Thursday 28 September – Saigon – Singapore – Melbourne
Here we are. The day that was so distant a month ago, it couldn’t be seen.
Why does it always go so quick….
Up just before 8.00am, and fortunately, but also slightly annoyingly, I feel the best I have for a week.
A bit more of that packing and organising thing, and then out by 9.00am.
Over to Diagonal Street, and then onto our café for our usual cà phê sữa đá.
A look at my phone, and yep, my month of data is up.
I was expecting it, seeing as it was ‘purchased’ on 29 August, and today is 28 September, along with a text from Viettel yesterday, that while I obviously couldn’t understand it, Google Translate seemed to imply that it was all about to end.
It has, and I’m now left with a mix of wifi-ing, and hot spotting off Lisa.
The sitting and savouring begins, along with the usual watching of the whole thing.
Our café.
I feel kind of numb, neither sad nor happy, about where we’re at; an acceptance, perhaps?; and it’s just a case of trying to take it all in, for as long as I can.
Our Grab guy is in his usual spot, on his chair, feet on the seat of his bike, and actually awake.
But not for long, as he begins his usual dozing.
I don’t know him, in fact I know absolutely nothing about him, but I’m going to miss him.
More watching, more savouring of what is likely our last cà phê sữa đá, and then our Vietnamese American guy turns up.
We chat, and then, as our cà phê sữa đá comes to an end, and it’s time to make a move, he wishes us a safe trip home.
He is seriously a lovely guy, and his ‘friendship’ over the few days that we’ve known him, has been much appreciated.
I really hope he’s here the next time we are.
We bid farewell, to not just him, but also the café owner, and take a walk around the hems.
Up the main-ish road, and past my barber, who is standing at his door. A little surprisingly, I get an acknowledgement. Not sure if it’s from the last few days, or the penny has dropped from last year’s encounter.
In the end, it doesn’t really matter.
Off into the hem that is the extension of the market, and then to the market proper. Same old, same old, but gee, apart from beers on the footpath at the end of the day, an authentic local market is one of my most favourite things.
We walk to the end, and while I want to take heaps of photos, there’s a part of me that now feels like I’m intruding on their lives.
Maybe it’s that heightened awareness feeling thing, being the last day, or maybe it’s now more the connection I feel I have with the locals.
I’m not sure.
We walk past a woman sitting on her bike, in the process of making a purchase, who happens to have a poodle perched on the front of her bike.
Ordinarily, there’s nothing overly interesting or different in that, but when the dog is wearing a plastic yellow hat, as well as a shirt, or maybe it’s a dress; well that just screams a photo.
I do, however, ask beforehand, to which she, (the owner, not the dog, although the dog also seemed happy), obliges.
Just out for the morning shop.
Market walk complete, we head back to the Le Blanc around 10.00am, to try and complete that packing and organising thing.
But I can’t bring myself to do it, so I prolong the process by writing a few notes, while also trying to imagine what we have ahead, with our six hour stopover in Singapore.
Still can’t believe I missed, or overlooked, that…..
Eventually the time arrives, and it can’t be put off any longer. Shower had, and then, as the remaining remnants of our things are packed away, a realisation is made.
And that realisation, due to my over thinking brain, is that exactly one month ago today, and scarily, pretty much to the minute, I had just walked out the front door at home, to begin this adventure.
It’s frightening how quick it all goes.
Out of the room at 12.00pm, final beer grabbed from the fridge, and down the stairs, carrying that bloody suitcase, for the final time.
It hurts; both the carrying of the suitcase, as well as the fact it’s the last descending of the stairs.
Belongings are dropped for safekeeping, last remaining beer put into the nearby fridge, and we head out to deal with lunch, which not surprisingly, is a bánh mì from our usual bánh mì girl.
She gives us a big acknowledging smile when she sees us, and sets about organising our lunch.
Bánh mì’s delivered (40 000 Dong), appreciative cảm ơn given, and Google Translate utilised to let her know we won’t be back tomorrow.
We walk the hems while we eat, and while our bánh mì’s are always good, today it just seems that little bit better.
Is it? Or is it just that I’m concentrating on it more, with it being the last one?
Not sure.
Our dumpling guy goes past, and as he does, he gives us a huge smile and wave. He’s such a happy guy, and I love that he goes out of his way to acknowledge us and make us feel so welcome.
Around the block, past my beer place for the final time, and then down to my take away guy.
“Sáu?” (six), he says, with a big grin, as he sees us approach.
“Haha, no, just hai (two)” I reply, while also letting him know that I don’t want cold ones.
He’s initially a little confused, but then realises, correctly, that they’re likely travelling home with me.
Beers handed over, 24 000 Dong paid, and he shakes my hand while giving me the most heartfelt and genuine cảm ơn, I think I’ve ever received.
I reciprocate, throwing in a hẹn gặp lại, while also telling him I’ll see him next year.
Damn goodbyes…..
Down to Nga’s, and as usual, she’s very happy to see us.
The desire is chanh dây (passionfruit juice), but she’s keen for us to try something else, pointing to what looks like yoghurt.
It concerns me slightly, seeing as I suspect I may have a bit of a dairy intolerance issue, following something that happened over ten years ago, after eating yoghurt one morning for breakfast.
And with the day, and night, we have ahead of us, it’s something that I’d really, really prefer not to have to deal with.
But she’s adamant, and so adamant, that I just can’t bring myself to disappoint her, so I give.
And the drink?
Well, turns out it’s yaourt chanh dây (yoghurt passionfruit), and not only has it taught us another word, but it’s also really nice.
Hopefully that’s the only memory it leaves me with.
We sit and savour, while chatting to Nga, and while we do, our dumpling guy walks past on his way back to his house.
Again, a wave and an acknowledgement, and it’s hard not to feel that bit happier whenever I see his smiling face.
With our time fast approaching, I’m struggling to make the move, but eventually, we have no choice.
Bill of 40 000 Dong is fixed up, and Nga goes to shake our hands.
No, a handshake was never going to be enough, and instead we do hugs.
Cảm ơn’s and hẹn gặp lại’s given, and even an older guy who had been sitting next us, throws in his own hẹn gặp lại.
Was nice, but he just made it a little harder than it already was.
We reluctantly head off, down to Diagonal Street for the final time, and then to our bún bò Huế guy, to continue the goodbye’s.
Again, it’s just not getting any easier, and is only slightly helped with the fact that we plan to be back in 12 months time.
But gee, right now, 12 months seems a very long way away.
Goodbye complete, we make our way back to the LeBlanc for last time, just before 1.30pm. Souvenir beers packed away, the beer from the fridge retrieved, and then duly enjoyed, which despite it being a little earlier than usual, goes down very well indeed.
To the point that I wonder why I wait till 4.00pm each day.
Oh well, got to have some discipline….
Beer done, and then so too is the final goodbye, this time with Chau. But as usual, it’s more a see you later, with the hope that we’ll be back here next year.
Outside at 1.45pm, and out of our hem for the last time. Hotspotting off Lisa’s phone, a Grab car is booked (106 000 Dong), and before I’ve even looked up from my phone, a car pulls up in front of us.
On our way by 1.50pm, and despite the traffic being heavy, we pull up at the terminal by 2.15pm.
Fare paid, plus an extra 10 000 Dong for the airport toll, and we’re quickly inside to begin the process.
We find where we need to be, and we have all of three minutes to wait until check in opens. But even better than that, is the fact that we’re third in line.
And that, has never happened.
Boarding passes in hand, it’s off to immigration, which, despite appearing rather busy, actually moves along pretty quick, and an hour after hopping in our Grab car, we make it to air side.
All very painless, and absolutely nothing like last year’s fun and games.
We find our gate, and because Tan Son Nhat airport is pretty ordinary when it comes to entertainment and things to do, we back track to the bar / restaurant we sat at the last time we were here.
Table found, I head up to order a couple of drinks, with one being a cà phê sữa đá for Lisa, and the other a beer for me.
The cà phê sữa đá order goes off without a hitch, while I’m questioned on the size of the beer.
“Large, please”, is my response, to which she replies with something that I don’t understand.
The puzzled look on my face disappears though, when I hear her say one litre.
“Yes. Please!”, as one litre is more than fine by me, but judging by the surprised look on her face, I’m not sure it’s their most popular size.
The cà phê sữa đá turns up a few minutes later, quickly followed by my beer, and yep, it’s large, and probably more ‘bucket’ like than ‘glass’ like.
I, and it, become quite the novelty, with lots of inquisitive looks coming from our fellow travellers.
We sit, drink, stare at our phones, and occasionally talk to each other, all the while being amazed, and sometimes really annoyed, at people who have their own, and very different, ideas on how to behave when in public.
Airports, I guess….
One litre down, and second litre is ordered, because, well, really, what else is there to do?
More sitting, more observing, and I still have Beatles songs playing over in my head. It ain’t ‘Hello Vietnam’, and I’m really not that big a fan of The Beatles, but gee, it’s grabbing at me a bit.
I really don’t want to leave, but there is now, perhaps helped by the beer, a certain level of acceptance, of our situation.
Getting close, the second litre is finished off, and we make our way towards our gate around 4.45pm, making a slight detour to the toilets, for obvious reasons.
The Scoot plane that will take us to Singapore.
Onto the plane and seated just after 5.00pm, then take off on time at 5.20pm. With Lisa on her way to being off with the fairies, following her ingesting of travel sickness medication, I decide to turn my attention to the young girl sharing our group of three seats.
She’s on her way back to Germany, after having spent the last 12 months travelling to various countries, including Australia, as well as spending time in Melbourne, which she really loved.
She’s incredibly friendly, and very easy to talk to, and before I know it, we’re almost halfway to Singapore.
We’re back on the ground just before 8.00pm, and inside quaint little Changi not too long after.
Easily, and often, confused in airports, we simply just follow the hordes, until my bearings are regained when I see the Starbucks from a month ago.
Nearby departure screen is perused, and with it only showing flights up to 12.15am, confirmation that our 2.30am one is still a very long way off. Our German friend’s one is not much better, but at least an hour before ours.
We bid farewell, and head off to do something about dinner, which I know is likely going to be financially painful.
Down towards the restaurants and really expensive shops, finding a couple of possible restaurant options.
But they are just that, merely options, and neither fills me with any great excitement. But that’s really all to do with me, and my overwhelming feeling of indifference, mainly coming about due to the fact that don’t really want to be here, as it means we’re going home.
Bit of that ‘feeling sorry for myself’ again, that I do so well….
We settle on one, and then the decision on food is made, but made more by process of elimination, as opposed to actually selecting something I actually want.
The ‘winning’ dish is a curry, which while okay, isn’t really enjoyed as much as it should be, again, due to my rather sombre mood I find myself dealing with.
The beer that was ordered with it, is similar. It’s Tiger, and while I had one with dinner last night, this one doesn’t taste anywhere near as good as that one.
I’ll put it down to, mainly, location, however the exorbitant price of $24AUD, is also impacting my enjoyment of it.
Dinner and expensive beer done, we make our way back in the general direction of Starbucks and the departure boards.
A couple of stops along the way, one for a toilet break, which results in ‘enjoying’ the sounds of a guy trying to bring up something that is a very long way down his throat. Yeah, real classy…..
A look in a shop at, of all things, perfume, after receiving a request for the ‘duty free’ variety, from Lisa’s mum this morning.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on which side of the fence you sit, we’re not successful, but still manage to waste time I’ll never get back.
This is followed by a stop in a book store; my night is seriously heading in the wrong direction; before finally reaching the departure boards near Starbucks.
We’re now on it, but with still no gate, I guess I’ll be back later.
Chores, sort of, out of the way, and still with hours to go, there’s little else to do but sit and wait, preferably with a beer in front of me.
Despite the cost….
Back in the direction we just came from, but spotting what looks to be a bar above, we head up the lift.
It is a bar, and yes, they have beer, and yes, not surprisingly, it’s the same cost as downstairs.
We sit, and part way through the first beer; Heineken, this time; the apparently much needed charging port, required by someone very nearby, becomes available at the next table, so the move is made to keep everybody happy.
First beer down, second one ordered, and when the young guy delivers it to the table, I catch myself just as I’m about to say cảm ơn, remembering at the last second that we ain’t where we were.
I alter it to a stock standard ‘thank you’, to which the young guy responds, in a most genuine way, “No, thank you!”
He smiles when I look at him, and then holds out his clenched fist, indicating that he wants a fist bump.
It’s a slightly strange, but also quite fun, little interaction, as I oblige with a gentle fist bump, although with the money we’re paying for beer, I suspect we’re helping to put him, along with a couple of his siblings, through university.
