Vietnam 2023 – Trip Report 1

Monday 28 / Tuesday 29 August – Melbourne – Singapore – Saigon

Monday 28 August

Eyes open.  It’s here.  The day that, while not really wanting to count it down that far out, was first looked at, and noted 19 weeks ago.

I didn’t want to do it, but while my brain drifted off on one of my Monday walks way back sometime in April, I counted 19 weeks to go for me, and 17 weeks to go for Lisa.

Yep, Lisa’s day arrived two weeks ago, when she jetted off to catch up with the girl, who has been travelling various parts of Europe for the last two and a bit months.

Now it’s finally my turn, and while I’ll still be playing bachelor for another couple of weeks, at least I won’t be doing it at home.

Move is made, and following a much needed coffee, the job of ticking off the last remaining things on my list begins.

Disconnect a couple of beer kegs, water some plants, wash the dishes, pull together the final few things that need to be taken, and have my final shave, so I can then charge it before I leave.

The shave starts out like it always does, before I notice that it’s hurting me.

Job completed, shaver foil is closely inspected, and yep, there’s a hole in it.

I ain’t putting up with that for the next month, so the only car that still has its battery connected, which happens to be the girl’s, is utilised to get me to the not all that close shopping centre, where I believe I can get a replacement.

Not ideal at the best of times, partly because I hate going to this shopping centre, and partly because these foil things aren’t that cheap.

Car parked, mental note taken of where it is, but not confidently, and I head inside.  Surprisingly, the shop is found rather quickly, which was just a sheer fluke, and two minutes after entering the shop, I’m on my way back to the car with a new foil, and $70 less than I had when I walked in.

Manage, somehow, to find the exit out of the shopping centre, and notice a bakery.  Because I’m a good Dad, I buy the boy a loaf of bread, seeing as he’ll be the one ‘looking after’ the house on his own, until his sister gets back in two and a half weeks.

Out to the carpark, the car found, and I’m on my way back home, with it all going far better than I expected it would.

Unplanned, and unwanted, trip complete, it’s time for a walk.  Not really sure why, but it’ll beat sitting at home watching the clock.

Walk done, with nothing but the trip and what still remains to be done, and it’s time to do the last remaining things on my list.  Lunch, of sorts, ticked off, even though I really didn’t feel like eating, as well as make a simple sandwich to take, should I get hungry on the bus.

Again, it’s unlikely, but seeing as I’m planning on having a beer or two, I better have something in my stomach.

Shower had, last few things put in my carry-on only bag, and as I turn to walk out the door, I see some documents, which just happens to include my e-visa, sitting on the kitchen table.

I am both annoyed, and horrified, that I almost walked out without them.

Disaster averted, the journey begins, and just like the previous two trips, it will be done by bus.  But this time it’s public bus the whole way, with the 901 service to be utilised, which goes all the way to the airport.

Sounds convenient, and it kind of is, but it does take a touch over two hours from where I’ll be catching it.

But, I have this strange little desire to do it this way, and every time someone told me over the last couple of weeks that I was mad when they heard of my plan, my desire to do it just became stronger.

Fifteen minutes after walking out the door at 2.40pm, and I’m at the much closer shopping centre that wasn’t, unfortunately, an option for a replacement shaver foil.

The 901 bus is there, and I join the other two passengers on it.

Just like it says, the 901 bus.

We’re on the move by 3.00pm, and it’s all rather enjoyable.

Well, it is, until we reach a secondary school which, because it’s now almost 3.30pm, has finished for the day.

We then proceed to sit at the bus stop directly outside it, for five minutes, while 758 kids get on, with the vast majority – and when I say vast majority, I mean pretty much every single kid, not bothering with using our wonderful Myki ticketing payment system.

We move on, and fortunately, most only go a few stops, and it’s not long before us remaining non-kids can once again spread out.

An hour in, and it’s all been rather pleasant, with the overriding feeling that it’s gone pretty quick.

The second hour, however, does drag a little, but is helped by partaking in my now much more desired sandwich.

Onto the freeway just after 5.00pm, and at 5.15pm the bus pulls up at its final stop.

We’re here, and the last remaining three passengers head off to continue their journey on a different, and far more exciting, mode of transport.

A bit of a walk later – yeah, they did no favours with the bus stop location; I manage to find the International terminal.

Check in not yet open, so a bar is eventually found.  Beer asked for, and because I indicate I’ll be paying by card, I have to use the QR code to order it.

Directed to a table to do that, QR code scanned, information input, product found, and payment made.  Seriously, it just shouldn’t be this difficult.

I sit and wait, and while I’ve kept up my end of the bargain, the system has not.  A few minutes later I head up, and yep, ‘Oh, sorry, here you are’.

Just love technology…..

Finally got there….

Beer had, and less than no desire to go through the process again, I head off to see if someone is ready to look at my passport and well thought about e-visa.

They are, and I take my spot in the rather long, but not ridiculously long, Scoot check-in queue.

It actually moves pretty quickly, and it’s not long before Immigration is then tackled.  It too is all rather efficient, and by 6.45pm I’m through to the other side, and in amongst all the cheap expensive shops.

Becoming a little more real.

Find our bar from last time, which fortunately is still one of those old-fashioned ones, where you ask for a beer, they pour it in front of you, and then you pay, all completely without the need of a QR code, or a phone for that matter.

With a bit of luck, that kind of system might just catch on….

Seat taken, much more user-friendly beer in front of me, and for the first time today, I have the opportunity to sit back and contemplate exactly where I am, and exactly what I’m about to do.

It’s been a rather long two weeks since Lisa left, and it’s actually the longest period of time we’ve been apart since even before we were married, which is all of sad, scary and surprising.

But I’m here.  Finally.  And it really is happening, which I’m struggling a little to comprehend.

The stupid nerves of previous years, which I’ve never understood, are there again, but nowhere as bad as what they have been on past trips.

I’m happy about that.

Beer had, while doing a few notes, along with some people watching; gee some people annoy me; and second beer is embarked upon.

A young girl sits down nearby, and I decide to risk coming across as the weird old guy, by striking up a conversation.

She ends up being very chatty, and it turns out she’s a New Zealander, who actually lives in Perth.  She’s heading back to her homeland to catch up with her elderly grandparents.

The topic of Vietnam comes up, which is not really surprising, and by the time I need to make a move, she now also has a strong desire to visit.

It’s a nice change, as normally their eyes just glaze over ten minutes after I start.

Kiwi girl bid farewell, and I’m at the gate at 8.45pm for my 9.20pm flight, after a quick bottle of water purchase.

Just in case.

Boarding has not yet begun, and by the looks of things, it’s going to take a while, with not too many seats likely to remain empty by the time we’re all on board.

Oh well, never really expected any different.

Stand around for a bit, and then boarding finally starts to happen.  The impatient ones jump up, and I do the usual waiting.  Going to be sitting on it long enough, without adding any more time to it.

Onto the plane at 9.30pm, find my seat, and being 23E, it’s the middle of the middle row of three.

While there’s probably no worse position, what is more concerning is that there is a guy already in it.

Question is asked, and yes, he has moved to my seat as his wife is in the aisle seat.

His, and his wife’s, likely ploy of booking two aisle seats in the hope of the centre one remaining free, has backfired, and he’s now more than happy to swap seats with me.

Quick chat with them; they’re going to Greece; and we take off at 9.45pm from what I believe was the East – West runway.

Being dark, and not concentrating, meant it was a hunch on the direction, due to the plane not doing a U-turn, nor making a sharp-ish left turn.

A few minutes later the seatbelt sign switches off, and before I’ve had a chance to work out what’s going on, the guy next to me is gone.  The three seats to our right only have one guy in the window seat, and rather than having two spare seats next to him, he now only has one, seeing as my guy has commandeered his aisle seat.

Oh well, win – win, but maybe not for window guy.

Settle in with extra arm and leg room, and listen to the young child just behind me who can’t stop coughing.

That constant coughing soon becomes coughing and crying.  And a lot of it….

Could be a long night.

Lights are soon out, and while I’m really happy for the guy in front of me who is already asleep, his ability to turn his light on accidentally with his arm, is starting to more than frustrate me.

His tendency to trip just about every passenger and flight attendant who walks past, due to him having his leg stuck out in the aisle, is adding to my wish for bad things to happen to him.

Yes, could be a very long night…..

Some sleep, I believe, is achieved, but if it was, it wasn’t terribly good sleep.

It’s now 4.00am Melbourne time, I’m absolutely wrecked, and an announcement is made shortly after, advising that we are about to begin our descent.

We’re back on the ground just before 3.00am, Singapore time, which is 5.00am Melbourne time, and we spend the next ten minutes taxiing around the tarmac looking for our gate.

Gate found, we then deal with the de-planing issues that are always so much fun.

Finally off, and follow the hordes.  Departure screen found, and apparently, I need Terminal one.  Good!  But I don’t know what terminal I’m in.

I then see ‘Transfer C’, but then also see ‘D33’.

So do I want ‘C’ or ‘D’?

Why is this so difficult?

Although maybe it isn’t, and it’s just me.  After all, I am pretty tired, and thinking is a little harder than it normally is.

Find D33, and yes, it appears that that is what I need.  So what did the ‘C’ thing mean???

Anyway, back for a walk around the ‘slightly more interesting’ part, as now that we’ve landed just over 30 minutes early, my stopover is now the wrong side of four hours.

Find some shops; of which even if they were open, I wouldn’t be darkening their doors; and wander aimlessly for 15 minutes.

I need something to eat, but I’m not hungry.  I also need a coffee, but don’t really want one.

I find a Starbucks, which doesn’t help with my desire, or lack of, and bite the bullet by ordering a ham and cheese croissant, as well as what will likely be my last hot coffee for a month.

Back down somewhere near the gate, seat found, and I ‘enjoy’ my breakfast, while letting a few people know that I survived the first flight.

Food done, thankfully, I walk the length of the terminal.  I’ve still got ages, and I can’t spend the whole time sitting, seeing as that’s exactly what I’ve just been doing, and there’s still another two hours of it to come.

End of the terminal is reached, steps are then retraced.  I now have no choice, I need to sit.  I am struggling big time.

Back to the gate, find some nice carpet and a hard wall, and prop myself up and close my eyes.

I have no idea if sleep was attained, but I do feel slightly better for it.

But only slightly.  And now only mentally, as my body has well and truly moved on from being able to sit upright on the floor, against a wall.

Anyway, first world problems put to one side, I soon notice movement at the gate.  Seems a little early, but yep, it is happening.

Notice people being forced to tip out their water before going through, so force myself to drink my remaining paid for water, simply because I paid for it.

Bottle empty, I walk on through, and to my surprise, it is an actual lounge.  Very comfortable, probably a little upmarket for someone like me, and really not that many people in it.

Bottle re-filled at the communal tap, ten minute wait had while I still struggle through the haze of too little sleep, and then we’re called.

Down the stairs, into a bus, and short wait till it’s full, while listening to some girl, from somewhere, tell some other girl from somewhere else who hasn’t been to Vietnam, all about her Vietnam, which doesn’t sound anything like ‘my’ Vietnam.

We’re quickly on our way, and our drive takes us through the bowels of quaint little Changi airport, where you can actually see luggage scooting along conveyor belts, hopefully heading to where they need to be going.

Was all rather interesting, and quite possibly the most interesting thing I’ve seen since this journey began.

Well, maybe not as ‘interesting’ as that beer purchasing system, in that first bar I entered, back in Melbourne….

We eventually reach our plane, and I’ve gone from dead centre of the previous one, to far right, or maybe left, depending on how you look at it, hard up against a window.

Flight two of two, about to begin.

Vietnamese local woman in the aisle seat sees me coming, and hops up to allow me in.  I give her a cảm ơn (thank you), and she giggles, as I take my seat.

We have a chat, and it turns out she’s from Vung Tau, which reminds me that we’ve not yet been there.

There is some desire to go, but it’s not a huge one, due partly to not too many mentioning it as a worthwhile destination, and partly because a local once told me not to bother.

Perhaps I should treat that comment the same way I treated the 901 bus comments, and just do it in spite of any negative opinion???

We shall see…..

Plane is pushed back at 7.10am, the roaming of the tarmac ensues, looking for our runway, and we’re finally in the air at 7.30am.

That ‘slightly better’ feeling ends up being rather short-lived, and not only is it now incredibly difficult to keep my eyes open, I just generally feel like crap.

Maybe I’m getting too old for this….

I give in and attempt that sleep thing, and while it never felt like a deep sleep, I think I did get some, before becoming aware of my surroundings about an hour later.

Back to feeling ‘slightly better’, and with only an hour to go, the view out my window becomes my focus; specifically the Mekong Delta below.

It is so great to see Vietnam again!

A bit of turbulence here and there on approach, which is always fun, and we’re back on the ground at 8.15am, with the time difference making the flight one hour and 45 minutes.

Gate found, and I’m off the plane by 8.30am.  Quick toilet stop, and the walk towards immigration continues.  With it visible up ahead, I stop to grab my e-visa.  Ordinarily, I would wait until I was in line, but I’m doing something I’ve never done before, and that is using the benefit of the ‘fast track’ system, with huge thanks to Khoi from Water Buffalo Tours.

I can see a guy up ahead holding a small sign, though I’m still too far away to see what’s written on it.  But I don’t need to be able to read it, as my guy has spotted me; thanks to him already having a copy of my passport photo.

He approaches as I approach, a very quick handing over of important documents, and we walk towards a happy immigration officer, who is currently stamping in another customer, with no one else in his line.

My documents are handed over a second time, and by the time my passport is handed back, my guy has disappeared.

Quick check that the correct exit date has been entered – it’s important, as I need every one of those 30 days, which is kind of 31 days; and because it is, my work is done here.

Down the stairs, no checked bag to wait for, and I’m outside, and free, a whopping five minutes after I stepped off the plane.

Again, thank you, Khoi!

While all of that was really good, this is the important bit.

Out the doors of the International terminal, I walk a few metres towards the road.  Past everyone waiting for friends and relatives, as well the few that will approach you offering to help with taxi / transport services.

A polite ‘no thank you’, deals with them, and trust me, you don’t want to engage their services, and as I pass most of the crowd, I veer across to the left, but still heading towards the road.

Taxis can now be seen, and one two still approach to ‘help’, but the walk continues until some chrome / stainless-steel coloured bollards / balustrading comes into view.

It’s pretty much at the end, with very little to nothing after it, apart from the road coming into Arrivals, and it’s here that you will usually find two people dressed in the uniforms of the Vinasun and Mai Linh taxi services.

These are the ones you need, but in my case today, only the Vinasun marshal is visible.

Doesn’t matter, I’m more than happy with either.

The acknowledgement of me wanting, and them prepared to oblige takes place, and the address of my accommodation, which I have written down, is shown to the marshal.

Acknowledging look received, nearby taxi driver notified of impending fare, and I’m quickly seated in the back of my Vinasun taxi, showing the written down address of where I desire to be.

No problem, and we’re on our way.

To the airport exit, airport fee paid by the driver, which will ultimately be paid by me, and we’re out in the streets of Saigon.

It is so great to be back, and I’m like a kid at Christmas, looking out the window at the sights I love so much.

The route we take into the city is slightly different to the way we usually go, more following the canal, than simply just crossing it, but following on Google maps, I can see it’s just an alternative way, and I have no concerns that I’m being taken the scenic way.

The traffic, which is pretty much always hectic, is that and more, with the time of day obviously contributing to that.  The thought crosses my mind that the slight change in route may have something to do with avoiding the worst of the traffic, before I realise that I’m spending far too much time on something that I’m really not that good at.

I go back to looking out the window.

It’s not long before I see a familiar street sign, and while I don’t know exactly where I am, I do know what I’ll shortly be seeing.

And sure enough, there’s a monument that makes me stop and think every time I see it, which is the burning Buddha statue.

Mere seconds later, and just a few minutes after 9.00am, we pull up outside a laneway that houses my ‘home’ for the next two nights.

The meter shows 140 000 Dong, and before he’s even finished trying to explain the 10 000 Dong airport fee, I’ve handed him 160 000 Dong.

I give him a cảm ơn, and bid him farewell, not giving him a chance to come up with change, and I disappear off down the laneway, almost skipping as I do.

Did I mention how happy I am to be back?

Into the LeBlanc Saigon, the girl from last year is at the desk, and judging by her reaction, I think she remembers me.

Room, as expected, isn’t ready yet, so the bill is fixed up in advance – the joys of leaving Vietnam with enough Dong in your wallet that you just have to come back – and I leave my bag and head off in search of my much beloved cà phê sữa đá, as well as Wi-Fi access until I get a sim card.

Down Diagonal Street, our Bun Bo Hue place is still there, but there’s no sign of the guy, and across the next main-ish road to our café from last time.

Seat taken just under an hour after stepping off the plane, and first cà phê sữa đá is ordered.  I’m not sure the guy remembers me, but I think I might look familiar to him; and it arrives with the complimentary trà đá like last year.

Been looking forward to this!

First sip taken, and oh how I have missed this pastime!  I do occasionally make it at home, and while it’s good, it’s just never as good as here.

Wifi utilised to let people at home know that I made it, making a big assumption that they care, all the while enjoying my second favourite drink in Vietnam.

Absolute happiness in something so insignificant, it’s enough to make me forget about how tired I am.

Coffee done, and time for the first chore of the day, which is to stick a tiny little piece of plastic in my phone, so I don’t have to rely on that Wi-Fi.

And after last year’s disappointment of the month-long sim card, which was purchased from a phone supplier’s store, only lasting two weeks, this time it will be purchased direct from a Viettel store.

Fortunately, even though I was never a boy scout, I have arrived prepared, knowing exactly – but now only in my mind without internet access, where the nearest Viettel store is.

Up to Dien Bien Phu, then across to the next main road and turn left.  So far so good, and then a little further up, at the big roundabout, the Viettel store is on the left.

Smugness becomes my number one feeling, and I make my way, albeit tentatively, across a couple of pretty busy streets.

Inside the Viettel store, the smugness is forgotten.  Not because of anything bad, but because the total enjoyment of the very efficient air conditioner becomes my one and only focus.

They’re a little busy, so I stand in the wings and await my turn.  I get a few looks from a couple of the staff, and I get the feeling that no one really wants to take on the English speaking tourist in front of them.

But, a young guy, now finished with his customer after I’ve waited five or so minutes, motions me across to take a seat.

I explain that all I want is a sim card, and with some basic English, a little Google Translate, and the pointing at a couple of information cards, he understands.

The offer of 1.5GB per day for 250 000 Dong is considered, but when an upgrade to 5GB per day, for just 45 000 VND more, is offered, I take the extra just in case, seeing as Lisa will likely hotspot off me, when she arrives in a couple of weeks.

There may have been the option of 10GB more, as well, but I struggle to use 2GB per month on my own when I’m at home.

A sheet is placed in front of me with a list of phone numbers to choose from.  I try to explain that I really don’t care, but he seems, probably because of the language barrier, pretty adamant that I choose one.

It’s only going to my number for a month, and I really, like really, don’t care what the make up of that number will be, and I’m more than happy for him to choose one.

But he still seems insistent that I choose, and I can’t help but think of a friend from many years ago, who went to the pet shop to buy a mouse.

The young sales girl asked my friend what colour mouse he would like. When he said he didn’t care, the young girl was slightly puzzled.

Once she had chosen his mouse, she then asked what he was going to name it.

He said it wouldn’t be getting a name.

Unbeknownst to the very helpful, and very sweet, young girl, my mate’s newly acquired mouse was going to share a large glass tank which housed a python he kept at home.

But not for long….

He didn’t have the heart to tell her, especially seeing as she had chosen his mouse, and now, somehow, all these years later, I’ve managed to combine a story of a mouse, a hungry python, and a very temporary Vietnamese mobile phone number.

I’m really not sure how I do it, but it probably goes some way to explaining why these bloody trip reports end up being so long.

So in the end I give in, and choose my ‘mouse’, which then prompted my telecommunications mate to ask me for my passport.

My initial reaction was one of panic, as while I had known about that possibility, it had completely slipped my mind.  But the thought of having to go all the way back to the LeBlanc to retrieve it, only to then return to the store, was short-lived, as I remembered that it was still in my pocket from when I first arrived this morning.

Passport handed over, several photos taken of me for authentication purposes, and 295 000 Dong swapped for a now internet ready phone, with an unknown Vietnamese number.

Job done, cảm ơn given, and given with total sincerity, as I know it wasn’t easy for him to do, and I say goodbye to the air conditioner, and head back out into the heat of Saigon.

Back across those busy roads, and then into the much quieter, and much cooler hems (lanes).  Past our Bun Bo Hue place, but still haven’t seen our guy, and then up the next hem, stumbling across the really small family run café that we sat at a couple of times last year.

Having been a good hour since the previous cold drink, a second one sounds like a good idea.

But wanting something a little lighter, and perhaps a little more refreshing, my preference is for a simple trà đá (iced tea).

I see the guy from last time, politely ask him for my desired drink, and he repeats it.  My Vietnamese is obviously still good enough, and I take a seat in the narrow hem, while my guy goes about processing my request.

A minute later I have a drink that is of a similar colour to trà đá, but it also has things floating in it.  It also tastes nothing like trà đá, but that’s okay, as it tastes pretty good.

We’ve actually had a similar drink to this before, down in the Mekong when staying at Green Village a few years ago.  It’s very sweet, but not too sweet, and has what I believe is tamarind in it, along with what looks like maybe cumquats.

Regardless of the exact ingredients, and its name, it was a nice, and very enjoyable, surprise.

Sit, watch the world go by, and take advantage of my newly found internet access, by catching up on Trip Advisor world.

Drink done, I make my way back towards the LeBlanc around 11.45am, passing my Bun Bo Hue place.  He’s there, so I head across.

He looks over, and then the penny clearly drops, as a big smile comes across his face.  “Hello! I haven’t seen you for a long time!”, he says.

Yep, it’s been a year, I tell him.

Quick chat, and a promise to return shortly for some lunch, and I make my way back to the hotel.  The room is still not quite ready, which is fine, so I sit downstairs for a bit to cool down.

A few minutes later I have my room key, and head upstairs to unpack a small portion of my bag, as well as try and not muck up the safe when setting my code.

The unpacking goes off without a hitch, while the code setting is a complete failure, as the safe alarm rings rather loudly, as well as incredibly annoyingly.

I race downstairs feeling like an idiot, and the girl follows me back up to help rectify the situation.

Key inserted, safe reset, she turns away while I nervously try to reenter my code.

Fortunately, for all concerned, I’m successful this time, and the safe now not only opens on my command, but does so while remaining silent.

Back outside, and back up to Diagonal Street for Bun Bo Hue.  Once again he has a huge smile on his face, and he can’t get my food quick enough.  I love that it means so much to him, but I’m not sure if he fully appreciates how much it means to me.

It’s funny; it feels like only yesterday that Lisa and I were doing this exact same thing, in this exact same restaurant, but at the same time, it feels so long ago.

And not for the first time today, I’m struggling to believe that I’m actually back here.

