Saigon City: 15-21 May 2008

1 month backdated post.

So it was a trip that I look forward. My solo trip with Vyktore (not entirely, just the flight). We bought the tickets from AirAsia when they first launched the route to Saigon in March. I bought 3 round trips, May, July, August. So you’ll be seeing more Saigon post later LOL. A lot of people asked why Vyktore went to Saigon instead of Faythe, and why not 2 together. Frankly speaking, I wasn’t on holiday. My boss was OK with me working there for a week (minus the weekends & public holiday – Wesak, actually it was 3 days working there). Hence I decided I can only bring 1 with me. If 2, how to work. And because Vyktore is below 2, we only need to pay RM60 for his fair. So must go first lah :). Next round will be Faythe.

So we embark on the journey on 15th May, took the evening flight. He slept throughout the taxi ride to airport, but was wide awake when we arrived :|. We went to CB for some OJ and cakes, actually to kill time. LCCT is so busy and I try not to run around chasing Vyktore. At the same time, I have to lug 2 bags with me. My knapsack with my laptop in there and my camera bag, slinging across me. Can’t check in these 2. I already gave my luggage to Daddy who flew on the same day as us to bring the clothes there hehe..Lucky thing he didn’t ask me carry, or else I think I’ll be hunching by the time I board the plane.

Vyktore was all so excited looking at the planes….he calls them: AH-BA. In the flight, he was OK at first, but once we took off, he saw nothing but clouds, he got panic and hung on to me so tight and wanted to scream. I told him to sit down and sleep. And so we both nap. I was really tired cause I woke up at 6am that day to go to Istana. Istana story will come another day.

We arrived at Saigon International Airport close to 6pm their time, it was already dark. Checking out was a breeze, and thank god Vyktore didn’t fuss about. Then we saw Daddy, waiting for us outside. Yeah..he flew back on the same day, but earlier flight via Vietnam Airlines (Business Class :|). Next time I must fly VA, no more AA since we more free tickets now.

We head straight to Daddy’s home, which is like 10mins drive from airport. Well….I didn’t expect the lil apartment to be so organise. I totally couldn’t imagine that. I thought it was all ramshackle, but actually no ler. Quite nice and comfy. Though small, but good enough for him. Come to think of it, if ramshackle also Mr. Hon won’t wanna stay haha..he’s very picky when comes to home & toilet LOL.

First thing I did was to login to internet, and try the VPN connection. Make sure I can connect. Yahoo!! It works well. Then we went out for dinner with Daddy’s colleague (ex-AA as well) whom is staying upstairs. We had Chinese Food. No pics of the food, didn’t bother to bring camera :). Then we went to the supermarket to get some groceries and bought diapers & cereal for Vyktore. Couldn’t find the Enfa milk powder, so we didn’t buy milk powder. I brought enough to last him for 1 week, and alternating with cereals, oats & other food.

We went home, all so tired, took a shower and went to bed.

OK I’m going to cut short the post as it’s going to be long winded, so here’s what we did the following 5/6 days.

Day 2: 16th May, Friday

• woke up at 8am (their time, 1 hour slower than KL), went for breakfast. Had chu cheong fun Vietnam style. Very yummy!! We went back there for breakfast for 3 more times hehe…It’s actually Daddy’s favourite place, he eats here everyday 😐
• went back to home and started doing my work.
• Vyktore kept himself entertain with Pocoyo before he fell asleep close to lunch time.
• Daddy went off to work, he will be back in the evening.
• Lawrence & Angie arrived close to 7pm and check in to the apartment next door. Good thing bout this place, you can also rent out to your friends that come visit you for just USD20/night. Good deal huh :).
• Daddy took us for dinner downtown at the Saigon City (first view of the city center – amazed!!). We had dinner at a restaurant where they have all sorts of vietnam food. No photo cause too hungry & too dark LOL.
• We walk around the town after dinner, Daddy showing us some of the places and restaurant we should go try and eat while he goes to work day time.

Day 3: 17th May, Saturday

• Daddy took us to town and we had coffee at Trung Nguyen. It’s like a Starbucks concept kinda coffee place. But much bigger. Vietnam Coffee.
• Ordered noodles. They drank their coffee, I had my fruit juice :).
• Then we walk around town, to Parkson, and the streets in the city center. It’s very clean and very different feeling compared to Hanoi. It’s not that bad actually :). Buildings are beautiful.
• Then we went to Saigon Tourist and engage the city tour as well as Cu Chi Tunnel (next day)
• Daddy left us for work and we went to Parkson. Upstairs there’s a big foodcourt. We had popiah for lunch. I ordered popiah (inside is sliced beef i think), wrapped with grape leaves and grilled). Served with bun and lots of vege…yum yum….I’m still craving for that.
• Then we went for our City Tour, 1st stop Reunification Palace.
• Reunification Palace – this used to be where the President lives before the Vietnam war. The place is huge, they even have Casino Room :|. That shows how corrupted the President was LOL. They had underground too, for him to work when the place was being bomb by North Vietnam. I didn’t take much pics cause Vyktore was asleep half the time until the tour almost coming to an end then he woke up.
• Next we took trishaw ride to Chinatown. It was pretty scary cause the vehicles were like so close to us :|. Vyktore enjoyed it though. He sat on my lap and hung on to me throughout the whole ride. I took alot of senget-and-blur shots during the bumpy Trishaw ride.
• Then we went to this old temple. Very very old temple apparently.
• And that was it…lousy city tour, I think we can do it better ourselves LOL….but with a kiddo and pregnant woman, so no choice lah, can’t walk so much hehe…
• Went home, we waited for Mr. Hon to come back. We didn’t go out for dinner cause we were catching American Idol Marathon LOL.
• Lawrence & Angie went downstairs and bought Vietnam roastduck & a cake (Angie’s birthday).
• Daddy came home at 12am, we went upstairs to have our supper, with wine as well. Angie cut the cake. Vyktore was already asleep.
• That’s where I took the colourful night shots. I didn’t bring my tripod, so I put it on the wall and use my remote to control the camera.

