December 08/2018
With our bags packed and our goodbyes said, Dragon loads us up for our free ride to the airport. A big thanks goes out to the Ruby Light Hotel in Danang. They were very responsive to concerns and got us where we needed to go very safely and efficiently. I recommend this place if you are traveling to Danang.
Another short but much more comfy flight to Nha Trang, finds us with plenty of time to enjoy some sun. Nha Trang is known best for its beaches and scuba diving and Nha Trang Bay is widely considered as one of the worlds most beautiful bays. Our digs are right across the street from the beach so easy access means less time negotiating crazy street crossings. Our plans are to basically… Chill out and get some sun all the while meandering the area to check out what is close but still stay central to our building. The beach and waves are perfect for our water/body slamming games that we have come to know as “wavy time”. These kids could spend every waking minute in the ocean. With the daylight quickly disappearing, our sites are set on food. A small street vendor who serves up crepes filled with your choice of meat filling or fruit filling will be our choice for this evening. The looks of these crepes were much better than the taste but I think a little more flavouring and I have a new business idea for my return to Canada.
Early bedtime does not require the twisting of anyone’s arms. Reid and Lela are DONE… Mom and Dad follow right behind as we await what we will see tomorrow on day 2 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.
December 09/2018
Our morning was met with SUN once again amidst reports of rain so this can only mean one thing. Beach Day!! Here at our two-bedroom apartment overlooking the beautiful beach we also get a breakfast every morning around 8:30. As we wait for our breakfast, we also plan our beach day.
Today its chair all day for sure. We chose to sit on a towel yesterday. The Vietnam sun is beating down pretty good so an umbrella is a necessity. Oh so are a few Bia Saigons…
Beer is super cheap here. You can buy cans of brew in the stores for around $0.50 CDN. Its so cheap, you can’t afford not to drink it.
One thing we have noticed in our short stay thus far is the lack of ATMs along the route beside the beach. When one needs another frosty pint, he will first need cash. Food is also important to eliminate the risk of a child blowout or an early buzz…
I thought, being the provider and adventurer that I am, I would be the one to head out to find some loot. Well boy was I in for a surprise… Two machines within what seemed like a 10km radius both WOULD NOT ACCEPT my card! Grrrrrrrrr….
Luckily we had USD in our possession so exchanging it was no sweat. A couple orders of French fries and some fruit is exactly what the doctor ordered. More about doctors coming soon.
Note: Though the fresh caught crab for sale on the beach may look tantalizing, it may not be as fresh as you think. You may pay much like I did.
Tonight is a viewing of Bruce Almighty as part of my comedy section of The FlashPackerZ curriculum. This puts the kids lights out immediately following and allows Patty and I some alone time. May as well check out another movie!
An 11pm bedtime is quickly shattered by a 1am wakeup call. MY GUTS ARE HURTING. I wont go into graphic detail but I at least vacated out of both ends a half dozen times each before we decided that Geoff being curled up on the floor in the fetal position isn’t the norm and headed down to grab cab to the nearest International Hospital. The cab driver didn’t mess around. Mach 4 all the way and as I arrived I was greeted with kind eyes and open arms. I was led directly to a bed and immediately treated, after of course, we paid around $3,000,000 Dong which is around $180 CDN. I would have paid $18,000 to get these cramps taken care of. I know now what it feels like to be in labour.
Bet I get emails about that line. Hahahaha.
All joking aside. This was some of the worst pain I have felt and I have broken many bones and had many surgeries. I was very ,very impressed by the level of care I was given and the subsequent cost. As I write this, the cramps are still prevalent but not near as debilitating as they were 15hrs ago.
December 10/2018
By 6:30am we are back from the hospital. Oral meds, IV meds, an ultrasound and 3hrs in emerge. Roughly $150CDN. Now that’s healthcare… The rest of the day will consist of doing NOTHING. Recovery is key to keeping this boat afloat. As night starts to fall, Lela has now joined My Poop Group.
Dang it!
