Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon
Friday 25th March 2016 the long journey of many planes & airports to Vietnam began. First flight at Manchester airport at 5:50pm 3.5hrs to Helsinki, straight on the next plane for a 10/11 flight to Hong Kong! We flew with Finnair, standard plane nothing special pretty cheap. Food wasn't great, neither were the films.
I'm so annoyed just looking back at my photos now & a lot taken on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S5) aren't in focus!! Nothing worse than blurry photos. But it's too late now.
We eventually landed in Hong Kong at 3:30pm local time Saturday 26th March. So tired as I can't sleep if I'm not lying down. Met up with my mum's younger brother who came to pick my younger cousin up Lisa who wasn't coming to Vietnam with us she was going straight to my grandma & granddad's in China. Me, my mum & auntie then had a 6hr wait for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City. I ended up sleeping on the floor after taking a blanket & pillow from the plane. We could've left the airport & went shopping around HK but we had no where to put our cases.
Hong Kong Wonton noodle soup
This pasta was actually nice!
We flew with United Airlines & landed in Ho Chi Minh City at 12:50am local time Sunday 27th March. By this time I'd been in 4 airports, on 3 planes, been in 4 different time zones. I was so ready for a shower & my bed. Travelling is exhausting. My mum & auntie's cousin who they've both never met before (reason we were going to Vietnam to meet her for the first time) picked us up at the airport & took us back to her house (she lives in a really big house has 4 floors!).
Considering Ho Chi Minh is a city it doesn't look like one at all. It looks like rural China where my grandma used to live. Small local shops along the streets, people living in flats, dirty & a lot people around. Not what I was expecting. I knew Vietnam was going to be very similar to China but not in the city. She took us out for breakfast then the local market.
Breakfast - pho!
Being British we take for granted our roads & the fact we actually have a system because I don't think I could drive in another country. Definitely not in Asia anyway. Ho Chi Minh city is full of scooters, with the odd cars which are mainly taxis. I should've took a photo but I was too scared of getting ran over or getting my phone/camera robbed to get a photo! People just walk across the road & walk against traffic! There's no path for people to walk on & it's so scary.
First dinner in Vietnam
Breakfast, noodles with veg, fish balls, sausage
Went to Đầm Sen Park which wasn't too far from where my mum's cousin lives, we did have to get scooters there. You had to pay to get in but it had everything in there a theme park, a zoo, a water park, ice sculptures which we didn't even know about until we walked out & I seen a poster then we had to ask them if we could go back in without paying. Luckily they did, you had to pay separately to go in to the igloo. Is that what they're called?
It was nice going in here to cool down since it was 37°C+ outside but cos it was so hot outside & so cold inside we were getting headaches. You can't stay in there long anyway but the dramatic change in temperature can actually kill you.
The one thing I was dreading about going to China.. These toilets! Didn't think they would have these in Vietnam but in the park they had some normal toilets then these hole in the floors. They had these all over China so now I am a pro at squatting. (I guess all them squats in the gym are working!) The last time I went when I was 13/14 I just couldn't go to them. I'd rather wee myself then go it was that bad! I guess they are meant to be more hygienic but most of them are dark, have to use flush it with a bucket of water, don't give you toilet roll & no soap to wash your hands. So where's the hygiene in that?
We went to this shopping centre to have lunch. The first photo is hot pot, the second is rice with rice, then the yellow thing I'm not sure what it is but I liked it. Possibly like an omelette kind of thing...
Dinner back at my mum's cousin's.
We hopped onto scooters & the cousin's took us to Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica which is a cathedral made from materials which were all imported from France. Saigon Central Post Office is right next to it, then down the road is Saigon Central which how I was imaging it would look like. I guess where we're staying isn't the centre so it isn't as modern. There's all high end designer shops along the streets, Chanel, LV, Burberry etc. Looks very European.
The cousin we were staying with her sister came from America LA to stay as well. So the day after they booked a mini bus for us to go to the cemetery to where their mum & dad are buried which was an hours drive from where they live. We then went to monkey island.
Noodles for breakfast!
