Vietnam Trip

[scottish-guy]

Well, arrived in Saigon for my first ever trip to Vietnam last night (door to door 21 hours).

Emirates flights via DBX uneventful but up to usual high standard with good quality food (by airline standards) and no shortage of drinks.

Arrival at Tan Son Nhat airport around 8pm was in advance of scheduled time and with only 4 people in front of me at passport control, I was soon making my way to collect luggage and clear security (note that you have to put all your luggage through the X-ray scanners on your way INTO Vietnam).

Had brought a new iPhone/ipad for BF and was wary of what would happen with these as I'd read that either I'd be extorted out of significant sums of money or have a lengthy debate with customs staff (involving receipts having to be produced) about whether they accepted these were "personal belongings". In the event, nobody was in the least interested in the contents of my luggage and there did not even appear to be any customs officers on duty at all. So that's a lesson learned.

BF was waiting with his sister and a friend and after a pretty short taxi ride we all soon arrived at the A&EM hotel. Well, after all the discussion about 2 guys sharing a double room, the receptionist turned out to be as camp as Christmas and assured us it would have been no problem. - except they didn't have a room for us (despite being booked and paid in advance) and would we move round the corner to one of their other hotels. So, that's what we did and everything was fine.

Was taken to some club or other last night (will doubtless find out the name at some point. Very loud and very expensive - so no rush to go back. Then a final few beers in a local bar which seemed to be staffed by ladyboys and female prostitutes. Certainly no sign of any boys for hire in either of these establishments. Weather was dry and seemed quite cool really.

Missed the breakfast thus morning (as usual) so I ventured outside about 11am. The weather is certainly different at that time - very hot indeed! By accident I found myself at the famous Ben Thahn market - a maze of stalls selling everything you can think of from a sheeps head to freshly ground coffee. If you're not into haggling, don't go here - the price starts off double what you'll end up paying.

Was quite surprised that the city centre has such a European look to it - very French, with wide boulevards and little parks laid out here and there. The hotel is the same - very ornate inside with period telephones in the rooms and large ornately- framed paintings on the bedroom walls. Very poofy indeed - just the ticket for an old queen.

Found it difficult to locate the foreign exchange booths which are so prevalent in Thailand and ended up changing some money in a bank at around 33000 dong to the ┬г. Then sat in a small cafe and ordered some (4) spring rolls and a Heineken beer - total 60,000 dong = less than ┬г2.

This afternoon visited Diamond Plaza complex with BF, sister, and 2 friends of BF for bowling. 250,000D for 1 hour and by the time we'd each had a few beers and snackettes the bill had reached about 3 x that, but still pretty good value I reckon.

I think the intention is to spend just 3 days in Saigon and them go to Na Trang which BF tells me is at the sea - so, more to come....

[christianpfc]

Thanks for your report. I remember a post about your boyfriend having fled Vietnam to avoid being drafted to the army, so this problem got solved?

[fountainhall]

The dong seems to drop almost continuously. Reminds me of a 'cheap' joke -

A recent immigrant from Vietnam walked into a currency exchange in Los Angeles with 10 million dong, walking out with $500. The next month he walked in with another 10 million, and was handed $450. He asked the teller why he got less money that month than the last one. The teller said, "Fluctuations."

The guy stormed out. Just before slamming the door he turned around and shouted, "Fluc you Amelicans, too!" #-o

[a447]

Nobody likes a dong that drops, least of all me!

[scottish-guy]

Last night was taken over to BFs new house, ostensibly for a meal, but when I arrived a surprise Birthday party had been organised and three generations of his family had turned up to greet me, along with 2 or 3 cute friends of his, which was very nice - and yet more flowers for me!! I politely nibbled at the vast array of Vietnamese food which had been laid out but I was more at home with the birthday cake, and the Chivas Regal which his father seemed very keen to keep re-filling my glass with (as he refilled his own at the same time).

So it was a late night back to the hotel (don't even remember leaving his house actually) - and we did not wake until 11.00am, meaning I'd missed the breakfast yet again.

Basically my trip has been totally taken over by BF and sister who are arranging everything and I just get ushered into a taxi periodically and get taken places. It's fine by me because I didn't have any specific plans anyway, so I don't feel as if I'm missing anything - and I haven't paid for any of the taxis yet!

For lunch I was taken to SH Garden restaurant, which has a rooftop dining area overlooking the city. I would recommend this place for food, service, and location - not to mention a ride to the top in what seemed to be a very very old and small elevator with the old-fashioned iron "gate" inner door that I haven't seen in the UK foR about 40yrs. BF ordered a wide variety of small dishes of chicken, beef, pork, rice of course, and some kind of fish soup. I was able to eat everything on offer and it was all very tasty. I had 2 beers and BF & sister had iced tea. Since they had put on the party last night and paid for yesterday's bowling excursion (tho I got the drinks/snacks) I thought it fair to get the bill and it was roughly 1,200,000 Dong which I guess must be about ┬г25-30, which seems reasonable.