I pray that she doesn’t get the cramps. The squirts and some vomiting ensue. I hope she has a restful night. As Patty and Lela bed down after a long day, Reid and I decide to stay up and watch a movie together on Netflix. The Fast and the Furious 5…
December 11/2018
As we awake, Lela is still not feeling 100% so our plans will again consist of helping to nurse my little darling back to health. Watching your kids suffer from a sickness really hurts the heart but she is a tough one. No complaints, just puke, wipe and back to watching Barbie on Netflix!
Reid and I ARE feeling good so we have decided to have a Daddy/Son afternoon on the beach before returning with food for the ladies.
IMPORTANT: Its times like this that stick in my memory banks. The small, fleeting moments when you get to spend some one on one time with the humans for which you are responsible to keep alive.
The times I’ve let Lela do my makeup or paint my finger nails to the cuddles of watching an action movie with Reid that he probably shouldn’t have watched. These are truly the reasons we have decided to travel. Heading down to the beach with my little man in tow, ready to draw our #TheFlashPackerZ logo in the sand big enough for Mom and Lela to see it from the 29th floor that overlooks the beach, I feel a proudness that only a father can feel. He really is growing up. They both have changed in a mere month of travel. I am both optimistic and excited to see what the world has in store for these two in the upcoming months.
The waves, sun and sand are our home for now. I try to answer every question I can in a way that it can be totally understood by a 9-year old boy without him just saying… Uhh huhh Ok and not truly comprehending. What makes waves?? Why is the water higher at night then in the morning?? How do the crabs survive if their holes are filled with water??
The question barrage is relentless…
I enjoy every minute of it. I listen and I answer. Yes, there are times that I find myself getting frustrated during a busy work day or just before bed but not here. Not now…
This is THEIR time just as much as it is mine. I brought them into this world of adventure and I will be (along with Patty) the one responsible for what and how they learn while embarking on this journey.
Reid and I truly enjoy being together. The tiny pokes and jabs of male competition paired with the hugs and cuddles of a father and son makes for a great recipe in a healthy Father/Son relationship.
I once heard from an old friend and also have seen it quoted by others that we as parents are not here to be their friends…
We are here to be their parents.
I thought, at one time, that maybe that statement held some merit.
I don’t anymore.
I couldn’t imagine my life without my best friends. Two of which are my children. 100%. We would suffer for them and we feel their pain. I would, without a pinch of resistance give my life for them so… what else can they be called?
I could have spent the rest of the day on that beach but my two other best friends are up in the room feeling shitty and that is weighing on my heart.
It was not our intention to sit and watch TV during our travels. In fact, I can count on one hand how many times we have even turned the TV on in the past month but Nha Trang is the place where we have chosen to do so. As the afternoon turns to evening and the sun disappears behind us, we flip on the tube and enjoy giggles, laughs and of course MANY QUESTIONS as we watch yet another Ace Ventura. Shiiiikakaaaaa…
December 12/2018
We haven’t been able to find our groove in Nha Trang. Perhaps its been the sickness or maybe the off and on weather but this city just hasn’t been what we thought it would be. It has been a source of sand and sun though so not all has been lost. There are many things to do here but the thought of paying to do the outdoor activities then have it rain is not in our best interest.
Its sunny this morning and we all feel somewhat better than we have in the past couple of days so we are all beach bound once again. Nothing new. A little wetter, sandier and browner (or me redder) than we were yesterday. We are also happier. Staying cooped up in room with only the view of a hot sunny beach is nobody’s idea of a good time…
Feeling rather lazy and the rain is about to come in, we decide to head for a quick lunch and try some crocodile…
Mmmmmmmm….
This is by far the best meat I have tasted in Vietnam. As a tourist, I don’t know if this is croc or rat but its really tasty. Some fries and a nice Bia Saigon and we are up to the room for some homework and reading. Plus I need to catch up on some blogging. I have a lot of bees buzzing around in this head and I need to get them out onto the screen.
Everyone is feeling just blah. Nobody really wants to do anything but be lazy. I suppose that’s ok given that we have been to 4 countries and 9 cities in under 6 weeks, the weather hasn’t been ideal and Lela still has a bit of a bug. Patty and I are planning our escape from this city. Perhaps a few hundred kms down the road will serve up a better atmosphere. Nighty Night from the “unfun” zone.
