Watergate

So I've finally had some time to update my blog! I have finally arrived in Ho Chi Minh City at 10:45am today after a 1 day delay in Hong Kong. Turns out when I got to YVR to catch my Air Canada flight, the washroom on the plane started leaking. Needless to say, a 15 minute delay turned into a 1 hour and 40 minute delay, so I sat at the airport doing very little. As a result, the delay caused me to miss my connector at Hong Kong to Vietnam. Turned out we missed our flight by 15 minutes, but it was already 10pm in Hong Kong, so there were no other flights leaving for Ho Chi Minh. What resulted was an aimless struggle running around the airpot looking for an Air Canada agent to help us. To our dismay, Air Canada had already left the ticketing office so we ended up talking to someone else after 2 hours of running around a massive airport. For those who have never been to the international airport at Hong Kong, it is freaken massive, outrageousely so. It has hundreds of gates and endless terminals. Nonetheless, Blair, Brian and I were pretty displeased. This is after running on 2 hours of sleep and having been promised that an Air Canada agent was going to meet us there upon our arrival. So we ended up getting put up in a halfly constructed hotel with no food. We had to catch our replacement transfer via Cathay Pacific at 7 that morning, so we had to get up at 530. So I'm writing this post on very very little sleep, meaning 1 hour in the last 48.

However, despite the lack of mental alertness and being physically exasperated, the excitement of landing in HCM city got us very wired. As we got in, we exchanged some of our U.S. dollars with the local currency (dong..) Turns out, 1 USD = 18000 some old Vietnamese Dong. So everything is terribly inflated, and my math skills or a lack of is finally catching up to me. I brought a handy calculator just in case, when haggling and buying goods and services. So off we went, and we were immediately swarmed by locals inquring whether we needed taxis or other services. Knowing our frugal budget that we are on, we decided to look for the possible deal for a ride to our hotel. After various offers to take us for exhorbitant dongs (20 us dollars) we ended up with a guy willing to takes us for 9 after haggling for 15 minutes, and after the taxi driver seeing that we were not going to be paying more than 3 dollars each he decided to take us. The art of haggling is something that I have quickly become accumsted to. We got to our hotel/hostel, and we negotiated a price of 6$ a night each for 3 people, which was somewhat good since hotels here usually run between 10-15$. We unloaded our stuff, cranked up the air conditioning (crucial in 30+ degree humidity, and we were off to the markets.

The most astonishing custom about Vietnam that caused the most shock and awe between us three was the lack of driving rules in Vietnam. There is a ridicules, I mean ridicules amount of scooters and motorcycles. There are no lanes, and people drive aimlessly to wherever they please. Not only that, they usually take more than one passenger with them, so the husband, wife, and often 2-3 kids are on the same scooter. This is the same scooter you see being rented out in Victoria for singles. Quite ridicules indeed. However, there is a crucial language that is widely used in Vietnam, the horn, and lots of it. Unlike Canada, where the horn is used very infrequently and with a tremendous disdain by others and yourself; in Vietnam the horn is used every 1-3 seconds and often much more than that. The horn is used unlike in western nations to show your displeasure for the other driver, but it is used to warn drivers of passing, changing lanes, and sudden stops. You really have to be here to see it, and I should have my pictures up tommorow. In the sudden rush to pack my stuff, I have forgotten my usb cable so I will go purchase one tomorrow, with much haggling of course. Also, crossing the street while seemingly is very hazardous is really not. Although there are a billion cars and motorcyclers on the road, you really just have to not wait for cars to stop, because they won't, you just have to be confident and assert yourself to crossing. Cars and bikes will honk, but they will just go around you, so no big deal at all.

As for Vietnam itself, it is beautiful and I am growing to love it. It's picturesque landscapes and very accessible attractions bold well for my time here. Today we went to the Vietnam war museum, and boy it was depressing. I never felt so sick to my stomach looking at the images and sights there. It really denounces the American involvement in Vietnam, and rightfully so. Many of the pictures and stories tell of deformed children from U.S. biological weapons used during the war. Mainly from the dioide from the Agent Orange. We spent a few hours there, and walked for at least 25km around the city, it was magnificient and I did not feel tired at all despite my lack of sleep for the past few days. We spent the night eating at a local restaurant, and a few beers. Food here is very cheap, I spent around 9 dollars eating and drinking all day, which is great for the budget I'm on. I would love to post more, but I should really run off to bed now, even though the city is far from asleep. Kids are running around, locals are peddling their wares, and restauarnts and still bustling with energy. Brian just came down with the cord, pictures will be up! will post again very soon! hope you all enjoy reading or are reading. Until next time