Coming out of the restaurant and attempting to cross 3 roads (same as Thailand in that pedestrian crossings count for absolutely nothing) I spotted the rather famous Rex Hotel so decided to take a wander through that. The ground floor is crammed full of top-end shops - Rolex, Versace etc etc - none of them with a single customer in them! Hotel itself is extremely opulent and I'm sure I raised a few eyebrows with my shorts, sandals, and casual shirt.

As for tonight - who knows!

PS: Christian - yes the army issue got sorted out somehow - around April this year. I can't say with any great certainty HOW it got resolved (something about having studied for over 2 years outside Vietnam as far as I could make out) but it did. I'm certainly much happier to see him in his own country with his family there for him and he seems to be doing well in his new study. Much better situation than those 2-3 years he was continually flitting between Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand etc etc

[a447]

Speaking of the Rex hotel, make sure you go to the rooftop bar for a drink and maybe a meal. The Caravelle also does an awesome evening buffet for around US$50.

[Nirish guy]

Yes the Rex serves GREAT cocktails up on the roof bar, well worth a visit.


Edit - just shows you I just googled the Rex to remind myself of my trip and my "great" cocktails must have been due to me really enjoying my trip as the Rex is getting quite average reviews now and there are several much more opulent rooftops cocktail bars now it seems in Saigon - oh well, "I" certainly enjoyed it whilst sitting there sipping away and watching the world going by below ....... I was going to post a pic from the website but I'd hate to be accused of being a Beechy :-)

[scottish-guy]

Last night was taken to DC club in HCMC - upscale dance club with DJ belting out various unrecognisable tunes at decibel levels which actually made your body vibrate.

On the way there in the taxi, I noticed we passed one of the very few actual gay bars - Godmother - but didn't get the chance to look in as by the time we left the club after 2am, all I wanted was to get back to my hotel.

Price-wise I couldn't give you the least idea what the evening cost, where 2 bottles of Vodka and 2 bottles of Hennesy brandy were consumed by our group of about six, with extremely fastidious waiters dishing it out a thimbleful at time, until a couple of us got a bit impatient with that and made sure we got a decent drink.

The reason I have no idea of the cost was that I paid nothing! Again, I'm not entirely sure but I think the 2 bottles of Vodka were gratis because BF rounded up 4 women to come into the club - and this seems to qualify you for free booze! But also he seems to do some promotional work for them as he was signing chittys every now and then. Doubt if I'll get to the bottom of that. The brandy was courtesy of some middle aged guy who joined our group and who didn't like Vodka, so he bought the brandy - which I must say I'm not fond of but I did drink some just to be sociable. Incidentally, I'm of course familiar with the assisted toilet arrangements in some venues in Thailand, but the palaver to have a piss in DC Club is in another league. You don't simply go to the toilet in this place, the minute you get off your seat and look in the direction of the toilet you are literally accosted by the security staff with both hands guiding you across the floor, until you are delivered into the hands of a different group of staff members who guide you with both hands to the door of the bog, where you are passed into the hands of the toilet staff who guide you with both hands to the relevant pissoir or cubicle of your choice.

Oh I meant to say - also visited McDonalds which apparently has only opened in Vietnam in the last couple of months. Large meal was around ┬г2 but I have to say it wasn't quite right, far too much mayo on BFs burger with result that salad was a runny mess. And the ice cream (or more likely the strawberry sauce) tasted of curry for some obscure reason-don't think they've perfected it yet!

Have now checked out of hotel and visiting his mother who, as I type, is cooking something up - shudder to think actually, but time will tell. After that we embark on a bus journey to Na Trang. I was informed casually yesterday that the bus trip takes 8-10 hours! So that should certainly be an adventure or more likely an ordeal.

[scottish-guy]

I can confirm that "ordeal" was an understatement. Boarded the sleeper bus "express" at 7.30am in Saigon and arrived at about 8am the following morning. So 11 hours of sheer, unendurable hell, crammed into a sardine tin berth, with no working toilet on board, no refreshments, no adequate vent insulation, and only 1 x 30min stop at one of those roadside shitholes. Even the natives were complaining! Yet another lesson learned.

Great hotel in Na Trang - only been open 6 months and we got free upgrade to VIP suite because we arrived at about 7.45am and I don't think they had a room ready. Of course they could well have said to come back at 2pm but fortunately they didn't.

Went on a boat trip at 8.30am because we only have 2 days here - visited a number of small islands, free food etc and beer at $1 a can to buy. Got back about 4pm approx. Great day out for only 50,000 dong for two.