December 13/2018
Its time to get off our asses and do something since the effin’ rain wont stop. Nha Trang has what is said to be a pretty cool Museum of Oceanography, a Chocolate Museum and an Observatory that was actually a stones throw from our apartment but we hadn’t cared to venture south. Plans are to head to the fishy museum first, hit the museum of chocolate(lol), and then, if we are still lacking excitement and its not raining, catch the observatory.
The price of admittance at the fishy place is $5CDN for the whole family so we obviously don’t expect a whole lot.
Well, we were rather surprised! JK…
This Museum was built roughly 30 years ago and by the looks of it, that was the last time anyone cared to do any upkeep. The colorful fish were quite a sight though. We found Nemo and Dory very easily. Im not sure what the big deal was???
The kids had a blast learning about the humpback whale and even got to see a full humpback skeleton. This was of course the highlight along with the sharks and other fish specimen. My favorite part was getting another couple pictures of “brutal taxidermy” for one of my later posts.
All in all, it was money well spent and our kids got their science portion of their schooling so I was happy.
Next stop was a surprise. We are going on a tour of the chocolate museum. This is a Russian run museum (there are many, many Russians in Vietnam) and as one would have it, we missed the tour by a day. The lovely Russian wrestler lady manning the front counter offered to take us on a special tour for $217CDN. We politely declined. Still I wonder what we would have seen for that type of cash but nevertheless, carry on Canada!
Neither of the littles seem interested in an observatory during the day. I promised that we could look at the sun through the telescope but they quickly called my bluff.
Perhaps one last walk on the beach before our escape from Nha Trang tomorrow. Patty did find an outdoor pool located in the heart of the Vietnam hood. It was just around the corner but it took us to a whole new world. The owners of the “private pool” had obviously not seen any tourists in awhile based on the amount of bedding strewn about and the dude playing video games and smoking in the “lobby”.
Well, I have training to do for my business anyhow and they do have a fridge with beer so let’s do it! The pool is a cold as Trudeaus love for Alberta and well, I chose to turn down the beer because it was too expensive. I have been used to drinking 400ml bottles for 10,000VND which is around $0.59CDN. They wanted 20,000. This would lead into a spiral of karma will bite your ass.
You see, I was being pigheaded…
Cheap and almost rude if you will. I see that now.
As we leave the pool early because of the fact that my feet are freezing and Im not even swimming, I have a chip on my shoulder. This is not good in normal life, let alone travel life.
We all decide to hit the beach as originally intended and this is where it escalates quickly. We have been to the same spot and dealt with the same cool as a cucumber dude since day one. He has been more than hospitable and has given us deals on lounge chairs as well as beer.
For some STUPID ASSININE reason, I choose to dis him today. We are only planning on being at the beach for an hour so I not only bought half price beer across the street instead of from him, I declined the $50,000VND offer for 1 chair that he gave to us. Normally 1 chair will run you $100,000VND and two chairs $150,000VND. I chose to be cheap again.
I’ve just saved myself a total of $70,000VDN or about $4.00CDN as we set our towel down right in front of the chair that we should be sitting in. Not RIGHT IN FRONT… Im not a total arse.
Can you smell what the Rock is cookin’?
As I emerge from the sea after a quick dip, the entire family is sitting on the towel, dejected and almost foreshadowing what was about to happen. You see, when we walk the streets, we have at least one day pack. At anytime this pack can contain one or all of the following…
Cash, Laptop, Phone and Power pack…
On this day it contained all of the above. Sitting down with my store bought beer on my free spot on the beach in front of my hardworking buddies business, I settle in for a sip…
This is quickly interrupted by the Karma I was telling you about.
The sea for some reason decides to rush my towel, my backpack, the family and my pride with enough water to see me grab my pack, launch it for dryland and have my cracks filled with more sand than the Gobi Desert.
Luckily…LUCKILY I SAY, the Gods spare me. The laptop is wet but not enough to fry it , same with my phone and power pack. It was comical to a point but I am very aware of the lesson.
