Hello friends and family. Its our second day in Ho Chi Minh city. We're now in the more touristy part of town after spending last night in an expensive hotel. It had Christmas decorations out the front!!! Phoung's brother and father met us at the airport, after we encountered some scary looking custom workers. (and yes mum I had paper and many pens!! I take after you!) We found Son, Phoung's brother, who then showed us to a taxi and took us to our hotel "first hotel". It was indeed our first hotel in Ho Chi Minh! THe next morning (this morning) we woke at 6.30am and had breakfast (crosants, baked beans, fruit with black pips and funny yoghurt) we started our adventure in style. Son left a message and said he wouldn't take us to the church/orphanage afterall because it wasn't open in the afternoon. So we travelled off to District one, got charged too much for a mean taxi driver and then charged too much by a cyclo bicycle rider who threatened to keep my bag!!!!!
We finally found somewhere to have lunch and then, thank goodness (mostly God) Coby saw an information place where a really nice guy told us about a place to stay and a tour group. GREAT! I am now sitting at An An Hotel at the free internet. Coby has gone us stairs, slightly drunk as we've found the cocktails are cheap, very alcoholic and fun to drink! :) We've already bought to many things at the market and have been ripped off many times. It's hard seeing the child beggars and I can't help but think i am in a strange world that seems so normal and yet so strange and sad. Many people are amazing, espeically the scooter, motorbike and car drivers. So crazy and we've not yet seen an accident. Coby and I have already crossed many streets filled with traffic. Scary. Surprisingly its not too scary as i think its because not many people are going over 40km an hour. Still a little unerving though :)
Well this day had gone both quickly and slow. We've met some lovely VIetnamese people and soem lovely westerners (also some not so lovely from both) and feel like bed is the way to go.
Oh the plane trip was ok. Long...movies (holiday and a comedy that wasn't so good). Took over 8 hrs to get to Ho Chi Minh. I did stretches. Met peopel here who recognised us from the flight. haha funny. so cool in the crazy country.
Ready to drink some more water and fall in a heap on my bed.
Last night coby laughed in her sleep...freaked me out!!! haha.
Night night. Talk later. feeling slightly tipsy...dont' worry we're safe and sound.
oh...we're heading off tomorrow for your trek up to Hanoi. Have to be up by 7.30am!! good times. good times.