On the boat, spotted a cable car that runs across the sea to a point called from memory Vietpoint? But now I've typed it, it doesn't look right. Checking it out tomorrow anyway

[lego]

Great reports, Scottish Guy, please keep them coming!

I can help you out with that cable car in Nha Trang, it's called Vinpearl.

[RonanTheBarbarian]

ScottishGuy, if you have not booked your return ticket to Saigon yet, there is actually a train you can take also.
Takes eight hours but it might be a bit more comfortable than the bus.

[JamesII]

in Saigon what are the coffee houses that gays hang out in if anyone know?

[Nirish guy]

spotted a cable car that runs across the sea to a point called from memory Vietpoint? But now I've typed it, it doesn't look right.

Great posts SG, keep em up, really enjoying reading them, sounds like you're having a blast - well apart from that bus ride, but hey we've all been there on those ridiculously long uncomfortable bus trips, but don't worry just think of it as character building !! :-)

As for your above I was half expecting you to come back and say " Shit I was tired, the sign actually said VIEWPOINT" lol - and if so I would have creased myself laughing :-)

[scottish-guy]

Following on from my last post, breakfast at hotel was good, with mix of Asian and European food. I've discovered that Vietnamese life seems to revolve around eating at least 5 or 6 times a day. So, within 3 hours of what I considered a substantial breakfast, BFs two sisters (yes, they came too - and I'm glad because it makes for more variety) have propelled me into a restaurant to buy me lunch! Well, I was so surprised because up to now it has all been Vietnamese food, but this was a French bistro imaginatively called Le Petit Bistro. It was SO stereotypical - with French accordion music playing in the background - I half expected Rene Dubois to be our host and for Madame Edith to appear and burst into song (ref: BBC TV's "Allo, Allo"). I has a spaghetti bolognese starter, Coq Au Vin main course, and profiteroles for dessert. I can't remember what the girls had. I also ordered a bottle of Chardonnay at 500,000 dong so I thought it fair to alter the plan and for me to foot the bill.

Got back to hotel at about 2pm (at a stiff-legged trot - something had clearly disagreed with my colon and I feared an explosive expulsion could have happened right there in the street, but thankfully not!) This was the second time I have felt unwell. On the boat trip yesterday I took a dizzy turn and was close to collapse until helped by the crew up to the top-deck and sat on a crate under some shade. Once I had sat there and drank 2 litres of plain water I was okay. I 'm putting it down to the searing heat (must be well into the 40s here), being in direct sunlight a lot of the time, and losing litres of fluid a day in copious sweating.

Then at about 5pm I was taken to the Nha Trang municipal beach. Very clean and non-polluted as far as I could judge. Boys playing volleyball, a few men sailing a remote- controlled model of the boat-trip vessels. Some boys loitering on the benches, looking at me but I think I'm just novelty value, I don't think there's anything going on there. That passed an hour and it was eating time yet again, so I was pushed into a taxi and taken to one of those open-air industrial sized eating places you can see across from the gay bars in Phuket. My God, did it stink of fish and meat etc. All manner of small dishes duly arrived, and if I never see anymore cockles or weird shellfish in my life I'll die happy. I ate very little of this, I felt as if stuffed with straw already.

Once this latest feeding frenzy was over, I decided to get my oar in! The previous night in transit, I had noticed us passing the "Jolly Leprechaun", so I had done a little research in the afternoon and when the taxi arrived to facilitate our escape from the eating factory, I told the taxi driver to take us to JL. Of course this drew an entirely blank look from all in the taxi, but I had the address in my phone so, off we went.

On arrival at the JL I had expected one of those god-awful "Irish Bars" and that is certainly what the theme was meant to be, but the management perhaps didn't fully understand the concept. Firstly, it was empty - but the seriously weird thing was that the staff patently did not understand that the Irish theme bar concept requires compulsory Riverdance-type music to be played from opening to closing every night. I can only assume that something became seriously lost in translation, because they had opted to play an entire CD album of Christmas Carols through the sound system! Anyway, it was happy hour 2for1 so we had Mojitos and for my free one I had a Tequila Sunrise - all of which the cute and efficient barman mixed very well. Nobody else took a 2nd drink. We left just as "Good King Wenceslas" struck up!

Back to hotel about 8pm and then at 10pm it was time to go out again! Surely not more food? But no, we went to Havana Club nightclub on the beachfront. The attraction that night is some elfin female pop sensation (she's world-famous in Vietnam, I surmise) belts out a set of her greatest hits, none of which is any way recognisable, but it's all good. 4 hours and 2 bottles of Johnnie Walker Gold Label later, we staggered out. Have a vague recollection of going somewhere else for last drink but really can't swear to it.

So, back to hotel. Nobody mentions food for a change. Drink-fuelled slumber ensues.