It doesn’t take long after I ring out my t-shirt, wash my hat and go for a quick rinse in the ocean that our time on the beach is finished.
On our way out I extend an olive branch to our beach hand. He did not see our misfortune so he was rather thankful for the $70,000VDN tip for doing absolutely nothing.
Although he did. He kept us comfortable and safe for the time we were there. We shook hands and said our goodbyes. It was a small price to pay to make peace and feel right about the cheapo that I had been. We are on a budget, yes but I dig good customer service and HE PROVIDED that. I hadn’t shown him gratitude and it bit me. Thankfully not in the pocketbook.
Pirates of the Caribbean is the movie of the night tonight. Not much more to tell. Early bedtime and a hopefully better feeling little girl. We have a train to catch to…
December 14/2018
Mui Ne, Vietnam is our next stop. We have decided to shorten our stay in our final Vietnam destination and hit this beach town. Our mode of transportation to Mui Ne is the local train. Patty was able to book seats so as to not be stuck standing for 4 hours. I was a little apprehensive as she went ahead and booked but our only other option was sleeper bus for 5 hours and with the nightmare experiences that a few of our fellow travellers had had, I chose to nip that option in the butt. Upon arrival at the train station, we are hungry, craving coffee and have a tired and still sick little Lela on our hands. Luckily the station had a Texas sized A/C unit hammering cool air everywhere so like any other sweltering Canuck would do, I planted my ass right in front of it.
Coffee here in Vietnam is more prevalent then in China as Ive said before where tea is king but here in Nha Trang, they put coffee to go (takeaway) in a flippin’ clear plastic slurpee cup and expect you to suck it through a straw. Different… I must say. So be it. To get the caffeine fix I need to get on with my daily activities, I will do so.
As the train arrives, the sky opens up and we once again are thankful that we are not sitting in the torrential rain but covered somewhat and about to embark on another journey here in Vietnam.
The seats on the train are comfortable enough that it takes the focus off of the fact that we will be traveling the entire time BACKWARDS.
At first, I thought it was to be a big sickness trip for the kids but as it ends up, everyone was fine and we arrived safely at the point of drop off to catch a cab to Mui Ne.
The drop off point is landing less. There is nowhere to “safely” exit the train. As I step down onto the stair and then jump to the ground with backpack in tow, I quickly turn to basically catch my kids as they jump from the train into my arms. We all end up navigating the jump with the greatest of ease and head into “the choosing of the taxi driver” gauntlet. As we pop our heads into the station, at the exit is a mob of cabbies all competing for our business. You see, on this day, a cab ride will take us an hour and our negotiated price will be $380,000VND.
I approach the crowd and play a quick yet rousing game of rock, paper, scissors to eliminate some players but my first contestant takes it as a win when my scissors beats his paper and quickly shuffles us to his cab. OK… I like his tenacity. You can have my business…
Lela is still feeling under the weather and this is troubling us. We decide to give it one more night and if she isn’t better by morning, Steps need to be taken. We know our kids. If we felt a bigger urgency, we would have sought out medical attention sooner.
Venus Mui Ne is our hotel of choice beings it is on the beach, two bedrooms, free breakfast and $50CDN a night. Can’t beat that. The weather here is beautiful and the sea is at our doorstep.
The beach is no where close to as beautiful as it was in Danang or even Nha Trang but here in Mui Ne, the sun is shining so we are thankful. The kids enjoy the outdoor pool nestled into the confines of a palm tree covered public area as Patty and I get comfy in a complimentary lounge chair overlooking the small beach and loud crashing waves. Reid is very intrigued with the built in rock wall that allows one to climb and then jump into the pool. This is the first diving and jumping friendly pool we have encountered thus far so it is a massive hit with the kidlets.
As supper time approaches we decide that the closer, the better for establishments based on overall morale of the family. We are tired from travel and swimming plus Lela is still not feeling well.
A small Vietnamese restaurant offering rice dishes and of course pho beckons our hunger call so here we shall eat tonight. The food is normal but something still is not right with my littlest one.
