You might want to grab a tea/coffee/milo for this one.......
DAY 1: - Well Deb and I arrived in HCMC yesterday around lunch time, we got our visas sorted at the airport, which was suprisingly easy, and then thought 'where to now?'. We got our bags and thought we would catch the bus 'downtown' and then find somewhere to stay for the night.....sounds good in theory. We get outside only to be told that there were no buses on Sunday (which I question now...but that's hindisght) so we arranged with a cabbie to take us into town we thought it was going to be 10 USD but no it was 10 USD each which he only clarified once we were driving away....first lesson! He dropped us into town and unloaded our bags onto the footpath, he then thought he had taken us into the wrong area and proceeded to load my things (one of them being a shopping bag) back into the front seat of the cab I said no this will be fine and he took my things out again without giving the whole situation much thought. So we strapped on the backpacks and started walking, map in hand when all of a sudden 2 cyclo riders came along and said they would show us a good hotel, we were reluctant but we really had no idea what we were doing so we hopped in. They did take us to a very nice hotel that was a good price so we took the room, the cyclos said they would wait while we checked in and then they would take us 'around'. We go up to the room, throw our bags down and use the loo. I thought I would unload some of my travel shit from my day pack and grab my brand new sunnies that I brought at Brisbane airport.....only to discover they weren't to be found! Our cab driver had stolen them when handling my bags in the front seat....second lesson! I was so angry with myself and it was such a bad start. Putting that aside we went downstairs to our waiting cyclos, when I asked how much one of them said 'it's ok', they took us riding through the traffic which is organised chaos, it's first in first go! We went to the general post office, a temple in Chinatown and the War Remnants Museum....which is a very sobering experience! The horrors of war that so many of us are immune to because we've not had to experience it first hand. We then went for dinner and then got dropped back to our hotel for an early night....the cyclos then expected us to pay a ridiculous price for their work....not happy! I offered them what I thought was fair and said take it or leave it....after a civilised argument they took the money and we walked away....lesson 3. By the time we got to bed we'd been awake for the better part of 36 hours.
DAY 2: - We had a bit of sleep in this morning and had brekky at the hotel, which was yummy. We then tottled off to a police station to fill out a report so I can at least claim my sunglasses theft through insurance, we found it, the police wonman was very helpful and got my report. We then went and checked out of our hotel as we decided that we wanted to find 'backpakcer alley' and get amongst it! We found the hotel we wanted got a good room at a good rate (internet included...bonus). We were feeling much better about the day and decided to go and book some tours, so we're off on a day trip to the Mekong Delta tomorrow and we've booked our bus tix to Cambodia for Wednesday. After that we just wandered the city, ate some great food and checked out some markets which were just crazy! Huge...floor to ceiling full of stuff, after wandering for a while you just kept seeing the same stuff over and over and over again and you get so sick of saying no thanks as they jam their wares in your face! I think we'll venture out tonight , grab a bite to eat and find a beer or two! Today has been a much better day...we've met some lovely locals!
Wow that was a big one!
Till next time take care!
Beck xoxo