Next morning (Sun) I'm shaken awake. "Get up, Get up, have breakfast!" Who am I to argue?

oooOooo

Lego, you're correct - the cable car I saw the day before goes right across the sea to Vinpearl Land. Went there Sun afternoon. Booked tickets in the hotel, after breakfast, which included taxi pick-up from hotel, delivery to cable-car station, day ticket to VP Land, and taxi drop-off back at hotel. Ticket price 550,000 dong per person (less than ┬г20). Also it's been decided not to go back to Saigon for 3 days in preparation for leaving - instead I'm to go to Da Lat because BF fears I may die from sun-stroke if I go back to Saigon, and I'm told Da Lat is in the mountains and cool. But we have left it too late to book a flight so....with great dread another bus trip is booked for 4pm

Meanwhile, off to Vinpearl Land. Taxi takes us to cable car station. The cable car across the South China Sea (guessing) is amazing -it must be about 2 miles long' and with great views. VinaPearl Land is basically an amusement park - but it's as if they bought one from the 60/70s and transplanted it there. Well, 60s/70s was my era for amusement parks anyway!

I doubt the high-tech hyper-critical kids of today from the 1st world would be impressed - Disney-world it isn't - but I loved it and BF is easily-pleased (no insults necessary :)) ) so we had a good time. All the old-fashioned carousel rides, hobby horses, chair-o-planes, a very basic roller-coaster, and a cable-car skiing ride which on the downward run must have reached all of 5mph! Good afternoon of nostalgia for yours truly. I'm asked if I want to eat - I decline in favour of a pokey-hat instead (ice-cream cone)

So.....the dreaded bus journey to Da Lat will be the subject of my next spot (or blemish, as you may prefer )

[Nirish guy]

" one of those god-awful "Irish Bars" ...... the management perhaps didn't fully understand the concept....... they had opted to play an entire CD album of Christmas Carols through the sound system!

Well now you're just showing how unhip and not down with the cool kids you are there SG as I'll have you know that all the cool bars have been playing Christmas music in the bars and clubs all year here now for YEARS don't cha know, hell it was only last Friday night that we were all up rocking the place to Once in Royal Davids City complete with the Hark the Herald Angels sing and Away in a Manger remix medley ! :-)

Enjoy your bus trip - and DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS this time ( of the non alcoholic variety perhaps even just for a short while :-) )

[joe552]

hey, Scottish-guy, I just discovered this thread (I don't often venture over here) and I'm really enjoying your reports. Hope this last bus trip was not as hellish as the first. Keep having fun.

[scottish-guy]

Ok, so I was told a minibus would be picking us up from the hotel in Nha Trang and taking us to Da Lat, a journey of about 3.5 hours. So I had expectations of a private air-con minibus.

Well, strike that. A rickety old char-a-banc showed up with no air-con whatsoever - only open windows which I was invited to sit at, presumably to catch a 40c breeze mixed with diesel fumes, for the good of my health

This excuse for a vehicle then limped from hotel to hotel picking up 2 ppl here, 3 ppl there, until full. "Well, at least I'm not lying down trapped in a plastic coffin like the sleeping bus" I thought. Until it pulled into a yard and everybody got off, so we felt obliged to follow suit. After much excited yapping in the way Vietnamese do, I was delivered the news that we were now to transfer onto the coffin-bus. " Same last, time, sure!" my insanely grinning BF told me with an air of exhilaration that suggested he had somehow done exactly the one thing in the world that would please me.

Well, I must admit I briefly lost it - head on hands, exclaiming "No, No, No - for fuck sake! Cannot do! Not again! As seasoned observes of the Thailand scene will know, such a reaction only results in a bemused look, not any understanding of what you are trying to convey. "Go here, wait here" I was told. Around 10 minutes later standing under the raging sun you could have fried an egg on my head, but we are directed to a bus. Joy oh joy - it's not a sleeping bus at all! Don't get me wrong, it's not anything built before 1970 provably, but it has seats rather than glorified plastic bathtubs and I am grateful. Not so the BF - "Not happy" he says "I pay for sleeping bus, this is not right bus"! "Oh dear, how sad, never mind" I say "let's just get on".

On board the bus, any brief elation disappears. We have not only been allocated but I strongly suspect he ASKED for the 3 back seats. You know the ones - right against the engine, right? Did I mention the vinyl seats last time? Well you can draw your own conclusions as to how ideal those are on a non air-con bus. I feel like bursting into tears frankly but hey, ho - I sit on the very end seat which has at least the benefit, not of air-con as BF would have me believe, but forced air ventilation so that at least there's air from outside is blowing in your face. Unfortunately at this point it's hot air, rather like a hairdryer. Get the picture? Sitting there with my shirt stuck to me, I console myself with the thought that if the bus ever moves, the air might become cooler - and it last it does so.

