnam. It should be fun on the 8-hour bus trip!
We have only been in Vietnam a few days, but it feels like a lot longer. It has been non-stop action.
Rob and I have spent the last two days touring around the Mekong Delta region. We decided against riding on the back of a motorbike, and went for the easier option of a minibus tour for three days. (This was a good option as it poured with rain for part of the second day).
When we rocked up for the start of the tour, they asked us to change to the 2-day tour. There were not enough people booked for the three days, but only decided to tell us at the last minute so we couldn’t go and sign up with another company’s tour. In the end, two days was good, and it gives us another day to explore more of this fascinating country.
Some highlights of the trip so far:
- A pedal-powered cyclo trip through the hectic streets of HCMC, including a trip to the War Crimes Museum. Although partly North Vietnamese propaganda, it was a very moving and disturbing view of the Vietnam war.
- A trip through a floating market.
- A delicious meal where we selected a fish dish, only to see them go to the lake next to us and catch it, cook it up in coconut milk, then prepare it in rice paper rolls.
We are starting to get more relaxed in this environment, and eating more of the wonderful food that surrounds us in the streets. We have also tried just about every beer that is available. It is all very cheap.
We are beginning to pick up a bit more of the language. It is a lot easier to learn here as you can get instant feedback if you say it right (or wrong – most often!). By the end of our trip we should be able to order our food in Vietnamese!
Take care,
Clare and Rob.
PS all the locals keep laughing at my new hair cut.
Other letters from Vietnam:
