The sleeper buses are a million times nicer in Vietnam, we each have individual beds for a start and we have wifi, which still blows my mind. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as the locals still call it and it was such a weird experience. Every other time we have gotten off a bus, there has been at least 10 Tuk Tuk drivers waiting and literally surrounding you as you stepped off. This time, there was nothing and no one around. We tried to ask other people on the bus but they weren't very helpful. We decided to walk around the bus station to see if there was any Tuk Tuk's or taxis in another area and we found nothing. Still not sure if we had actually reached our destination, we left the bus station and walked the streets finally finding a taxi who took us to our hostel after we'd learnt our lesson about turning up to a main city without a booking. We only stayed here one night as it was down a few too many dodgy alleyways for our liking and moved on to Eco Backpackers which was a pretty good find. We private little pods for beds, so even though there were 10 people to a dorm, it felt quite private.
Ho Chi Minh City was a world away from everywhere in Cambodia, it has a much more western feel and it is the busiest place I have ever seen. Every road has a sea of mopeds and crossing them feels like you're gong to die everytime. The best tactic was to find a local and follow them and/or close your eyes and run. We spent our time in the city eating Pho, a traditional vietnamese soup, going to the market and buying too much (best market we've found so far), visiting the reunification palace and going to the war remnants museum, which basically seemed to be a museum that showed all the bad things that America did to them and didn't really explain the war at all which was a little dissapointing.
We had been wondering what the local drinking culture was like here and whether the locals got as drunk as us Brits and were pleased to discover its not only us who cant handle it... While having a drink outside a bar where we were the only westerners a group of local girls came falling out of the bar trying to hold one of their friends up. I have never seen someone so drunk, she couldn't even hold herself up to sit on a stool. At one point she fell backwards and on to the floor right below my bench so even I had to get up and help her. We werent sure how the rest of the locals would react, some were laughing but her friends were crying, she was crying and we couldn't help but think 'she is only drunk, just get her some food and water, it isnt the end of the world' but it seems as though this isn't a regular occurrence. The worst part about this was how they got her home, her clearly very angry boyfriends turned up on his moped and after trying alot of times with her falling out of their arms, they draped her on the back of his moped and rested her head on his back and off they went... Mental.
The best place we visited was Cu Chi, which before the war was a little town of locals who supported the north in the war. As they were living in the south, they were targeted so they built tunnels and rooms underground so that they could hide from the American troops. It was really facinating to see and we even got the chance to crawl through one of the original tunnels (none of us three were brave enough as it was pitch black, you could hardly move and there were bats and other animals in your way. We did, however crawl through the newly constructed tunnels that have lights in and have been made wider for the fat westerners and even this was claustrophobic enough so god knows how these people lived in there. Our tour guide, Jackie was fantastic. He worked as a translator during this time so he knows everything you would need to know.
We were pretty lucky with our hostel this time round, we met a group of Dutch friends and had a night out with them, starting with a bar that consisted of sitting on plastic chairs in the middle of the road with mopeds dodging you and finishing by cramming 11 people in to one taxi to get to Apocalypse club. It had a good mix of locals and westerners and once again we were the ones having it the hardest! This made the local girls want to join in and slutdrop with us sometimes to the disappointment of their boyfriends but I love how much fun they seem to be having when they get in with a group of westerners, so keep it coming girls - we can all pretend we can dance like Beyonce together!! And then look like this the next day:
From Ho Chi Minh, we set off to Nha Trang, which is more of a holiday town but was pretty fun. Full of Russians as it seems to be their go to holiday destination and everything was in Russian, then Vietnamese then English which was bizarre. We decided to have a proper 'girls holiday' few days and booked a booze cruise, and a day at a water & theme park but not before spending the morning on the beach and visiting the mud and mineral baths which was such a bizzarre experience but quite nice dispite sharing a bath with a few strangers.