I think it's a monkey sanctuary because you have to pay & there's just monkeys everywhere. You have to be careful not to have jewellery on & definitely no food on you. If they see something they like they will jump at you & take it off you. I was carrying a bottle of water & ended up just throwing it to them cos I was scared they were gonna jump at me! It was quite scary. These photos were taken on my mum's phone who actually risked getting it out, there was no way I was getting mine out or my camera cos I'd never get it back! They have wardens where you can give your phone or camera to so they can take a photo for you as they monkey's trust them & won't take the phone off them. You can buy peanuts to feed them, where they all huddle together & fight for them.
These we weird. So hard to get them out of the shell. Like snails wasn't a fan
Octopus
Scallops
We got off the minibus then there was a group of woman who had scooters which we hopped onto that took us down to these deck chairs & restaurant. You pay them to take you down & that includes the deck chairs.Then you order food to eat. These people selling smoked fish & ice lollies. The beach had black flags out so there was no-one on the sand but then again it was full of stones so no-one wants to go on it. The scooter ride was only to take you down you had to make the walk back out yourself on foot.
We had to get a ferry across to where monkey island & where the beach was but I didn't take any photos going there as we stayed on the minibus but on the way back we got out.
On the drive back the bus had a flat tyre so we had to stop off at the service station while it got sorted. Service stations are so cool they have hammocks!
I don't know what these are called but this jelly comes from them shells. It really sweet some sort fruit.
Held up by coconut shells
We drove past so many service stations & was saying how nice it would be to chill on a hammock then ended up having to go to one.
Hot pot for dinner when we got back
Dinner noodles actually home made
The day after they hired a coach & we went to Long Cung beach.
So much fruit!
Service station
Breakfast - I learnt to just ask for my noodles plain rather just no coriander as there was other stuff that's used in the soup base that I don't like.
Hired a hut which meant we could use the pool & all the facilities. Brought a load of photo to eat. The seafood we bought while we were on the coach there off the side of the road, chose our own crab then they cooked them for us.
No-one sunbathes on the beach, just people playing around in the water. The water is warm, it was so nice to just be able to chill in it exactly what I needed!
I thought their language would be written like Chinese but it's like the alphabet with a lot of different accents.
On the way back home we stopped off at another beach to take some photos, then some of them went to this temple to pray. I didn't go in so just took some photos outside.
Vietnamese people are pretty lazy, they tend not to cook for themselves as it's so convenient to just eat out or have a take-away. This was my breakfast from a shop round the corner you can even take the bowl home then you just leave it outside your house & they come & collect it.
New favourite fruit Mangosteen or garlic fruit!
The best thing about Vietnam all the fruit!
Fitting in with the locals, mandatory hat photo
Auntie has a Chihuahua called Lucky
Banquet for our last meal in Vietnam, it also happened to be my mum's cousin's birthday! Her daughter who lives in America bought her a cake. (Hence the American spelling of 'mom').
That was 5 days spent in Vietnam after this I flew back to Hong Kong then to China to see my grandparents for my granddad's 80th & was in between HK & china for the next 17 days. The cousin's came to China as well but they had their own separate flights. We wouldn't have went to see them this time if we knew they were going to go to China as well, but they didn't get their Visa till the day before they were due to fly out! So it was all really last minute. I definitely will go back one day as I want to go to Halong Bay & go to Hanoi the capital to tick it off my bucket list. 5 days just wasn't enough didn't even get to see all of Ho Chi Minh City. The next post will be of China..
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First dinner in Vietnam
Breakfast, noodles with veg, fish balls, sausage
Đầm Sen Park
Went to Đầm Sen Park which wasn't too far from where my mum's cousin lives, we did have to get scooters there. You had to pay to get in but it had everything in there a theme park, a zoo, a water park, ice sculptures which we didn't even know about until we walked out & I seen a poster then we had to ask them if we could go back in without paying. Luckily they did, you had to pay separately to go in to the igloo. Is that what they're called?
It was nice going in here to cool down since it was 37°C+ outside but cos it was so hot outside & so cold inside we were getting headaches. You can't stay in there long anyway but the dramatic change in temperature can actually kill you.
