Flying from Brisbane to London normally sees one go through an Asian or Middle Eastern airline hub and takes around 24 hours, with one long leg of up to 14 hours. As soon as you look into breaking that long leg into two more manageable sectors you add additional airlines and the cost climbs significantly. We have found that the long sectors in economy, especially overnight do knock us about more than they used to.
For this journey we are using our frequent flyer points acquired over the last few years which has allowed us to create a route with three breaks for a day or two each time. We will take eight days to get from Brisbane to London.
After our overnight stop in Singapore we are whisked to Ho Chi Min City in just two hours. While we have visited other parts of Vietnam before, it is our first time in Ho Chi Min City.
A steady passage through immigration over 1.5 hours (luckily short of the 3 hours some have experienced) and we are heading for baggage claim: the bags have long since arrived and our three are neatly lined up together in a special area. A very nice touch , thank you whoever put them together for us.
We have read the usual bad taxi stories and booked ahead, with Anne getting the Klook app which also proved useful for booking lunches and tours. I must admit that we had no problems when we exited the terminal. I guess it is down to perceptions and with all our decades of travel experiences, we are probably more laid back than most.
As we are whisked, at times what seems to be walking pace, to our hotel, we get to understand how the traffic flows work in Ho Chi Min City. I am reminded of an experiment I saw once where a scientist progressively filled a container with rocks, sand and water and how at each stage the container appeared full, you could add another layer. The cars are rocks and the mopeds sand. The mopeds seem to flow between the cars like sand between the rocks, I am assuming that drones one day will fill the gaps between the mopeds. Given the ingenious carrying capacity of a moped, why do we in the west require cars in warmer climes? A nifty parcel rack and dual hook combination below the handlebars will carry all one’s shopping and parcels. Three up is not uncommon and four at a pinch. Given the packed pavements, one wonders how a move to motorcars would be catered for, however it has happened in China where the move has been from bicycles to cars in two decades. How was that done?
After arriving at the hotel which is in the centre of the city in District 1, we realise that yesterday I went 23 hours without sleep. While wonderful local food is all around us, I succumb to getting chips and dip from a western supermarket and sleep overcomes me.
On our first full day, Anne sensibly books a decent lunch at the Lotte Hotel Saigon on the river to recharge our batteries. This gives us an opportunity to walk across the centre of Ho Chi Min city. En-route, we discover an excellent patisserie, Bến Thành Market Station on the first new metro line, opened in December 2024, of fourteen planned and learn to walk across streets in harmony with the ever flowing streams of mopeds crossing our path.
The Lotte Hotel Saigon buffet exceeds all expectations, we are overwhelmed with the choices and the service was exceptional. We had advised one of the managers of our food requirements, no lactose for Anne and coeliac for me. As we head to the buffet to load up, a member of staff follows us, he has been informed of our intolerances and is there to advise us on what we can eat – what service! Anne has rated them highly on TripAdvisor, well deserved.
We return via the Saigon Central Post Office, built in the French Colonial times is described as “French Colonial” style. It was the centre of an extensive telegraph network and today attracts tourists from around the world who queue to send postcards home.
The adjacent Cathedral was closed and we return to our hotel for a well deserved rest. We realise that it will take a few days to adjust to travelling again and for Anne to relax after the project closeout.
Day three, now we will really explore starting with a visit to the Independence Palace. Completed in 1967 and only in use till 1975 it is now a museum. We go via the Bến Thành Market one of the oldest remaining buildings in Ho Chi Min City. Completed in 1914 is now home to some 1,500 stalls selling an amazing array of goods from food to luxury items.
It is somewhat of a tourist mecca, but after being grabbed by a over zealous store-holder, to look at who knows what, we leave. Not our thing, but Anne did purchase 500g of dried mango for a reasonable price, very tasty.
The Independence palace has a very 60’s appearance. It was the presidential palace before reunification in 1975. With Vietnam’s capital in Hanoi, it has been converted to a museum. Interesting to see a 1960’s architecture preserved with all the period furniture. The building is still used from time to time for meeting foreign dignitaries. We are seeing a historical building but from our lifetimes. We must be getting older! We pass two army tanks on display in the grounds, identical models to those that broke through the gates in the famous photograph from 30 Apr 1975. We exit through those same gates.
By now we have adapted to crossing roads at a steady pace with the mostly moped traffic deftly weaving around us. It is still a little unnerving as a swarm of mopeds sweeps up the road towards you: do not to turn, look or panic. Remember, do not hesitate, your path has been factored in by the riders. Coming from wearing full face motorcycle helmets, the small half helmets seem more like cyclists headgear and the words “Style and Fashion” emblazoned on one pink helmet do not give me confidence as to the safety features of said helmet.
Lunch is taken nearby at Quán Nhon 138, as we see it is full of locals, which is always an indication to us of good food. We try a couple of new dishes and are not disappointed although a little spicy by our standards, probably considered mild by locals.
For dinner, we try something different and head to a local bar and eatery intriguingly named Forest Therapy. They have created a jungle like environment in the centre of the city. A couple of cocktails, which is unusual for us and good food made for an enjoyable evening.
I have to confess that we have not tried the street eateries that seem to occupy store fronts in every street in District 1. Am not sure if it is because of the low tables and chairs that I may never get up from, the fact that gluten free may be an impossibility or just we are looking for the easier albeit more expensive option for food. When we are on the road next month on Streak and Storm, such places will be the norm and I am looking forward to those experiences.
– Anthony
2slowspeeds 