Well I got up at 3am on Saturday for my journey to Saigon, left the condo in plenty of time, got a cab straight away and was in the airport for just after 5am for my 7.20am flight. Got checked in ahead of the big queue as I am in business class ( that was the only advantage of business class), walked to the departure lounge then was asked for the 750 pesos exit tax, I forgot about it and only had 600 pesos on me, the guy said that the bank may open at 6 or 7am... thanks !!... he didn't think to tell me that there was an ATM outside which luckily I asked about, so I wanders down to the business class lounge where they had wi fi so caught up on my emails and stuff. (ok 2 advantages)
I was first on the flight at 6.35 am, at 7.20am there were 17 ( why is always 17 this or 17 that ??) passengers stuck trying to get through Immigration, more likely that they were late getting to the airport, the result was that the rest of us that got there on time had to wait til 8.10am before our flight could leave.
Comfortable flight and arrived in Saigon about 9.30am (their time) flight was only 2hrs 15 mins. Picked up and taken to the hotel.... driving on the way from the airport I can honestly say that I saw more motorbikes in that 30 minute drive than I have seen in probably the whole of the last 10 years of my life.... no exaggeration.... bikes everywhere, when you stop at traffic lights there are at least 150 bikes on each of the 4 corners waiting to go through the lights, I will add some video for you to see later.
My hotel, the "An An" is only a 2 star probably because it only has rooms, no restaurant, bar or anything else for that matter, it's just a building about 6 metres wide but 11 floors high, you walk in the door into the small (6x4 metres) reception with its desk and a small lift to the rooms. I got the room that I requested on the 11th (top) floor which has nice windows on 3 sides, the room is really very nice for a 2 star hotel. The building scares me as it is so narrow but high, it feels like a strong wind would blow it over, you will see when I add a video.
The area is so in your face you wouldn't believe it, lots of people would hate it, but walk out the front of the hotel and you are in Bedlam city... it's chaotic, noise is deafening 24/7, bikes on the road everywhere and on the pavement, people selling allsorts, from shoe cleaning to bike riding and everything in between. Yes I love it !!
It's now 7.30am Sunday and I am going on a tour to Cu Chi, this is where the Vietcong hid during the American bombings, the tunnels are 100's of kilometres long and interconnecting, they have widened the entrances so that our western bodies can fit through them, during the war they had schools and hospitals down there, it should be interesting but I don't want to go down too many levels, although I'm not claustaphobic as such, anymore that 1 level underground will make me feel very uncomfortable.
Anyway got to go as it is time to get a bus.
Hope you are all enjoying your lazy Sunday
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