Day 4: 18th May, Sunday

• woke up so tired and half dead, went to have Chu Cheong Fun Breakfast. then we took a cab to town for Cu Chi tunnel tour.
• the tour bus went around picking up the tourist and I took the opportunity to snap some photos.
• the ride to Cu Chi Tunnel was close to 2 hours. Vyktore slept when we almost reach the place :|…arghh…
• throughout the trip, the tourguide explained to us the history of Vietnam, the Vietnam war and how this tunnel came about. Seriously, he’s very good at explaining. Much better than the tourguide the day before when we went for city tour.
• we arrived there and went to watch the tele, showing how the Vietnamese were in 1960-70s, how the war came about, bla bla…and the tunnel of course.
• after that, 1 of the ex-army (Vietcong) whom so happened was the tourguide of another tour group, explained to us the tunnel layers and how it works.
• this tunnel is like a perfect plan. spanning more than 200km around the Cu Chi District, some 70km from Saigon City itself.
• It’s right beside the Mekong River, that when the Americans tried to flood the tunnel, the water just flows out to the river..cool eh!!
• It has 3 levels and each level they store diff stuff.
• It was dug with just a pathetic cangkul, that’s it.
• they showed us all sorts of traps.
• We went into the slightly widen tunnel (for the bigger size tourist). Vyktore didn’t go of course, Angie kept him occupied while Lawrence & myself quickly went in.
• The experience was amazing.
• It was pitch black in there…we just decided we gotta duck walk. Didn’t want to crawl as some parts of the tunnel was wet.
• We came out less than 5 minutes and I didn’t like the feel of it.
• Lawrence went for the 2nd tunnel, original size, no widening. That tunnel had 2 levels. And he mentioned it was even darker than the 1st one :|…only a small hint of light and he just follow the trail.
• We went home after that, half dead. Had lunch at a nearby cafe.
• Daddy came home close to 10pm, we head off to Japanese Restaurant. Cheap and good food :).

Day 5: 19th May, Monday – Wesak Day

• We spent the morning shopping around town for goodies, went to Ben Tanh Market, went to duty free shops.
• had lunch in an italian/asian food restaurant. Free wifi, great environment, and food is tasty too.
• Lawrence & Angie left for Bangkok at 2pm, and Daddy went off to work.
• Vyktore & me, what else, sleep LOL.

Day 6: 20th May, Tuesday

• it’s back to work. So we had Chu Cheong Fun for breakfast (yes again!!)
• went back to the apartment, just wanted to start work…poofff….electricity went off :|.
• went downstairs to check, they say 6pm only will resume electricity. wah liao eh….I almost pengsan.
• lucky thing, Daddy was off for 2 days, Tuesday & Wednesday.
• what we did, pack my laptop and we rode the bike to down town, Trung Nguyen Coffee. They got free wifi there 😛
• Ordered some food and fries for Vyktore
• I did some work there, then found out forgot to bring converter, so I can’t use my power plug arghh…
• work till power run low, then rode back to the apartment.
• took a long lunch break and sneak out to buy some goodies at Ben Tanh Market along with Daddy’s friend (so happen he’s off that day)
• then we went to the same restaurant we had lunch the day before to have our lunch and I continue working from there till 5pm.
• Vyktore was great, he ate his fries (yes again!!), drank water and juices and kept himself busy walking around the restaurant.
• Went home by 6pm, the electricity is back!! yahoo…..
• Setup the wifi router for the house and try to wifi from roof…doesn’t work lah babe….
• Then we went out for dinner with Daddy’s friend
• Did some grocery shopping, I sapu alot of kids toothbrush and toothpaste. It was so cheap :|. Oral B Toothbrush for only RM3.20.
• Then went home and sleep.

Day 7: 21st May, Wednesday

• Final day in Vietnam. Morning pack my bag. Actually I got nothing much to pack, I left some of my clothes there since i’m going there again. So just pack the loots I gotta bring home, which is not many apart from toothbrush haha….
• Did some work.
• Had lunch at Daddy’s Friend’s apartment (living upstairs). Homecook food haha…
• I was nursing a headache cause kena rain the day before. So I went to nap for a while and took a shower after that.
• Then we pack up and left for the airport.
• Had light dinner at the airport and wave bye bye to Daddy….
• Plane arrived late and departed late…as usual lah…
• Reached home close to 11pm….all so tired, but Vyktore is wide awake. Lucky thing he slept throughout the flight :).

So that’s bout the trip. So long…pheww….it was a great trip, though tiring. I still gain 1kg after the trip :|…The food there too good, what to do, morning day and night makan saja. Photos can be viewed HERE.

My next trip to Saigon will be with Faythe this coming July. And this time, I plan to bring the stroller along since Faythe is a stroller lover keke…and I hope she’s easier to manage. She’s already very excited over the trip, she don’t even mind sleeping on the floor LOL.