As the bus travels along, it folks down to the point at which it's almost bearable. One hour later, it stops at a roadside canteen and the doors open (and remain open for 30mins whilst ppl pee or eat, or both, and hot, fetid air re-fills the bus.

I'd say it was about 2 hours into the trip that something miraculous happened - it got cooler! Furthermore, the more we travelled up these winding, mountain roads the cooler it became! Four hours into the trip and I feel like laughing hysterically - the windows are steaming up because it's cold outside! My shirt, shorts, underwear have all actually separated from my skin, and the Vietnamese are putting on overcoats. "Too cold, I think I die!" says BF. You don't know how close you were when you mentioned that sleeping bus, I think to myself.

So, 4.5 hours after leaving hotel in Nha Trang we have arrived in Dah Lat!

PS Must apologise for spelling errors, not used to ipad.

[christianpfc]

Thank you very much for sharing. As a fan of public transport, I had some unpleasant bus rides. But still more interesting to travel with locals in a bus than airplane, and cheaper.

There was a more than one-hour ride from Srisaket to Khun Han to visit the Million Bottle temple, bus was full, I had to give up my seat for a disabled/pregnant/elderly (don't remember exactly) person, but managed to squeeze one butt cheek on the seat, which meant I had to hold on somewhere to keep balance, but still better than standing.

A truly horrible trip was the overnight bus from Luang Prabang to Vientiane, the bus had seats (different styles) recovered from old airplanes, but they were put with less space than in an airplane.

Can you elaborate, or better take a picture, of that sleeper bus? I can't sleep well in reclining seats, but there was one real sleeper bus (no seats, only beds, two stacked above, steel frame) from Vientiane to Xiengkhouang (Plain of Jars, will post full report some time), which was fine for me, I slept well (feet and head touching ends, but no problem).

Near the engine is not a good place. I know this from Bangkok buses: the cover is hot, sometimes so hot you can't touch it. And even 10 or 20 cm away, you can still feel the radiated heat. And if you sit above the engine, you have all the heat creeping up through your feet and butt.

I absolve you from your spelling errors.

[attachment=0:2p9hu3iz]1609679_10152138365634651_129258330_n.jpg[/attachment:2p9hu3iz]

[a447]

SG, you experienced some of the same scams that I wrote about on this forum.

First of all, I also got the "Sorry, have problem with room. But we have other hotel," excuse. Many others in my hotel in Hoian were told the same lies and ended up being sent to an alternative and cheaper hotel. What they do is send you off somewhere cheaper for a night or two and resell the more expensive room to another guest. I reported this to the hotel booking site on the internet but they didn't want to know about it and would not post my review on their website. They only do it to customers who have prepaid via a hotel booking site, as people who just walk in have the alternative of going to another hotel.

I also paid for a sleeper bus but was put on a rusted out, dirty bus with no sleeping seats.

And I paid for a deluxe cruise in Halong Bay on a beautiful yacht but ended up on a boat that was barely seaworthy and did not resemble the photo of the boat I'd paid for.

They are just a few of the many scams I came across all over Vietnam. I'll never go back.

[scottish-guy]

Christian - I did not take pictures but let me tell you - your pics represent LUXURY compared to what I experienced :))

[joe552]

I hope we get to read more details of your trip, Scottish

[scottish-guy]

Below are the final 2 "instalments" - had difficulty connecting to Internet, hence the delay


So, it's now Sunday and we are in Da Lat bus bus station disembarking the bus. As soon as I stepped off I was overjoyed!
It was cool, it was fresh, with a gentle drizzle raining down. A blessed relief!
A point of information here us that once you are off the bus you are ferried to your accommodation free of charge by a fleet of taxis.

BFs father had suggested where we should stay "Dalat Train Villa" - and at $90 for 2 nights in their last remaining room ( a family room) it seemed reasonable. It was pitch dark by the time we arrived (gets dark in Vietnam about 6.30pm). Got checked in and are are escorted to our room by torchlight ( no, the electricity hadn't failed, although that happened later) it's because we are in a separate villa.

Quick unpacking follows, quick showers, and then we pour ourselves (BF, Sister, Hotel owner (just wait),and myself) into a taxi and head out for food and drinks. Turns out she owns this venue too! It's called the Escape Bar and is part of the Blue Moon Hotel building.When I hear "Escape" bar I had nostalgic thoughts of Prague, but only the name was the same!

Had a great night at Escape with free red wine greeting us, a reserved "top table" and a first-rate live band playing a rock and roll set/jam session. I had a really good and freshly made (not frozen) Pizza with a few beers and I really don't remember what the others had but it was all very good and reasonably priced. Then this guy enters the bar with a small entourage and greets us and thus turns out to be the owner's American husband. Very nice, friendly guy, warm and outgoing. Then, the next thing he's on the stage with the live band, playing the trombone. I was impressed with the jamming session on that song, but does he not then grab an electric guitar for the next one and play that equally amazingly, then further 2 songs - this time with a harmonica, and then he gets on the keyboard on the next song. This guy is amazing! So, that rounds off the evening nicely and we get back about 1am and just literally hit the sack we are so tired.

