In transit:
Woke up at 2am to be ready to be out of the house by 3am! A few last minute chores (dishes, garbage) and a last list check for packing. Alisma agreed to take me to the airport so I picked her up and we made it to the airport by 3:30am. Through Delta bag drop in a jiffy. So quickly that security wasn't even open yet.
4am security opened. I got a 'random' extra level of security. Into the magic x-ray box. And a pat down and the chemical tests on my hands and camera. And drug sniffing squirrels through my bag (probably, can't verify). Anyway, I am still bomb & drug free so I was allowed to pass, shoes and belt in hand. There was even more security by Delta when I got to my gate. Did I pack my own bag? Yes. Where, why, with whom, etc etc. Then 30 minutes later as we all walked to the plane, more questions. Have I left my bag unattended? No. Am I sure I packed it? Yes.
The flight was quick. I tried to log into Blogspot in Seattle where google and all google-adjacent sites including blogspot decided I was trying to breach security. This is when I realized that I forgot my cell phone. the cell phone I upgraded to so I could use it on this trip. Probably sitting on my kitchen counter. Google/blogspot wanted me to verify my account on my phone. Nope. I tried every which way but they would not accept anything sent to my email. Apparently they don't consider a yahoo account secure. (jump ahead in time - fixed now, a pleading 'how can we help you' email seems to have done the trick).
Next flight, Seattle to Seoul - 11+ ass and mind numbing hours. Premium economy was nice though. Not sure exactly how it was different than regular economy but I feel like there was more attention. definitely true if I am comparing to the next Seoul to HCMC leg of the trip. I watched four movies, none of which I can remember and then another one (or two?) on the night flight.
It was snowing in Seoul when we arrived. Our flight was delayed in leaving for almost two hours due to bags on board without guests (several, when I was waiting for boarding they were already 15 minutes in before I noticed and I was sitting RIGHT beside the gate - the Koreans are a quiet and well behaved group - so I imagine other passengers who wandered away for a few minutes and missed the whole event) and de-icing. I got a bit of sleep on this flight, I was pretty exhausted by this point.
I know I was exhausted because I spent an hour or more trying to figure out the time change. The time on the flight tracker was wrong. then they announced we would be landing in Seoul at 4 o'clock. I honestly didn't know if that was pm or am. I still didn't know until the guy beside me opened his window shade and it was light out. Time change + international date line + going backwards + no sleep = me dumb.
Anyway, whatever time, I arrived in Ho Chi Minh at some point around 10pm. I was way at the back of the plane but I managed to find the Visa Entry office without too much difficulty. I stood in line hoping it was the right line. It was. Guy took my papers and picture and told me to sit. I waited 15 or so minutes (it seemed longer as I thought about my pack lazily going around the luggage carousel unguarded). They called some very garbled version of my name, handed me back my passport, and off to the next line to actually enter the country. A million border agents, one open desk which literally the guy tried to close as I got to the front of the line. The other agents realized they might have to work so they yelled at him. They all laughed and I made it through.
My bag was still there. Then through the gauntlet of waiting people and taxi shills. There was so many people there was only a narrow lane to get through. Once I made it outside, I found a taxi guy (let's be honest, he found me). He offered a price of 300 000 dong (VND from now on) to my hotel. it is @ 18 000 VND to one Canadian dollar. As I was attempting to calculate this in my sleep deprived head, he assumed I was unhappy with the price and dropped it to 250K. Even sleepy I recognize a bargaining opportunity when I see it so I bargained down to 225K and then he only charged me 215K. @ 12 bucks. I have no idea if that was a good price but since I had been prepared to pay the first asking price, I was not unhappy.
I was unhappy when I was in the taxi and the 'supervisor?' asked for the money upfront. I took out my VND that my mom had given me and the driver grabbed the bills (all of the bills!) out of my hand. I think he was trying to help get the correct bills but I lost it on him. He gave it back based on the yelling (without the physical assault that was about to happen to him) but the supervisor made the wise choice to move me to a different car and driver.
I arrived at the entrance to a sketchy alleyway at midnight. We had passed through a variety of neighbourhoods that careened me from terrified (very Vietnamese & filthy) to calm (touristy and clean) back to terrified. My hotel was in a 'terrified' location. I got out of the taxi and hoped like heck that my hotel was indeed in that alley and not that the driver was ditching me. It was.
I woke up the night person who gave me a key and took my passport. My room is very basic but fine. The tap on the bathroom sink fell off when I went to wash my hands. It had clearly been precariously placed there since it obviously not worked in a long time. No worries, the shower is right there with water at the ready.
Speaking of water, I didn't have any. I checked the travel forums on the drinkability of water in HCMC. mixed reviews. I did not want to venture into the gritty, scary neighbourhood at that point so I used the kettle in the room to boil the tap water. That did the trick. Water isn't the tastiest but it is the cheapest so that is how I have been hydrating so far.
Ok, as usual this is long. I started before bed and now I am finishing at 3am. I feel like with the crazy time change and the exhausting flight, I am already mostly on Vietnam time so that's good. I woke up at 10:30 on my first morning, then I think I fell asleep around 9 last night and now i am up at 3am. I can work with that.