Where do I start with the booze cruise?! Well first let me say that it was most definitely NOT a booze cruise which we slowly started to realise after we got on the coach and one by one, families with kids got on, mixed with one or two westerners and then an 80 year old local got on and sat next to Leanne. Oh god, we thought while Lisa tried to stay positive and thinking we'd be put on a separate boat. We weren't. The guide tried his hardest to make it a booze cruise and told us if we weren't drunk we couldn't go home and put Snoop Dogg's 'young and wild and free' on. It was laughable. We pulled up to the first island where we stayed for 2 hours to snorkel, had lunch on the boat and then it all turned. Suddenly a 'band' was set up and they sang us some songs, then got people from different countries to come up and sing something from their country. The Scottish boys got up and the band started playing Wonderwall, then the American sang along to Country Roads, then it was Korea's turn. They started singing along to a traditional Korean song and suddenly the DJ came over the top of themwith Gangnam Style, the boat went crazy and they sang all of the words, somehow looking quite cool while doing it. After a few more beers, it was time for the floating bar. You could jump off the top of the boat and swim to a man giving out free cocktails which was basically a really strong vodka and fanta. On the last Island we decided to go on the jet-skis and for some reason the people you rented them stayed on the back with you which was a bit weird. Leanne was driving and went so fast that our man shot off the back and in to the water but he seemed to love it.
After talking to the others on the boat, we realised that they had booked at snorkeling trip and were equally disappointed as they hardly saw anything. Never expect to be doing what you think you will be in Asia. After moaning alot before lunch, we ended up having such a fun day and went out for drinks afterwards where it was ladies night (free cocktails!!).
The next day we were off to Vinpearl waterpark which was a fun day out and Lisa accidently walked around showing everything off after her bikini top had moved position after going down a slide without her noticing. Luckily (or unluckily), I saw and had to tell her accross a group of people. It was genuinely the funniest thing and everytime I think about it I crease up. I now feel like were even closer (and have seen them once more since). The best part of this was going across to the island on a cable car and seeing such a good view of the surrounding islands.
The next day we were off to Da Lat, which is only four hours away from Nha Trang but it felt like a whole new country. Da Lat was so very cold, which I liked for all of about five minutes then missed the heat. We stayed at Da Lat Family Hostel and it was AMAZING. It is a bit much when you first walk in, but they are the most amazing and welcoming people and really make you feel like you are part of the family. It is run by Mama, and her two daughters - Crazy and Sexy Annie. There is a lot of hugging, a lot of massages and a lot of free food. We went out for dinner with Sexy Annie the first night and Mama cooked for everyone the second night. There was about 30 of us sat round the table in their lounge and after paying $2 each, we ate like kings. Mama couldn't speak English but taught us a catchy song about Vietnam which we all keep singing now.
If you go to Da Lat, YOU HAVE TO STAY HERE!! The only reason we went was to go Canyoning which was amazing. I left my inner wuss at home and braved the cliff jumping, abseiling and sliding down rocks. It was the most fabulous day and so much fun until I managed to fall from about ten metres up down a twenty five metre waterfall. I couldn't move my fingers for a while, and am now in a lot of pain but it was so worth it even with them shouting at you to "GO GO GO!!" And "LEAN BACK MORE, MORE MORE MORE". I don't think I would have done it without them shouting as nothing was scarier than looking down when you're at the top, with only two ropes holding you up.
From Da Lat, we went off to Hoi An, nothing much to say about here as all we did was ride bicycles to the beach as we thought it the safer way to travel after Lisa's leg and went out drinking that night. One off us strolled in a little later than the others on the back of a moped and found the hostel locked up and had to climb over the fence showing all of her modesty to her new friend Lo, the driver. At 5 in the morning, this was the funniest story and after being a little bit too loud we were shouted at by the hotel staff. The next day we spent in bed, all day. Leaving the room twice, both times for food. After not making the most of Hoi An, we were determined that at our next stop, Dong Hoi we would do lots.
Dong Hoi is a small town with NOTHING TO DO. The only reason you go is to visit the caves, which we did and Paradise Cave was amazing to see but not worth the aggravation we experienced to get there. I will never understand why a taxi driver would pick you up, quote you a price, start driving and then noticeably have no idea where they are going. After argueing with the driver and thinking he would leave us in the middle of no where, we made it back and were so looking forward to getting the night bus and away from this town. Shock, the hostel had mucked up our bus but managed to fit us on another, not before driving us around town and dropping us at the wrong bus stops - what a day!!
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