This soon is 100% apparent as she takes ONE bit of supper and proceeds to decorate the floor with fluids from her insides. This seals the deal. We must do something about the illness. On our way home we stop at a 24 hour clinic for some help. Patty has strategically put us next to a hospital or clinic in our most needed of times. The attendant, through much google translate, directs us to Dr Dong. He is obviously the resident doctor of which we seek. We shall find him first thing in the morning as he is not available tonight.
I have a new appreciation for mattresses. Although I find them wayyyyy overpriced for what they are (we have an ENDY. Shamless plug. Best mattress EVER), the beds here in Vietnam and except for our super pricey hotel in Hong Kong, all of Asia… SUCK!
I digress. This is how they sleep and I respect that. I am 44 and have not slept on the floor since my rodeo days (many nights were spent on a floor).
Our bed is about 2 inches thick while the kids have what is considered to be a “plush model” mattress. I did at one point consider kicking them out and taking the comfort for myself. I quickly checked that selfish feeling and bedded down on ¾”G1S (that’s plywood for the non construction folk)
December 15/2018
I woke up feeling less than adequate. Both Patty and I are less than impressed but again are understanding of the fact that “in general” most Asians would rather sleep on the floor the on a bed. I read this. I don’t like to generalize but if every hotel has a shitty mattress, there must be something to it.
First order of business was a quick breakfast and a request for a mattress similar to what my children are blessed with. The staff are more than eager to meet my needs as we plan our trip to Dr Dongs office.
A quick cab ride finds us at the infamous physician’s office as nurses are already at attention ready to help. Lela is quickly whisked into an office and Reid and I go for a walk to waste some time before the anticipation of a quick exit from the clinic.
This is an area of Mui Ne that we obviously haven’t been yet and was as a matter of fact, the exact shopping area that we have been looking for. We last about an hour or so before the MALE in us gets tired of shopping and head back to the clinic. This is where it gets good.
Lela is now hooked up to an IV drip. I am actually very happy because that is exactly what helped me. Funny thing is though, Lela’s drip will take another 7.5 hours…
WHAT??!!
The shock and surprise quickly turns to GRATITUDE that I know now, my little girl will be well taken care of.
I don’t know how to describe the next few hours. I am writing after the fact so I have already seen the beauty and the gift that it has eventually given us…
There are many ways one can choose to deal with an experience like this. I could be MAD at the shitty food or pissed off at the country for getting my child sick. I could be angry at the clinic for keeping us in for so long or I can embrace this as an experience, trust in the process and know that we will be taken care of.
I chose the latter…This is what it brought us.
I got to spend one on one time with both of my kids. Reid and I did a tonne of walking, bartering etc… The time together allowed for teaching, chatting about travel and home and also just being close.
When we returned from our first time out in the sweltering yet desirable heat, Reid chose to stay and I left again to grab some things on my list.
This will be the first time that I have ventured out ALONE for a real walkabout.
I must be candid here. There are two things that a single guy walking the streets of Mui Ne is interested in. Both are drugs… Marijuana and Boom Boom…
It took me a while to figure out what drug boom boom was. Call me naïve, whatever. Once I figured it out though, with the help of the universal hand gesture of slamming your two palms together in a “clapping like motion” I soon realized that boom boom was indeed a drug that I have tried… At least twice
I laughed at both the asker and myself as I quickly said no thank you to both requests. Hahahaha… Boom Boom. Isn’t that the child version of pooped my pants??
While I travel back and forth to the one shop that has necklaces that I am interested in, I have somehow struck up a small relationship with the owner. I am trying to come to a deal on 4 necklaces for the family to go with the 4 white shirts that I purchased earlier in order to create a groovy scene for a family picture. As I sit she asks “where child?” I show a picture of Lela in the hospital bed…
Vietnam is very child friendly. They care very much for their young and wish tourist children nothing but to have a good time while here. This got the attention of more than the owner. I was quickly rushed to the back where the old man was in the middle of making some sort of potion. Lol.
