Saigon Surprises

Brace yourselves for a long blog. This is the first part. I feel inspired to write at length on our maiden trip to Saigon. We feel that our trip may have lots to offer when it got pretty interesting even before reaching the airport.

During a stop at the Simpang Empat rest area, a Chinese lady knocked on my passenger window and made me jump from my seat. I was quite apprehensive to roll down the window after all the stories on daylight robberies at petrol stations. But she seemed innocent enough. She was traveling with her brother by bus from Singapore and the journey was delayed for 3-4 hours at the causeway, screwing up their plans to reach KL on time to get transport down again to LCCT. She seemed quite pitiful and was practically begging us and the taxi driver to ‘tumpang’ them. So Jeff and I both agreed to help them (with much resistance from the driver) and our taxi cost was reduced by RM50. The journey wasn’t too pleasant with the driver ringing down their ears (and ours) on their inexperienced travel logistics. After parting ways at the departure hall but not before obliging them with our contact numbers, we thought that’s the last we see of them but they tailed us and waited while we checked in our luggage. Then they pulled out their camera for a group shot and presented us with a box of expensive looking airport duty free chocs. I mean, we are after all the same countrymen and they have paid their share of the ride. I suppose their gratitude surpassed their intuition to move on.

Air Asia lived up to their name of budget traveling when our flight was expectedly delayed for half hour. The first thing Jeff noticed about the Viets was the ladies’ penchant for wearing white. Being the mountain goat that I was, I tried unsuccessfully to look like a seasoned traveler. I got excited when I saw scores of single headlights roaming the streets of Saigon from the skies. Where are the cars?

Tan Son Nhat Airport is modern and quite posh not unlike KLIA. Jeff unhappily noted that Toyota Vios and Innova were used primarily as taxis. Our ride to Bich Duyen Hotel was eventful. The traffic! To think that KL is scary, Saigon is insane! Of their 8 million population, they have 6 million motorbikes! Motorists cut in at any time and in any style. There are not many traffic lights or rules and honking intermittently is widely accepted. We finally released our breath when the taxi stopped at our destination, for good.

The backpackers lane was filled with laughter of children playing and hoteliers sitting at the steps smiling and inviting you in. Checking in was a breeze and they uphold the Asian culture of walking barefooted indoors. The room was cozy and clean. No carpets and toiletries though but cable TV is complete with HBO, Cinemax, Starworld, etc on top of their 10 over local channels. They must really love watching TV. Their lack of the English language is comprehensible as all the local channels are either in Viet or dubbed in Viet.

We proceeded to have dinner and met a couple of old men wearing their helmets squatting along an alley immersed in chinese checkers. Our dinner of Pho Bo (just like our beef kuay teow tng but they had mint leaves and hotter yellow chilli) at a nearby coffeeshop came up to 25,000 dong (RM6) for a bowl! We then walked along Pham Ngu Lao St. and De Tham St (left) where we saw many arts & craft shops, tourist agencies, Air Asia, HSBC ATMs and the usual sight of a local girl per ang moh tourist inbars. The Viets love to play sepak takraw and badminton in the park at night, minus the heat I suppose!

In Saigon, there is no McDonald's in sight. Only KFC and Lotteria, their answer to burgers. We took great care to avoid eating there.

Anticipating an early rise tomorrow (and given the fact that daylight dawns an hour earlier in this country) for our tour to the city centre by foot, I convinced Jeff to retire early. On our way back, the two ah peks were still at their game... talk about sheer concentration!