Anyway, I was going to tell you about my first day in HCMC but that is going to have to wait.
Woke up at 2am to be ready to be out of the house by 3am! A few last minute chores (dishes, garbage) and a last list check for packing. Alisma agreed to take me to the airport so I picked her up and we made it to the airport by 3:30am. Through Delta bag drop in a jiffy. So quickly that security wasn't even open yet.
4am security opened. I got a 'random' extra level of security. Into the magic x-ray box. And a pat down and the chemical tests on my hands and camera. And drug sniffing squirrels through my bag (probably, can't verify). Anyway, I am still bomb & drug free so I was allowed to pass, shoes and belt in hand. There was even more security by Delta when I got to my gate. Did I pack my own bag? Yes. Where, why, with whom, etc etc. Then 30 minutes later as we all walked to the plane, more questions. Have I left my bag unattended? No. Am I sure I packed it? Yes.
The flight was quick. I tried to log into Blogspot in Seattle where google and all google-adjacent sites including blogspot decided I was trying to breach security. This is when I realized that I forgot my cell phone. the cell phone I upgraded to so I could use it on this trip. Probably sitting on my kitchen counter. Google/blogspot wanted me to verify my account on my phone. Nope. I tried every which way but they would not accept anything sent to my email. Apparently they don't consider a yahoo account secure. (jump ahead in time - fixed now, a pleading 'how can we help you' email seems to have done the trick).
 |
| my only photo of Seattle |
It was snowing in Seoul when we arrived. Our flight was delayed in leaving for almost two hours due to bags on board without guests (several, when I was waiting for boarding they were already 15 minutes in before I noticed and I was sitting RIGHT beside the gate - the Koreans are a quiet and well behaved group - so I imagine other passengers who wandered away for a few minutes and missed the whole event) and de-icing. I got a bit of sleep on this flight, I was pretty exhausted by this point.
 |
| Seoul airport, snowing |
 |
| It's a lovely airport with a forest in the middle |
I know I was exhausted because I spent an hour or more trying to figure out the time change. The time on the flight tracker was wrong. then they announced we would be landing in Seoul at 4 o'clock. I honestly didn't know if that was pm or am. I still didn't know until the guy beside me opened his window shade and it was light out. Time change + international date line + going backwards + no sleep = me dumb.
Anyway, whatever time, I arrived in Ho Chi Minh at some point around 10pm. I was way at the back of the plane but I managed to find the Visa Entry office without too much difficulty. I stood in line hoping it was the right line. It was. Guy took my papers and picture and told me to sit. I waited 15 or so minutes (it seemed longer as I thought about my pack lazily going around the luggage carousel unguarded). They called some very garbled version of my name, handed me back my passport, and off to the next line to actually enter the country. A million border agents, one open desk which literally the guy tried to close as I got to the front of the line. The other agents realized they might have to work so they yelled at him. They all laughed and I made it through.
My bag was still there. Then through the gauntlet of waiting people and taxi shills. There was so many people there was only a narrow lane to get through. Once I made it outside, I found a taxi guy (let's be honest, he found me). He offered a price of 300 000 dong (VND from now on) to my hotel. it is @ 18 000 VND to one Canadian dollar. As I was attempting to calculate this in my sleep deprived head, he assumed I was unhappy with the price and dropped it to 250K. Even sleepy I recognize a bargaining opportunity when I see it so I bargained down to 225K and then he only charged me 215K. @ 12 bucks. I have no idea if that was a good price but since I had been prepared to pay the first asking price, I was not unhappy.
I was unhappy when I was in the taxi and the 'supervisor?' asked for the money upfront. I took out my VND that my mom had given me and the driver grabbed the bills (all of the bills!) out of my hand. I think he was trying to help get the correct bills but I lost it on him. He gave it back based on the yelling (without the physical assault that was about to happen to him) but the supervisor made the wise choice to move me to a different car and driver.
I arrived at the entrance to a sketchy alleyway at midnight. We had passed through a variety of neighbourhoods that careened me from terrified (very Vietnamese & filthy) to calm (touristy and clean) back to terrified. My hotel was in a 'terrified' location. I got out of the taxi and hoped like heck that my hotel was indeed in that alley and not that the driver was ditching me. It was.
 |
| End of the sketchy alleyway. That's my hotel's sign at the very back. |
I woke up the night person who gave me a key and took my passport. My room is very basic but fine. The tap on the bathroom sink fell off when I went to wash my hands. It had clearly been precariously placed there since it obviously not worked in a long time. No worries, the shower is right there with water at the ready.
Speaking of water, I didn't have any. I checked the travel forums on the drinkability of water in HCMC. mixed reviews. I did not want to venture into the gritty, scary neighbourhood at that point so I used the kettle in the room to boil the tap water. That did the trick. Water isn't the tastiest but it is the cheapest so that is how I have been hydrating so far.
Ok, as usual this is long. I started before bed and now I am finishing at 3am. I feel like with the crazy time change and the exhausting flight, I am already mostly on Vietnam time so that's good. I woke up at 10:30 on my first morning, then I think I fell asleep around 9 last night and now i am up at 3am. I can work with that.
Anyway, I was going to tell you about my first day in HCMC but that is going to have to wait.
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