Normally, I would not want to be a part of this but I felt both trust and love. I am still alive to write this so I made a good decision. The “snake whiskey” that I was fed as an offering of protection and strength for my daughter was disgusting. The way it was offered was nothing short of spectacular. I could feel the compassion in the hands of the shop owner who placed the glass in my hand.
I do not want to drink that shit ever again but I am glad that I did it today. Thanking them quickly and rushing back to the clinic in case I went into cardiac arrest, I had time to reflect.
The universe gives us these small moments. Remember them for what they are, not what they could be.
Oh, you shouldn’t have… Oh, what if…Blah blah. I did and it was awesome.
Patty and Reid decide to head off for something to eat as we are now into hour 5. This, now allows me to spend time with my daughter. I have to admit. I don’t spend near enough time with her. I was always coaching hockey or playing hockey with Reid. TaeKwonDo with Reid…Dad, son stuff.
Our small times together are always full of laughs. Lela is an absolute riot. Her facial expressions and comments are something that viral videos are made up of. I always fail to catch it but its in my head and that’s enough for me.
Today, we decide that perhaps, rapping is the way to go. I have to admit. I freestyled the most killer rap I have ever let out and didn’t get it on video… Dang it!
Lela decides that perhaps I should try another freestyle and she would record it. This was not my best but it was my best at that moment. I was creating memories, making my daughter love smile and contributing to my dream of becoming a freestyle rapping NHL Goaltending Prime Minister, some day. Playing it back I noticed something and I brought it to Lela’s attention as well.
I don’t smile a whole helluva a lot. Let me rephrase that. I don’t full on teeth smile a lot. I have a Chandler Bing smile. This is an issue with me. Yes… No, I don’t need help fixing it. I’m fine with it.
What we both noticed in the video was that I was smiling… HUGE.
Lela makes me smile. Her laugh, her walk, her dancing and her love. The world is s better place for having Lela in it and I am a better person for having her in my life.
Patty and Reid return all fed with grub in hand for bean-sauce (I have multiple nicknames for Lela) and watered and it is my turn to feed my growling tummy.
I come to rest at the same restaurant as Patty had eaten at, ordering the crocodile and a shot of vodka. As I come to pay, I realize that I have not enough money in my pocket.
At that exact moment, Patty texts me saying they are released.
It happens like this all the time. As long as one is consciously aware, one will see things that a normal person may not. As well as manifest the circumstance that may otherwise be negative to one’s situation.
I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS…
Still buzzin’ from the shoe polish tasting snake whiskey, we head back for a quick swim before retiring to the cheers of Vietnam winning The AFF Suzuki Cup. Asian football (soccer) has been with us since we entered Vietnam. The passion and excitement that fills the hearts of the locals is only surpassed by the deafening cheers heard round the country as the home team clinches the title as best in its class. Truly a great experience being involved.
December 16/2018
Bigger mattress still sucks. I can’t sugar coat this, sorry. Perhaps if I was brought up by sleeping on rock covered plexiglass then I would be better equipped to handle it.
This will be a day of total family health. The first in just about a week. I am so grateful that my darling feels better. Our one destination on our short list that has been shortened by sickness are the red sand dunes. This area of Mui Ne sports an unreal desert like sand dune experience that we just have to check out. A lazy morning first in pool and ocean precedes our escapade.
This day give me a chance to go for a walk along the beach by myself with earphones to feed my mind. I have always been a self- development addict but have not found the time to satisfy the craving until now.
Total relaxation I have found, strolling along the beach until a rather smallish yet stout Asian man stops to stare at me. I had kicked a plastic container closer to the shore so as to not have it enter the ocean again. This must be the Asian sign for “I need drugs or boom boom”. As he motioned to me with blood red “just smoked a fatty” eyes, I actually thought we may get into a tustle but my “no thanks, already boom boomed out” hand gestures sent him on his merry way to have a nap.
The Red Sand Dunes await!
It is another short cab ride to this wonder of Mui Ne. This incredible desert like area. The winds constantly change, carving and building shapes and landscape before our very eyes. At least before our sand filled eyes. The fine, fine sand filled our every crack and crevice including our eyes. Beautiful as it was, Goggles would have been a plus.
