Travelling on the Vietnam Express......

I'm now in country number 3 of my 'big adventure'!  We have crossed the boarder from Cambodia into Vietnam.  This boarder crossing was a very different experience to the entry into Cambodia.  Surrounded by lush green padi fields, this boarder was a simple shed on the side of the road a barrier across.  The crossing was simple and once we had each paid out $1 'fee' to the immigration officer to get our passports stamped, we were in Vietnam.  The change between the two countries was immediate.  Vietnam is green and lush, the houses are empty with everyone out working hard on the padi fields, and the roads and pavements are cleaner.  All the roads, gardens and fields are set out in very neat well maintained rows.  Above all, Vietnam is more developed than Cambodia and heck of a lot busier!

At our first night in Vietnam we stay at a small boarder town as it is too far to drive to Ho Chi Minh City in one day.  Whilst Ho Chi Minh City is not the capital of Vietnam it is the main city, with 8 million people living here.  With a population of 8 million here, there are 6 million motorbikes in the city, I think I have seen 5.5 million of them while I've been here, this city is so busy.  The traffic is constant.  Crossing the road is a mission, I think from now on I will on go to places on the same side of the road!  The advice is to step out into the moving traffic and walk slowly and confidently through it, and they will go round you!  This totally goes against what your brain wants you to do, which is get out of the way of the traffic, given they use the horn as a subsitutue brake.  However, I have to say, it does work, they do go round you!

Whilst in Ho Chi Minh City (previously Siagon), we took a trip to see the underground tunnels that the Viet Cong used used during the 'American War', as it is called here.  There is a huge network of these tunnels underground with make shift schools, hospitals and kitchens too.  We went through a 100 meter stretch of the tunnels, which have supposedly been made wider since they were used by the Viet Cong.  I have to say that I still struggled to get my 'western' hips through, they are very narrow!

Whilst we are in Vietnam, it is the Chineese new year, which is celebrated here.  This means that most people leave the cities and return to thier families in the countryside.  A lot of things close down during this time, so it could be quiet for the next 2-3 days.  There are lots of decorations everywhere for the new year which make the cities look very pretty.

We are in Ho Chi Minh for just one night, and then we head to Nha Trang, on a sleeper train!  We are all quite excited by this as we never have been on one before.  I was pleasently surprised by the standard of the accommodation, and it is wasn't too difficult to get to sleep after taking a few minutes to get used to the rocking motion of the train.  I did wake up frequently during the night though, checking the other 3 people where still in the cabin and I hadn't sleep through our stop!  There are no announcemnets on the train, so it is a bit of a guessing game as to when you are approaching your stop!

We arrive in Nha Trang early in the monring after our nights sleep on the train, although not as early as planned. The train was due in at 5.45 am, but we arrived about 8.30am.  Apprantly that is a pretty good time, and not much of a delay!  The difference in temperature in this coastal town is noticable, I even had to wear jeans yesterday!  The waves are crashing in at the moment, so there may be storm appraching.  At least that will keep the mosquitos away from me for a couple of days!

Well it is on to another sleep train tonight to head to Ho An, hopfully I won't wake up so many times in the night this time!

I hope you are all well.  Keep in touch and let me know what is going on with you.

Lots of love, from Katrina x  x x x