We're in Vietnam! Hello Ho Chi Min!

 After a longish flight, standing in line at Immigration desks is not that enjoyable, especially when you choose the slowest moving line, so exiting the Arrivals Hall to see our transport there to greet us was a relief. 

We were soon on our way to our hotel and having our first experience of Ho Chi Minh traffic. Motorbikes. Seemingly tens of thousands of them dominating the roads. Get a call while you are riding? No problem. Answer it. Text message? Read it and tap in an answer at the lights. What an income revenue that would be for the Australian police!

Ho Chi Minh scooters

We were scarcely in the door at the Amanaki Saigon Boutique Hotel when we were welcomed with cool drinks and an assurance that our room was ready for us. Breakfast, we were told, would be available until 10am. Great! It was now almost 7am so we would have time to shower and have a rest. That we did and, after breakfast at 9.30am, we decided to rest again until the afternoon. As the only reason we were in Ho Chi Minh was to accommodate our flights into and out of Vietnam, sightseeing was a low priority. Although March is not the hottest time of the year in this city, with the saturating humidity the high 30s C are just a bit too much for us, despite living in a similar climate.

Refreshed by a four hour sleep we decided to find one of the markets to buy some shorts. Just navigating from the car around the crowded parked motorbikes on the path up to the hotel, I could see that my light coloured, trusty leather lace ups were going to get some rough treatment, so cheap knockabout shoes were needed too.

Standing in the heat outside our hotel I booked my first Grab. These are the Ubers of some Asian countries and you can even get motorbike Grabs in Vietnam where the motorbike is King of the Road. Within two minutes we were on our way to Saigon Square, one of the famous markets.

Saigon Square market

Saigon Square was typical of such markets we've been in elsewhere in Asia and we rightly guessed that most of the garments and shoes would be upstairs. Finding the right shorts - below the knee and with cargo pockets, was not easy. Pause to look and the sales pressure came on so I soon went into scan mode while Sam had to withdraw from a sales woman's clutches. Just as we were about to give up the search he found what he was looking for and the haggling began. Halve what the asking price is and start from there. Don't go over 60% of the asking price has been our usual rule. Unfortunately we had been all over the market and these were the only suitable shorts we'd seen so Sam surrendered at 70%. Then it was time to look for my shoes. That was a far easier purchase.

Hot and getting tired now, we decided to go over the road to the more upmarket and airconditioned Saigon Centre. That meant first dodging the guys who wanted to clean our shoes and the women trying to put some type of food into our mouths, getting through the parked motorbikes on the footpath and then crossing the road.

Crossing the road. Yes. Follow someone else or be like a local is the best way to tackle this event, so the travel blogs say. No one else looked like crossing so we were on our own. 

Pick your moment to step out, walk steadily without any faltering and the traffic will weave around you, I had read. So, grabbing Sam's arm to keep him with me - he was somewhat bemused by the stream of bikes and cars - I did just that. Off we went across the wide intersection and reached the other side. Success! Elation flowed over me! Now to find some airconditioned cold drinks .

Down to the basement level of Saigon Place we went in search of cool drinks and a snack. We were soon sitting comfortably enjoying French pastries, fresh coconut water and pineapple juice and watching the world eating, drinking and socialising. 

Basement Saigon place restaurants and food

Outside we go in search of a Grab. It's hot. Wearingly hot. I'm thankful for a blogger's tip to have a small cloth to mop up your eyes. A face washer does the trick and I'm pleased I packed several. They are going to be needed. 

We Grab back to our hotel and wait until the sun departs and the atmosphere is cooler before going in search of dinner. Night seems to bring everyone out on the street to eat. 

We give the bars and pizza shop a miss, looking for Vietnamese food.  Kindergarten sized tables and low plastic stools have suddenly appeared and are soon occupied by diners. I can't manage to get down that low so we hesitate and are promptly ushered by the sidewalk cook into the building at the back. It's airconditioned!  And has normal, clean tables and chairs. Great! 

We get the menu and order Tho Da Lon and Tho Da Nhe. When it is delivered to our table from the street kitchen it is a boiling bowl of soup, a plate of thinly sliced beat and some herbs and spices. We quickly add the meat to the soups, sprinkle the spices and stir. 

Tho Da Lon

We're already enjoying Vietnam. Sleep comes quickly after a long and satisfying day.