Because someone else thinks it’s walking distance…

So my first proper sightseeing was today.  And I’ve got to say that because something is theoretically within walking distance (according to my Geckos travel itinerary) doesn’t mean you should walk there.  Ho Chi Minh City is not made for pedestrians.  It’s a city with about three million motorbikes, not mention numerous cars, trucks and buses all of which can run you over rather effectively.  So that lovely sight you may wish to see could be about the same distance away as your regular morning walk, but that doesn’t take into account the multitudinous number of times you have to dice with traffic to cross both small and scarily large roads (sorry mum I know you don’t really want to know).  So I learned a valuable lesson today about walking long distances in hot, sunny, traffic riddled conditions : )  Oh and I’ve got to mention that just because you’re on the footpath, doesn’t mean the motorbikes aren’t on the footpath with you.

Today I visited the War Remnants Museum.  They’ve put together a very good display about Vietnam and the war.  There are lots of excellent photos, some of which are quite confronting.  If you don’t know a lot about the war, then this is the place to see how damaging and traumatic an experience it was for all sides.  I also visited the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City.  It was quite good but nowhere near as interesting as the War Remnants Museum.  There were displays about HCMC through the years including the protests against American intervention in Vietnam.  Then I was a bit museumed (yes it is a word) out, so headed back to the area my hotel is in to recover from the heat and sensory overload.  I’m thinking of tackling the Reunification Palace tomorrow during my travels.

I’m really enjoying my time here so far (short though it has been) and I can’t wait to start seeing the rest of the country over the next few weeks. But it’s dinner time now and I’m starving, so I’m off to scope out what’s available round here.

Beep Beep

So I’ve finally arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon for those playing at home).  It’s good to back in a country where the constatnt beep beep of car horns isn’t aggressive.  I’ve  already seen a family of five on one motorbike and witnessed my taxi driver cross a lane of traffic consisting of six rows of motorbikes just by beeping and slowing down.

HCMC is full of neon and from the sky it looks better for it.  Sometimes when you fly over cities they have generic white/yellow lights, but here is multicoloured all over.  It’s much more interesting. 

So, it’s 8.30pm here which means it’s 11.30pm in Australia and I’ve been awake since 4am your time.  I’m feeling a bit tired and my eyes are bloodshot and I’m feeling less than fresh, so I’m going to find something to eat and drink (snacks mostly) and then retire to my room.

Thankfully I’ve finished packing

Aaaah, it’s an early start tomorrow to get to the airport.  Although the flight to Vietnam leaves at 9.30am I have to be at the airport about three hours early.  Since I’m travelling from my parent’s house, it’s a real early start.  Though thanks to my mum, I don’t have to make my own way to the airport. 

One upside to leaving so early is that it will stop me dithering about what to pack.  If I’ve forgotten it now, it will remain unpacked.  Tomorrow evening I’ll be in Ho Chi Minh City and hopefully enjoying some delicious Vietnamese food and not worrying about boring stuff from back home   The weather looks to be improving too, but I think I’ll get there in time to experience the very end of the monsoon season.