Bun Bo Hue had, which as previously, is really good, along with a much needed bottle of water, and bill of 70 000 Dong paid with a promise that I will be back again before we leave Vietnam.

About to walk out, and a memory returns, prompting me to stop.  That memory was of a photo that we took the day we arrived last year, at his request.  A request I was more than happy to do, so long as I too could have a photo.

I’d like to keep that little tradition going, so this time it is me who requests a photo.  He, like me last year, is more than happy to oblige, and again like last year, we both end up with a photo.

I just love this little connection we have.

Was great to see him again.

Time to tackle chore number two, which is to find an ATM.  The money situation, due to my forward planning / cunning and devious plan to have to return to Vietnam due to taking too much VND home on the last trip, is far from critical, but with a long four day weekend for Vietnam’s National Day coming up, stocking up on cash in case ATMs run out of money – which is not unheard of, is probably a good idea.

VP and VIB ATMs have already been Googled, and with a VP one being closer, that’s the goal.  Up to Dien Bien Phu, but walking the hems for as long as I can, mainly because it’s more enjoyable, but also because I then don’t need to walk past the busy hospital, and then turn left.  Up to the next main road, turn right, then left at the next main road.  And yep, there it is, just as Google said it would be.

Card inserted, English selected, ‘other’ pushed, as opposed to the set amount options.

The number 1 button is pushed, accompanied with the usual beep, followed by seven more beeps for seven times the number 0 is pushed.

Card spat out, receipt delivered, and 10 000 000 Dong in more notes than is ideal, but less than what would be perfect, quickly, and nervously, stashed into my pocket, all with no ATM fee.

Footsteps retraced, but now with much more awareness of where I am, as well as who is near me, and I make my way back to the LeBlanc.

It’s 2.15pm, my chores are complete, it’s too early for a beer, I’m both very tired and also buzzing from being back, and I’m not really sure what to do now.

My suspicion is that I need to lay down and try the nap thing, so I give in to my suspicion and attempt that very thing.

Thirty minutes later, and it’s been an absolute failure.  But I am thirty minutes closer to that first 2023 Vietnam beer.

Back outside just before 3.00pm, and head up in the direction of the burning Buddha statue.  Find a juice lady, and 25 000 Dong is handed over for the juice of the greatest fruit ever invented, the pineapple.

Cold, refreshing, and a flavour that is second to none, it’s win, win, win.

Walk the hems, but our actual hems, and not the usual hems that aren’t actually our hems, even though they feel like they are, and it just confirms to me how much I love this area.

Put simply, it’s the people.  So, so different to the ones you will run into in the main tourist areas.

Never tire of them.

Drink, and recalibrating of bearings done, I head up to my beer place from last year around 3.45pm.

Head inside, and the main guy who seems to run the place, organises a table and chair for me.  He doesn’t give too much away, and I’m not sure if he remembers me, or not.

First beer quickly arrives, offered straw politely declined, and for the first time in 2023, I’m finally doing my most favourite thing in Vietnam.

World watched, while catching up with a few around the world, including Lisa who is in Ireland with the girl.

It all feels a little surreal.

Four beers had, three green and one red, all of the Saigon variety, and bill of 91 000 Dong is fixed up.

Back across the busy road, and the next job is to see if I can find my take away beer guy from last time.

I know he’s on the left, and I know he’s not too far down, but the rest is a little hazy.

Walk continues, willing a memory to jump out, and there it is!

Fridge on the right-hand side, easily visible from the street, and full of, amongst other things, beer.

He comes out to serve me, and there’s no recollection there.  I order five, price is 60 000 Dong, and as he retrieves my change, I can tell from the smile on his face that he remembers.

I smile back, nod, and then use Google Translate to tell him I was here last year.  It’s all come back, and he knows.

It’s really good to see him again, and I love the connection I have with him.

Back to the LeBlanc, a few notes, a much-needed shower, and then back outside by 7.00pm to find dinner.

As usual, no real desire, as a desire often ends in disappointment, when you can’t find someone doing that actual dish of your desires.