MONDAY morning - guess what - we make breakfast! This is served in a Vietnamese train carriage which has been brought on site, refurbished and turned into breakfast room/cafe. Simple breakfast of juice, cornflakes, eggs, bread, tea/coffee. If anybody is interested in the hotel or bar venue, PM me for details..

BFs mother and father appear early morning - they have travelled from Saigon on the coffin-bus (12 hours I think) and look remarkably fresh. Nice family get together in the garden for a couple of hours. Hotel owner joins in, suggests I move to Vietnam immediately and she will help me set up a business to provide an income. Sounds vaguely familiar to something that happened in Pattaya a few yrs ago! But she certainly knows what she is talking about - it is not simply a case of the husband running the show, it's her - so any advice would be worth listening to at least.

Breakfast and chat is all over by about 11.30am, so (as I've explained before) it's now time to eat lunch!

Hotel owner shoves us all in a taxi, and we are all whisked off on a sightseeing session.

First up is a trip to Crazy House - a bizarre architectural experiment thought up by some mad Russian woman who has developed this house/ residence within a concept of tree stumps and rocks. A collection of bedrooms, living rooms, and various other rooms all woven into this surreal tree- like concept. Look it up for yourselves - I'm sure its on google, it's a bit arty-farty and beyond me frankly, but an enjoyable hour.

We are then whisked to some kind of stately home in Da Lat - Bao Dai's Summer Palace I believe. Very interesting place with touristy things to do outside (pose with horse and cart etc) and magnificent furnishings inside. They also dress you up as the Emperor and you can buy the photos (which I did) and was photographed in costume with my new-found family who were similarly attired. Bought a few items from the gift shop.

That passed an hour or so, then of course it's time to eat again. We are put back in the taxi and taken to V Cafe. The hotel owner aka the Escape bar owner, is also the owner of this venue. Excellent food, nice cold beers and good prices. Highly recommended.

Get back to the hotel about 4pm via a taxi tour round the open air market and some local streets. Everywhere bustling and busy.

We spend a couple of hours doing this and that and then are told a taxi is booked for 6pm. By now, I don't even bother to ask - just go with the flow. We get in the taxi and are driven to the Dalat Palace Hotel. Well, this is something else - this would be like staying in an art gallery or museum! (Google it if interested). I half expect our Hotel owner to tell us she owns this as well, but no - she worked here a few years ago and wants to show us around. Now, don't get me wrong - its magnificent. its unique, but being shown round a hotel is a little strange to me - but i enjoy it. The Presidential Suite is unlocked for us and we have an opportunity to wander round that.

We are taken deep down in the hotel, to the basement bar "Harrys Bar". I remember it because there was a gay bar in Glasgow with the same name. The Glasgow one was names after Sir Harry Lauder mind you, THIS one I'm told is named after some American millionaire who redeveloped it and a couple other hotels in Da Lat in the 20s in the hope of turning Da Lat into some kind of rich man's playground for golfers etc. Apparently (this is all from memory so forgive inaccuracies) he died in one of those "vanishing plane" crashes that were not uncommon in those days (and still happen now it seems). Our Hotel owner buys us all drinks! I have a Rusty Nail (!), BF and HO have G&T and BFs Dad has something I cant remember.

Very pleasant early evening activity.

We are then ushered into the taxi again and are transported to the Escape Bar again where were enjoy the fantastic entertainment again and consume lots of drinks. Again the musician husband it absolutely superb and this time SHE gets up and belts out a few numbers as well. Fantastic nights entertainment. Then at about 11.30 pm its all back to the hotel for some well-earned sleep!

[scottish-guy]

Tuesday 24/6

This is my last day in Vietnam.

I therefore need to get from Da Lat back to Saigon to catch my flight home which leaves just after midnight tomorrow.

So, we get up at 6am to shower and do some last-minute packing. The hotel has agreed to open the breakfast caf├й at 7am instead of 8am so we can eat before leaving Da Lat,

At least there is no bus involved, but there is some trepidation in my mind - Bfs sister booked the flights via the Hotel in Nha Trang (I could not get the Vietjetair website to accept a payment) and this is the same booking agency which fucked up the bus to Da Lat (although it fucked it up favourably as it turned out)

Taxi has been booked for 7.45am and arrives on time. Mother and Father have risen early to wave us away, which is a nice touch.

SoтАж..off we go.