Our cab driver than drove us to the beach edge to view all of the kite surfers. Our last day in Mui Ne is a great one. A swim, supper and a good sleep will help in our efforts to brave the train tomorrow headed for Ho Chi Minh City.
December 17/2018
Another lazy morning… This isn’t why we are traveling. Reid has a small meltdown because of the food. I have a small meltdown because of my own frustration with everything. The weather, the food, the sickness and now a whiny child. I understand his pain but it’s been building up.
We need to get back into the DOING instead of the SITTING.
Ho Chi Minh City will bring this. Though our stay is short, we have activities planned that will teach some important world history as well as open the eyes of the young ones and… ourselves.
On our way to the train station, one hour away, we convince our cab driver to make a couple stops. The Po Sah Inu Cham Towers and KFC.
We have tried to include as many sights as we can without going out of our way but the last couple weeks have been tough. This was a nice change pace. This 18th century tower group was constructed to worship Shiva God, the auspicious one and one of the principal deities of Hinduism.
The driver allowed us to take a quick 15 minute walk while he had a little cabbie rest at the local coffee shop. The drive continued to our lunch destination, KFC before heading to our train station to catch our ride to Ho Chi Minh City. With faux chicken and ultra sweet pop in our noodle infested guts, we carried on.
The train station welcomed us with and open car about 45 minutes too early. This was plenty of time to get comfortable enroute to one of Vietnam’s most famous cities, former capital, Saigon or since 1976, Ho Chi Minh City. Ho Chi Minh established the Communist ruled Democratic republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeated the French Union in 1954 at the battle of Dien Bien Phu.
This would be our busiest taste of Vietnam since Hanoi.
The train ride was crazy time. No less than 17 times did we think that it was going to derail. There would be no resting on wobbly train. Not today. 4.5 hours later I would exit train with a sick stomach and head shaking. Again there would be taxis vying for our business. I did not feel like playing RPS this time. Dark has set in and we need to find our lodgings. Patty has picked another beauty of a room out for us. Great view of the city as well as a pool and very clean. Wouldn’t you know it…
A half comfortable bed. We shall meet up with the Tuckers tomorrow to view the War Remnants Museum and Independence Palace together. The Tuckers, from Edmonton are on a similar journey. They have already been on the road for 5 months so we can learn some of the ins and outs of the countries already visited. It’s always good to have extra info handy.
December 18/2018
One week until Christmas Day…
Where has the time gone? It is 5am and I cant sleep. So much for the enjoyment of the comfy bed. Blah…
6:30, Lela is awake and I am craving a cup of joe. A quick little scurry downstairs and we arrive back with not only coffee but cereal! Lela found fruit loops in the Vin Mart. Reid should be pleasantly surprised.
My dear wife is taking her turn at feeling crappy today but manages to make the trek to the Museum to meet our next travel family.
The War Remnants Museum is best known for its exhibits of tanks and choppers out front but when mentioned to other people that have been to the museum, all we hear about is the “agent orange” room.
Agent Orange was a chemical best known for its use in the aggressive, herbicidal warfare program during the Vietnam War form 1961 to 1971. This dioxin was found to have caused absolutely devastating health problems to those exposed.
I will not get into any more explanation of the Chemical or its use. Please google it if you would like to know more. I viewed the room. The effects of war were evident. The photos were both mind boggling to see and very sad but it did occur and was a very important part of history in the country that we were visiting so we thought it as a lesson and a sign of respect to acknowledge this.
Patty was not feeling well at all so we cut our day of adventure short and headed back to the apartment. Half way there I decide that since we have only gone 1/3 of the way yet our “rip off” cab has already exceeded the entire trip from our room to the museum this morning that it would be best to step out. We ended up getting another cab that got us the rest of the way for the right price.
Buyer beware. There are many different rates when looking for a cab. We haven’t utilized the Grab App as of yet so saving a few bucks here and there when choosing a cab can add up.
We all head back up to the room to put Momma to bed and the three of us head back down to the pool in the sweltering 30C heat.