The one thing I was dreading about going to China.. These toilets! Didn't think they would have these in Vietnam but in the park they had some normal toilets then these hole in the floors. They had these all over China so now I am a pro at squatting. (I guess all them squats in the gym are working!) The last time I went when I was 13/14 I just couldn't go to them. I'd rather wee myself then go it was that bad! I guess they are meant to be more hygienic but most of them are dark, have to use flush it with a bucket of water, don't give you toilet roll & no soap to wash your hands. So where's the hygiene in that?
Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica
Saigon Central Post Office
Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City Hall
The cousin we were staying with her sister came from America LA to stay as well. So the day after they booked a mini bus for us to go to the cemetery to where their mum & dad are buried which was an hours drive from where they live. We then went to monkey island.
Noodles for breakfast!
Cần Giờ Monkey Island
I think it's a monkey sanctuary because you have to pay & there's just monkeys everywhere. You have to be careful not to have jewellery on & definitely no food on you. If they see something they like they will jump at you & take it off you. I was carrying a bottle of water & ended up just throwing it to them cos I was scared they were gonna jump at me! It was quite scary. These photos were taken on my mum's phone who actually risked getting it out, there was no way I was getting mine out or my camera cos I'd never get it back! They have wardens where you can give your phone or camera to so they can take a photo for you as they monkey's trust them & won't take the phone off them. You can buy peanuts to feed them, where they all huddle together & fight for them.
Biển Cần Giờ Resort
These we weird. So hard to get them out of the shell. Like snails wasn't a fan
Octopus
Scallops
We got off the minibus then there was a group of woman who had scooters which we hopped onto that took us down to these deck chairs & restaurant. You pay them to take you down & that includes the deck chairs.Then you order food to eat. These people selling smoked fish & ice lollies. The beach had black flags out so there was no-one on the sand but then again it was full of stones so no-one wants to go on it. The scooter ride was only to take you down you had to make the walk back out yourself on foot.
We had to get a ferry across to where monkey island & where the beach was but I didn't take any photos going there as we stayed on the minibus but on the way back we got out.
On the drive back the bus had a flat tyre so we had to stop off at the service station while it got sorted. Service stations are so cool they have hammocks!
I don't know what these are called but this jelly comes from them shells. It really sweet some sort fruit.
Held up by coconut shells
We drove past so many service stations & was saying how nice it would be to chill on a hammock then ended up having to go to one.
Hot pot for dinner when we got back
Dinner noodles actually home made
Long Cung Beach Resort
So much fruit!
Service station
Breakfast - I learnt to just ask for my noodles plain rather just no coriander as there was other stuff that's used in the soup base that I don't like.
Hired a hut which meant we could use the pool & all the facilities. Brought a load of photo to eat. The seafood we bought while we were on the coach there off the side of the road, chose our own crab then they cooked them for us.
No-one sunbathes on the beach, just people playing around in the water. The water is warm, it was so nice to just be able to chill in it exactly what I needed!
I thought their language would be written like Chinese but it's like the alphabet with a lot of different accents.
On the way back home we stopped off at another beach to take some photos, then some of them went to this temple to pray. I didn't go in so just took some photos outside.
Vietnamese people are pretty lazy, they tend not to cook for themselves as it's so convenient to just eat out or have a take-away. This was my breakfast from a shop round the corner you can even take the bowl home then you just leave it outside your house & they come & collect it.
New favourite fruit Mangosteen or garlic fruit!
The best thing about Vietnam all the fruit!
Fitting in with the locals, mandatory hat photo
Auntie has a Chihuahua called Lucky
Banquet for our last meal in Vietnam, it also happened to be my mum's cousin's birthday! Her daughter who lives in America bought her a cake. (Hence the American spelling of 'mom').
That was 5 days spent in Vietnam after this I flew back to Hong Kong then to China to see my grandparents for my granddad's 80th & was in between HK & china for the next 17 days. The cousin's came to China as well but they had their own separate flights. We wouldn't have went to see them this time if we knew they were going to go to China as well, but they didn't get their Visa till the day before they were due to fly out! So it was all really last minute. I definitely will go back one day as I want to go to Halong Bay & go to Hanoi the capital to tick it off my bucket list. 5 days just wasn't enough didn't even get to see all of Ho Chi Minh City. The next post will be of China..
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Some of the photos were
taken on my Nikon 1 J2 camera while others were taken from my Samsung Galaxy S5
phone.