Taxi to airport takes about 30 minutes with no problems at all en route. We get to the check-in desk. Much yapping in Vietnamese signals some kind of problem. IтАЩm told that no luggage has been paid for. However, after recent experiences, I have now attained a state of supreme bliss where this sort of problem is a mere trifle in the scheme of things. I ask тАЬHow muchтАЭ and it is something like $15 so I am not going to tear my hair out over this.

тАЬJust pay herтАЭ I tell BF. тАЬButтАжbutтАжbutтАжтАЬ he says. тАЬJust pay her please and lets get awayтАЭ .

Of course, its not that straightforward - you canтАЩt pay HER - you have to pay someone else at a different desk, get a chitty stamped and bring it back over. OK, we do that - but thereтАЩs more to come: we arrived in Da Lat with 2 bags and we are leaving with 4. The check-in girl has all 4 bags on the belt and is insisting that we pull stuff out of 1 bag and put it in the others. BF has a rucksack and a paper carrier bag bound by an entire roll of sellotape (nobody in their right mind would consider this as acceptable luggage but never mind. Much re-arranging goes on till she is satisfied that she can send 2 bags to the hold and the other 2 are to be cabin bags. I think I hear her face crack as she finally breaks into a smile.

I rub my hands as I walk away - тАЬTea!тАЭ I say and we walk a short distance where a sullen boy brings me a cup of brownish liquid purporting to be tea, into which he has already put UHT milk (which I cant stand), and BF has some kind of juice. We sip the drinks, and chat for about 15 minutes.

Then I remember that with all the fucking about, the check-in agent has sent my CABIN luggage to the HOLD, with my iphone and camera in the front flap which is unsecured in any way. I tell BF about this тАЬWhy you do this?тАЭ he asks and I explain that I was intending to personally carry that bag onboard, so it did not need to be secured. тАЬI get the bag back, maybe I canтАЭ and he tears off.

Well, the state of supreme bliss I mentioned earlier is still lingering - either that or I have just given up completely. I watch as he goes back through security the wrong way, back to the check-in desk. At that point I stop looking, I have already waved goodbye to the iphone and camera and am trying to remember which email address I had the insurance policy sent to. After all, who in the world can get a bag back after it disappeared down the conveyor belt 15 minutes ago?

I finish my tea slowly. He is still not back so I finish his juice as well. Then he re-appears at the back of security, grinning from ear to ear and waving the phone and camera in the air. Well thatтАЩs an unexpected result! On his return, he tells me how he did it. He claimed he had left his life saving medicine in the bag and might die if he didnтАЩt have it on the plane, so they pulled out all the stops and retrieved the bag before it went on the plane. Highly resourceful and imaginative.

About 20 minutes later he flight is called and we board the plane. After the 9hr bus journey from Saigon to Nha Trange and the 4.5hr journey from Nha Trang to Da Lat, IтАЩm looking forward to $30 of luxury travel!

Plane is absolutely fine - similar to easy jet operation.

We have exit row seats and thatтАЩs a bonus for space, so I have already decided to celebrate by ordering a beer and a small tub of Pringles once we are airborne.

The steward minces up to us and yaps in Vietnamese to BF. BF looks bewildered then nods his head and smiles. IтАЩm told that apparently the steward recognises him from Facebook. IтАЩm not that surprised, as he seems to be on it 24/7.

Then the safety announcement is delivered by the camp steward. After the formal announcement, he decides we need further advice and, pointing to the escape hatch, says in all seriousness тАЬOh, please donтАЩt open the doorтАЭ This is good advice, this boy will go far.

We are airborne! Waiting for seat belt light to go out which it does after about 10 minutes. I check the food menu again and we decide what we shall order when the cart arrives. Some further chit-chat. BF goes to the toilet. He comes back after about 5 mins. Few minutes later there are stirrings up-front and I anticipate my cold fun-size beer and cheesy Pringles. <DING DONG> тАЬLadies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts and make sure you seat is it the upright position as we begin our descent into Saigon airportтАЭ

WTF???

We are on the deck in Saigon within 30 minutes of taking off from Da Lat!! We are herded onto a stinking hot bus but its only 2 minutes ride to terminal and we get luggage etc. The entire journey has taken 1 hour. RESULT!!

Now we must get a taxi from Airport to motherтАЩs house to retrieve the large bag I left there (taking only small one on tour). As soon as I get in the taxi I tell BF to tell the driver to close windows and turn air-con to max. It sort of works - he turns the air-con speed to #1. After shouts of MAXIMUM, he moves it grudgingly to #2. ThatтАЩs as good as its going to get. We pick up the bag and take it to BFs new flat which I remember is hellishly complicated to get to, but I know there might be beer in the fridge left over from the party.

We arrive at the new condo. I notice the development is called Celadon City. In the daylight I can see its very very nice. I also see thereтАЩs a big shopping mall nearby, it is in fact pointed out to me. We get the bags to the flat and everything is good.