He does, however, give me my first little happy moment of the night, for a while.
The time is filled with some note taking, a little Trip Advisor-ing, and several more very expensive beers, including of all things, a Guinness.
Yep, we’re a long way from our Vietnam adventure now.
The waiting continues…..
It’s all interspersed with toilet breaks, combined with departure board checking, until finally, a bit after 1.00am, we make a move.
Back downstairs, a quick side trip to a 7/11 convenience store for a couple of pretty ordinary sandwiches, that have no doubt been sitting there all day, and then off to find our gate, which may even be the gate we de-planed at, all those hours, and all those dollars, ago.
We really should try and find direct flights….
At the gate, and it’s the usual sitting and waiting thing, including being able to fill our water bottles, which is only significant, and therefore noted, after being denied that entitlement last year, when we did actually have a direct flight back to Melbourne from Saigon.
Eventually onto the plane at 2.15am; have an isle seat, which is going to be handy; and pushed back at 2.30am.
We make our way to the runway, using what feels like pretty much every bit of the tarmac surrounding Changi, before finally leaving the ground at 2.47am, which, when I stop and think about it, is really 4.47am, Melbourne time.
Great…..
We’ve now been on the go for 12 hours, and because I’m now really starting to feel every minute of that, I attempt the sleep thing.
I think it works, but I’m not completely sure, with the only definite that I’m aware of, being that my neck is absolutely killing me.
I just struggle so much sleeping upright.
At 6.30am, the lights come on, but is it 6.30am? Or is it actually 8.30am? I don’t actually know, and right now, thinking is as far from a strong point of mine, as it’s ever been.
I go back to dozing, uncomfortably, but then an announcement is made that we’re beginning our descent. It’s 9.00am, or is that really 11.00am?
I still don’t know, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the descent announcement. Perhaps I did actually achieve more than just dozing?
Who knows. I’ve had enough, and for the first time in a month, I just want to go home.
Our approach continues, and with occasional glimpses of land seen from my far away window, I know we’re getting close.
A forecast of 26°C, apparently, which, along with everything else that unfolded yesterday and last night; despite the odd small annoyance in Singapore; is far, far better, than how the return last year panned out.
We swing around and land from the south, and at 11.40am; yes, it is actually 11.40am; we’re back on the ground.
Off the plane, tackle the ‘do it yourself’ immigration thing through the haze and fog of a sleep deprived brain, and then waste a little time at a duty free store, to not find the much desired ‘cheap’ perfume that appears to no longer exist.
Declaration forms handed over, and then out to wait for that bloody suitcase. Suitcase retrieved, then straight through customs officers who have less than zero interest in asking what we’re carrying.
We must have very innocent looking faces….
Land side at 12.20pm, text to the girl who is somewhere out in her car in the grounds of Tullamarine.
No doubts about where we are now….
The game of ‘what can you see’, ‘I can see this’, ‘can you see that?’, then gets underway, until eventually she’s spotted over the road.
Rendezvous made; it’s good to see her, with Lisa being happier than I’d prefer; and we begin the journey home, with the two of them never shutting up.
Just after 1.00pm, and after being on the go for twenty hours, we’re home.
It’s a strange feeling, and also a crap one, with number six now officially done.
The verdict?
Was good. Actually, no, it was great. The solo part, which, while I missed sharing it with her, was a lot of fun.
I saw things I wouldn’t have seen, and I learnt stuff. Most of which, I can thank Mike for. His generosity with his time, and his companionship, was unbelievable, and I owe him heaps.
Then, the two weeks with Lisa. While it pretty much included similar, and familiar, things and places, that we’d already seen and experienced, it was still incredibly rewarding. Catching up with old friends, as well as meeting new ones, it’s the kind of stuff we love doing, and really, is probably one of the main reasons we keep returning.
But yep, now it’s over. Back in the real world, there’s things to do. Unpacking. Sorting photos. Maybe some writings of what we did. Then work. As well as cricket season.
Yep, what holiday???
Oh well, it can’t last forever. And now that we’re back, it means we can return.
And with next year marking the tenth anniversary of the first, along with a fairly significant wedding anniversary, well, it’s kind of telling us that it just has to be done.
But not before dealing with a couple of almost expired passports…..
Cheers,
Scott
seriouslynot 