I did not handle myself in the best manner when I realized that the management decides to clean the pool during the hottest part of the day. As a traveler, I thought this was absolutely absurd. End of story there. Pool would eventually open at 2:30 and we managed to sneak The Tuckers in for a visit and a swim.
I hope to hell that my lovely wife feels better tomorrow. Another sickness in Vietnam isn’t what we need but we will deal with the cards that are dealt.
December 19/2018
I am actually getting tired of writing about Vietnam. Sick, Pho, taxi cab. Repeat. We actually have discovered Grab just today after being in Asia for just about 2 months. LOL. Patty is feeling like shit again today so I decide to head to the Saigon Zoo with the kids as a way to waste some time before heading to the market and meeting up with Melanie Sylvester (Ethier) from high school and her family.
The zoo is a good change of pace. Although, it is far from the Calgary Zoo in terms of properly managed attractions and “animals on display”, I was impressed with the amusement rides and satisfied with the layout. It was very kid friendly.
I must admit, I am not a big caged animal fan. The stresses on some of the different mammals could be seen in their eyes. Somewhat sad at times but I am also not a “zoo activist”. I take the chance to see the different species as a learning opportunity for my children. We discuss where they live and what they eat and the off chance of perhaps seeing them in the wild one day.
The world is full of things that we agree and don’t agree with. The last thing I am going to do is go to a different country and raise a big stink about how their zoo sucks. I’ve already implanted the irritation of being photographed into my kids minds. I have to work on getting rid of that block I the future.
It was a sweltering hot day as well. Low 30s but super humid. I think I lost at least 8 lbs in sweat. We had a great ferris wheel ride and the kids made me accompany them on some kind of Vietnamese drop of doom. Yuck… All in all, a great way to spend a few hours and hopefully go home to a new and improved Patty.
You MUST get the GRAB APP. So much easier when looking for a ride and much cheaper as well. Hit me up for more of an explanation.
Before heading up to the room, the three of us fill our face with Pho. Sick, Pho, Taxi, Repeat. That’s been our Vietnam.
Patty is feeling a bit better and after a quick nap, we head out to the Ben Thanh Market for some last minute Christmas shopping.
An old friend of mine has offered for us to spend Christmas with him since our Philippines plans were scrapped (long story). Yes longer than this one…
As we finish upon our shopping, The Tuckers manage to find us and we head on over to The View Rooftop Bar for a couple of beers with Mel and her family. Another monsoon downpour gives us a nice cockroach and rat show inside the market but soon subsides and allows us to make our way over to the pub.
I’m very fortunate to have kept in touch with so many people in my life. Many of which have travelled and live in the different countries that we are visiting. This allows us to get a first hand account of the country we are in as well as countries we are about to visit.
Melanie and Chris have been travelling overseas for 15 years now and its been 5 years in Saigon alone. Both school teachers and volleyball coaches, Their family of four has been built and grown in the Middle East and Asia. I have to quote an interesting few words spoken from Mel as we walked “backpackers street”.
Patty and I have been diligent in keeping our kids close and teaching then the 3 step rule. If I cant get to them in 3 steps, they are too far away.
Mel noticed this and let HER feeling of this particular country and city be known.
“I feel my children are safer here than Edmonton. I will let my kids play and roam freely here before I would back in Alberta.”
Wow. We, actually have not felt unsafe either but will continue the 3 step rule based on the fact that there are some countries that don’t have that feeling of safety. That is quite a statement from a Canadian though. It made us feel that much safer.
As the night comes to a close and hugs make their way around the circle, we head back for our last sleep in Vinhomes Aqua 3. Another dream is coming true for me tomorrow. We will be headed down under. I have always dreamed of going to Australia. Now, I can do it with the most important people in my life.
I will leave Vietnam here. There will be a cab ride, Patty is still feeling a bit sick and I will probably eat some Pho.
Good bye Vietnam. I will try and pick out the positives when I speak of you. The beaches, the passion for football and of course the cheap beer and Pho. You have been a wonder most definitely. If I do return, I wish that sickness will have no part of my visit and the rain will stay away.
Thank you for allowing us to experience your culture.
Time to head down under…
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