"Good Morning Vietnam"

greetings, again. i left off with what was a riveting tale of my few days in cambodia, which, is all you really need in my opinion.

we left siem reap bright and early (well not so much bright considering it was 6 am) and boarded our first bus that would bring us to saigon/ho chi minh city. this bus was nothing like our bus to siem reap: it was full, smelly, and uncomfortable. i cannot imagine what it would have been like had sarah and i not stocked up on dramamine.

an unpeaceful sleep later we arrived back in phnom penh for the bus switch. the first leg was over! onto the second bus, still dramamined up, i enjoyed being squished against the window while two people shared the aisle seat next to me with absolutely zero regard for my need of personal space. my "accidental" shoves and elbows didnt phase them and my stink eye was repelled without even making them flinch.

we crossed the border and were in vietnam! we arrived at our hotel, madam cucs hotel 127, after an awful cab ride where we were scammed beyond belief. these cabbies definitely know whats up and how to get you when youre down. if we didnt have all of our luggage we would have been out of there in a hot second but clearly we know better and it is better to pay the 5 dollar fare and just get over it. after such a long day we ventured in for some food which was quite difficult - pork uterus is not something i would like to try. we finally found food and then passed out.

our next day in saigon was interesting. the city did not meet my imagined expectations minus the millions of motorbikes that i knew would zoom by me without thinking. i had the idea that saigon would be old world like with pretty buildings and charm thrown into the bustling city life. it wasnt. saigon is just a dirty city with very little i liked, except the market. sarah and i never turn down a good market. we ventured our way through the millions of fake bags, jewelry and lacquered items and came out with a few quality purchases such as our "good morning vietnam" shirts. the day had passed and before we knew it it was time to head to the train station to meet kay in nha trang!

we arrived to nha trang very early in the morning and already our spirits were lifted. nha trang is known as a beach town but even if it didnt have the beach i still think it was more charming than saigon. we arrived at our guesthouse, may huy (pronounced mais oui) where we fell in love with the place and the friendly staff who took great care of us. after another early morning nap we were reunited with our best friend kay who were are going to live with in beijing. we got settled, ate, chitchatted and then hit the beach, had great dinners and explored the local night life. perfect day. repeat 2 more times.

we said goodbye to may huy and boarded our train to hue. another dramamine filled night sleep later and we had arrived at binh minh hotel. hue is a quaint little town with cute shops and cafes. the first day we explored the city and scoped out the river and citadel which is the citys main attraction. the citadels walls are 18 feet thick!!! thats a lot of bricks people. after our tourist bout we decided that our time would be best spent at the pool and buying pictures from local photographers. we came home with some gorgeous prints which totaled about 1 dollar! a little goes a long way in the nam.

the next day we said a tearful and early goodbye to kay and then headed out for our private half day boat tour. we moseyed along the river and soaked up some sun while stopping at various points along the way. the first stop, a pagoda, was gorgeous and sarah and i got in a bit of meditation time. next, we headed to the tombs and then a temple. while the stops were great and interesting the best part was just seeing the city from the "lazy river" and soaking in the city from another angle. we also had a great lunch in the process cooked by the wife of our boat driver. we headed back home and then were on our way to the train station for another long ride to hanoi.

hanoi is what i believed vietnam would be like. the buildings are quaint, the people friendly, and the french influence is obvious. it has charm while still being a bustling city. we stayed in the old quarter which is a great area and has everything to offer. the first day we just got a feel for the quarter and strolled around the lake area looking in various shops and cafes along the way. we soon unleashed our need for silk scarves and now there are none left in the country. get ready for presents, people! hanoi was great for us because we could take our time and relax and do what we wanted when we wanted. we liked lazily soaking up the city and taking our time with the sites and shops. we also took in a water puppet show which was highly entertaining even though we understood nothing. the one downside to hanoi is the patch of skin i am now missing from my lower right calf. word to the wise - be careful and do not slip when getting off motorbike taxis. exhaust pipes are hot and will burn your skin off. it is not fun. despite the missing flesh, hanoi was my favorite city in vietnam. we wined, dined, shopped, and really just "lived".

we are departing for shanghai tonight where we will spend a few leisurely days before embarking on our 9 day tour of china. you will hear of that adventure later.