And after last year, well, an abundance of suitable dinner food options, as well as appropriate / desired type food places, was not really found in close proximity.

Up Diagonal Street, and then onto the slightly busier road.  Not too far up, and in the same general area we ate in last year, a street food cart.

I can’t remember if it’s the same one, and in the end it doesn’t really matter, as there’s enough locals here to give me confidence that whatever this is, it’ll likely be pretty good.

Head across, and the husband and wife team are more than happy with the interest shown, and I’m quickly seated on the side of the hem they work in.

Dinner arrives, and not really surprisingly, it’s a soup.  With fine noodles, some pork, a few dumplings, and pieces of maybe a type of chicken sausage?

Again, doesn’t matter what it is, as it’s all beautiful.  Especially the broth, which is just sublime.

Dinner!

One thing is missing, however, and that is beer, which is promptly asked for.  My guy disappears around the corner, before reappearing a minute later with a newly purchased Tiger can.

I love how this place works.

Dinner savoured, along with the beer, while watching Saigon do its early evening thing, and as I’m about to finish, the clouds above, which I can’t see, open up.

Steady rain is very quickly followed by heavy rain, before it then becomes the proverbial ‘cats and dogs’.

I ain’t going anywhere, just yet.

A bit more sitting while trying to prolong my beer, and the rain eventually starts to ease.

Take a chance and make a move, after fixing up my bill of 70 000 Dong, which included what would have been the 20 000 Dong beer.

Up to my beer place in still fairly steady rain, but nothing quick dashes between awnings can’t handle, and then across the busy road.

They see me coming, and even though they’re busy, they can’t do enough to accommodate me.

It’s nice, and I think I’m well and truly back.

A bit of WhatsApp-ing with Lisa, seeing as most people in Melbourne are already in, or very close to, bed, along with the usual Trip Advisor stuff.

Well and truly back!

The day is really starting to catch up with me, and the whole tiredness, lethargy, light headedness / motion sickness feeling, is starting to become a problem.

But, being the trooper I am, I push through, while watching fairly constant waves of incredibly heavy rain pass through.

Again, I ain’t going out in that, so I may as well make the most of where I am.

As hard as that is….

9.30pm arrives, and with the rain having eased somewhat, it’s time to make a move and chance it.

The bill for my 24 000 Dong green Saigon Beers is fixed up, and I use Google Translate to let the main guy know that I’ll be back tomorrow.

He smiles, and shakes my hand.  I can tell he remembers, and that, along with the way a few of the other staff here tonight have really gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, means more than they can imagine.

There is none of the, understandable, trepidation from last year, when this strange Western guy first entered this bar.

We’ve all come a long way.

Out into the darkened, and very wet, streets of Saigon, which are in the process of being made even wetter.

While the rain has eased, it’s still enough to get you very wet.

Awnings are once again utilised to limit the wetting, but with limited success, and I start to question whether the stop, starting, and looking for any kind of shelter method, is actually worth the effort.

I’m not ‘shower wet’, but my t-shirt is now considerably heavier than when I first put it on.

A quick stop for a packet of chips (12 000 Dong) that I probably don’t really need, and then it’s back to the LeBlanc to take up my usual Vietnam position on the bed, for the first time in 2023.

But not before drying off.

It’s been a long day, with the travel bit at times being a little difficult to deal with.

But that’s first world problem stuff, and as they say, no pain, no gain.

I just still can’t believe that I’m back, and even though Lisa’s not here to share it, I’m not sure I was ever bored with my own company today.

Then again, I’ve still got another two weeks without her, so it will be interesting to see how it all goes.

A bit more Trip Advisor, a finishing off of the day’s notes, and at 11.30pm, which yes, is far too late, the wall is well and truly hit.

Sleep comes quick, as I drift off to the sounds of one almighty, and very impressive, thunderstorm outside.

Very pleased I got ‘home’ when I did, but that thunderstorm just adds to the love I have for this place.

Cheers,

Scott