The first week

Day 1-8

Actually, I should start even earlier to report on our trip. We didn't fly until October 8th. off, but the time before departure was incredibly intense. In summary, the following happened: Ivar unemployed (happy to finally get away from this stupid company), preparations (e.g. first aid kit, vaccinations, checking visas and so on), Ivar is back in Bielefeld, farewell to the Bremen friends, I unemployed (sad, from a great school), prepare to move, move to Bielefeld, I'm from Paderborn again, tearful farewell to the family (encouraging words from my nephew Jan: "I'll write you a card!" Didn't know that it was going around like that too works! :)), farewell to the Bielefeld crew, sad farewell to Ivar's family and a farewell to the old dog Emma (we probably won't see her again :( ).

Because everything was so much, we were extremely exhausted.

We took the train on October 8th. from Bielefeld to Bremen. There we met Jan and Dennis again, took a last walk along the wonderful Werdersee and ate one last kebab.

Our flight was good! With a stop in Istanbul (Ivar even found a bike at the airport! You could charge your cell phone with it) we went to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). We landed on October 9th. at evening.

We took the bus to our hostel. Take off your clothes for a moment, shower and then explore the surroundings. Above all, eat something!

Near our hostel is Bien Vien street. A tourist street with lots of bars, loud music, dancing girls and colorful lights. Too much for our condition!

We ate somewhere and went back to the hostel.

The coming nights are supposed to be difficult because we flew 5 hours ahead of our usual time. So we often stayed up late (until around 2-3 a.m.) and slept until 12-1 p.m.... It'll settle down in time.

In Ho Chi Minh City we visited the Chơ Bên Trành market, a nearby park, the Reunification Palace, the old post office, the book street, a Hindu temple and ate very well! We have never been told how to eat a dish more often than in the last few days! Whether it's a kind of omelet that you put in a lettuce leaf with various herbs, dip it in fish sauce and then put it in your mouth. The cook's drunk brother showed us how to do it, bought us a beer and asked us probably 10 times if we were okay. Or a portable gas grill with a pan and various ingredients (beef, vegetables, egg, 2 sauces, cheese - all in the pan and eaten with bread). Everything was super delicious!

Thanks to the French, you can get really good baguette (banh mí) here. Delicious topped with cheese or meat or egg or all three!

In the evening we sometimes sat in the park with a beer or another drink that we couldn't read and watched the people. Some played badminton (usually with rackets), did aerobics, jogged or played with a feather soccer (a "ball" with feathers on it that is kicked with the foot, sometimes very acrobatically).

Crossing the streets was still a bit of a thrill: you have to wait for a gap and then leave. Steady pace so that the scooter riders can judge whether they are in front of you or behind you. If there was a traffic light, we preferred to take it. But right-turners are also allowed to drive on red (maybe adopted by the Americans, but I don't know). The most important means of communication in traffic: the horn. Used when turning, overtaking, scaring dogs away or just because.

Yesterday we found something we had been thinking about buying anyway: 2 scooters (Honda wave S, semi-automatic). We want to drive around the country with it. The scooters were prepared according to our wishes and today, October 15th. we were able to pick up the things.

We drove to Ban Tré in the Mekong Delta. At least close to it. Ho Chi Minh City is great but loud!! We longed for peace and quiet. The route (approx. 85km) was quite long because we drove slowly (30-40 km/h). But the traffic on the main roads isn't as bad as everyone thinks! You have to drive very carefully. Are we used to racing bikes?

Now we are in the Coco Happy Farm. At a farmer who grows coconuts. We basically live with the family. We have our own room but the bathroom is shared. Plus, you can drink and eat as many coconuts as you want!

The neighbor was just singing karaoke (seems to be a thing here). It's wonderfully quiet on the porch now! A few crickets chirp, frogs croak, the fan above me hums but scares away the mosquitoes. The temperatures are pleasant and it is no longer so humid. We end the day satisfied with a coconut.