Vietnam - Ho-Chi-Minh (20th-26th January 2018)

After a long flight, we arrived in Ho-Chi-Minh. We didn't really know what to expect, as we had heard warnings from various people along the way that it is a city where theft is common and that we should not bring cameras, be careful with our phones, not carry bags, etc.! This increased our anticipation and uncertainty. Therefore, we booked two nights in District 1 (the tourist and backpacker area) and set off with high expectations.

However, I can already reveal that our expectations were exceeded and our concerns were thankfully not confirmed. It is a great city and we felt really good here. We stayed in a lovely clean hotel with very friendly people, right in the heart of Ho-Chi-Minh but in a quiet side street! In District 1, tourists and locals mix extremely well and there is a great relaxed atmosphere. We went out to find something to eat. The streets are wider than in Hanoi and it is not as crowded, which makes it easier to get around.

Meanwhile, Ilse had a stomach-intestinal upset, but on the day of the return flight to Ho-Chi-Minh, she developed a rash on her elbow! We didn't think much of it until the next day when it spread all over her body and she had an extreme itchiness. So we went to see a doctor who diagnosed it as an allergy to a viral infection. This threw our plans off and unfortunately, we had to cancel Central Vietnam. The medication Ilse received only made things worse, as she had an allergic reaction to it. So we went to another clinic where they checked her blood again. Same diagnosis but a different, stronger medication. After a bigger outbreak during the night, it finally started getting better after three long days! The rash was 50% gone! It gradually improved and the medication did its job well! Unfortunately, we had to cancel our visit to the Mekong Delta as well. The doctor advised Ilse to take it easy even though she was allowed to go out. As we had 5.5 days in Ho-Chi-Minh instead of 1.5 days, it worked out well. In the hotel, we got a bigger room for the same price and so we were able to stay comfortably.

The following days, we slept in and explored various things! We definitely had to visit the market (now we also know where our money went 😉), the cathedral, the old post office, and the war museum. On the first evening in Ho-Chi-Minh, we had a great view of a fountain with a park and clubs inside. Suddenly, hundreds of motorcycles with Vietnamese flags honking their horns appeared. We found out that Vietnam had reached the semi-finals of the Asia Cup (soccer) for the first time in their history. The spectacle was very impressive and we could have watched for a long time! We checked with the hotel when the semi-final was, and luckily, it was three days later! That day, we went to a bar in District 1 and watched the game together with a bunch of Vietnamese people, cheering and rooting for their team. It went into extra time, what excitement! They played really well, only they didn't manage to score a goal, luckily not for Qatar either! So it came down to penalties...you can imagine how crazy it was in that bar and on the street. Everyone was dancing and screaming for every point, or when the goalie made a save. In the end, they won the penalty shoot-out with a huge portion of luck and made it to the finals of the Asia Cup for the first time ever. Yes, that night wasn't very sleep-filled...12 hours later, at 3 in the morning, the honking continued 😉. Unfortunately, we couldn't watch the final, as we flew back to Singapore on Friday noon and the final was played on Saturday morning at 9am! As we found out online, they unfortunately lost!

Vietnam, an incredibly exciting and beautiful country with its own unique characteristics and traditions that we never wanted to miss. Unfortunately, we didn't see as much as we planned, but what we did see, we enjoyed to the fullest. We had some impressive experiences with the locals through interesting conversations and visits. One of the highlights was definitely the tour with the Easyriders Binh and Hieu, which will remain unforgettable! After 3 more days in Singapore, our Asian adventure is already over and we are moving on to New Zealand!! We are incredibly excited for that!