Even better, there are 4 cans of cold beer in the fridge! I am allowed one before being dragged to the shopping mall. тАЬCan you get me some things for my new homeтАЭ he pleads. This doesnтАЩt bother me - IтАЩd far rather do this that spend money on something transient. So we spend about an hour in the mall picking up everything from toilet roll to packets of noodles (OK, those are pretty transient I admit but we also bought plates and pots/pans). We get a taxi back to the condo with the shopping, turn the air-con to max. and unpack and stow it all.

I then drink the remaining 3 cans of beer at a leisurely pace while he puts some finishing touches to his Buddha shrine (he has some peacock feathers he wants to attach to the back.

Leisurely shower, change of clothes etc and then we are ready to leave the condo. BF has already told me he has to work tonight from 7pm to 9.30pm - do I want to come? I say OK and we will take the bags and after he finishes we will go to the Airport and play out a Casablanca type scene.

Getting a taxi is hard - phone bookings are accepted but nothing in the way of a taxi actually turning up is ever sure to happen, and so it proves. We end up on the street trying to hail one, which takes 20 minutes. We are now late for his work (the nature of which I havenтАЩt managed to fathom out yet). Lonf journey to centre of Saigon. We pass landmarks I remember from last week - and I chortle as I remember the names of some shops I saw previously and meant to photograph later (but as you know we went elsewhere).

тАЬBum CoffeeтАЭ springs to mind as does a restaurant called тАЬPho King GoodтАЭ and the best of the lot - a ladies wear shop called тАЬFanny FashionтАЭ

We arrive at the Caravelle Hotel and exit the taxi. I am taken to the Lion Bar across the street and introduced to the bar staff. Turns out BF worked here before and hence is friends with staff. I am introduced to his тАЬbest friendтАЭ, the barman known as LuLu (which is highly appropriate). So, dear readers, if you find yourself at a loose end in Saigon - go see Lulu in the Lion Bar.

My bags are put behind the bar and a cold beer is brought over. тАЬ - I go to work. I finish 9.30тАЭ BF tells me. I decide to be diplomatic тАЬRemind me - what exactly are you working at?тАЭ тАЬI tell you so many times - I work in restaurant (which I know and accept).... and sometimes IтАЩm model for newspaper (he means magazines), but today I make a movieтАЭ I think to myself - yes, you DID tell me that last part many times but I simply did not take it seriously - I have to see this for myself.

So, I leave Lulu to watch my beer and I accompany BF to another bar area just a few metres away. Well, IтАЩm gob smacked - there is a proper movie crew there, and lighting etc - and NO its not a porno, he DOES have a part in a movie. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying its an international blockbuster andthat he's the star but I see that he has a speaking part at least. I'm impressed! Seems like I've been too cynical.

A few minutes watching that and I need to get back to my beer. I ask Lulu to bring me a Pork Escalope with tartare sauce, french fries and veg. It duly arrives and is delicious. The movie work is taking longer than expected and I have 4 beers altogether before BF returns and its now 10pm for the 00.30 flight.

We go outside, many taxis are standing so thereтАЩs no problem getting one which whisks us to the Airport in under 30 minutes. We do the scene from Casablanca plus extra helpings of tears and, as he's not allowed in the airport because he's not actually travelling, the last I see of him is his hand waving in the distance.

:(( :((

Now, you might remember I remarked on how easy it was to ENTER Vietnam (20mins?) well, EXITING is a different matter entirely!

Check-in >>> Cabin bag X ray check>>> Passport Control (this is the weak link, they take a full 3 minutes to check each passport and you can have 15/20 in your queue)>>>>>ANOTHER Cabin Bag X ray and personal scan check>>>> Very, very frustrating!

One other thing worth mentioning - a number of websites currently tell you that you must pay an Exit fee of around $15 and say specifically that it is NOT included in your ticket price and you really have to make sure you have this sum in cash, in Dong specifically. This is untrue - there is no exit tax. I remember Thailand had this some years ago, but not any more) ALSO, ignore anything you read about having to retain a yellow Customs form issued at entry, in order to get back out - also untrue, certainly for Europeans.



I will do one more post on this - not on the flights because I anticipate nothing interesting but perhaps just pulling together some lessons learned which might help others, and a kind of general overall conclusion to the trip.

Hope you enjoyed the report. If you want details of Hotels etc or anything else, just PM. Again, sorry for errors - I donтАЩt like the iPad for these things - may re-edit later (or not)

[lego]

Thanks for your reports, scottish-guy, I've really enjoyed reading them! :)

[scottish-guy]

Thanks Lego - glad you liked.

:D

[fountainhall]

Now that you are back home after all these adventures, I expect you are ready for a holiday!

[scottish-guy]

Indeed! But fortunately have 2 of those coming up in the next 4 months and an added bonus is that I now feel able to disclose them!