HOLIDAY STORY - PART 3

Our cruise included 5 ports and all were new destinations for us.

1. Phuy My Vietnam. We took a 2 hour bus ride into Ho Chi Minh City and spent the day doing it on our own. O.M.G. I swear we were going to die right there and then just trying to cross the city streets. Let me paint a picture: there are thousands of motorbikes on the road and when the roads get crowded, as they do all the time, they ride on the footpaths.. ..IN THE CITY. Our tour guide told us how to cross the roads: wait for a break in the traffic and then start to cross, if traffic comes (and it will!!) just keep walking because it will go around you (they try not to kill tourists as its not good for the economy), whatever you do DONT TURN AROUND AND GO BACK coz you WILL get run over as someone tries to drive around the back of you.

I found a Christian Louboutin store and got mega excited thinking the prices might be lower than usual but alas at 22 million dong the exchange rate puts them at $1,200 which is the going price. Alas, no CLs for me - which is probabaly a good thing anyway because my feet were SO hot and swollen there.

Irrespective we LOVED Ho Chi Minh. It was buzzy and alive and interesting and just great to experience.

Road safety?? Pffft

 

Lunch time in a city park. Mitchell ate his vegemite sandwich - such an Aussie boy.

A relaxing break in the rooftop beer garden of the Rex Hotel. Man, a cold beer never tasted SO good.

 

 

Mitchell cooled off too.

There's only one thing to do when leaving Ho Chi Minh City.

2. Sihanoukville Cambodia. For this port we were tendered (transported in the lifeboats) to shore where we did a half day tour of a genuine village home

a public school

a Buddhist monastery and temple

a market

and a 5 star resort - just to provide some contrast

I will say one thing about Cambodian people: for a country that is so poor with so many people that have so little, they have the most beautiful and genuine smiles. Its almost like, if they have food, a home, family and maybe a job, they are the happiest people ever. A far cry from our Western culture.

3. Laem Shabang Thailand. This tour started with a 2+ hour bus drive into Bangkok where we did another 'xx on your own' tour for the day. We hit the malls and shops but overall I was disappointed with the shopping and came away with one purchase so that Peter wouldnt think the whole day was wasted. We then headed back to the hotel where we were being picked up and had time for a Pad Thai and a beer. Bliss!!



Check out these shoes. I would have bought them if I could have gotten them in my suitcase to bring home LOL.

Typical Bangkok urban design. Did somebody mention OHS???

It was a long, hard day but reading Harry Potter made the bus ride bearable.







4. Ko Samui Thailand. Another tender trip to shore, a bus ride and then a half day wandering around the island's town and resort. On the beach I had a one hour foot massage (no pics, I look like a beached whale in them) while Mitchell enjoyed the water.

5. Lombok Indonesia. We were warned about the hawkers here and they certainly lived up to their reputation. I have never said "no thank you" so many times in the spate of a few hours. We went away from the crowds and bought some scarves and a couple of T shirts to give as gifts but we didnt walk around for too long. Then we found a nice beachside restaurant and shared a treat of sates and nasi goreng. Oh, with a cold beer, of course :-)





Walking the red carpet to be tendered back to the cruise ship.

Phew. That might be enough for one night.

:-) M