Day 15

Last day. We're all looking a bit wrecked this morning. After breakfast we spend a bit of time organising the bags. Then Liz wants to pick up a statue she saw so we venture out into the street one last time. The girls stay behind. We find the store pretty easily and then walk back to the hotel. 

On the way back we see a motorbike accident. A bike hits a car quite slowly and kind of topples over with two passengers on it. I won't go into it here but it looks worse than it should be a large crowd swarms around the accident. And because of the amount of traffic there is suddenly a big crowd with lots of beeping and honking and shouted. We move Remi away from there quickly because it looks like a state of confusion. I can't imagine how an ambulance would even be able to get near.

It's boiling hot so we get back to the hotel, shower and for the first time in 2 weeks I put on long pants. Now I feel like a grown up again.

We take our bags down to the lobby and wait for our driver. 

We get to the airport with plenty of time to spare but then it all kind of moves slowly as we try and work out how thier queues work. But we eventually get on the plane to fly domestic to Saigon. We sit next to a Vietnamese girl who is moving to Melbourne to study at Monash. She appears upset at first because she is moving to another country and leaving all her friends. Her English name is Jenny and she laughs when we attempt her real name. She's very friendly and talkative and she gets on well with Melody. She is 17. They even organise a catch up in the city during the holidays. And she's coming over to our house to cook us Vietnamese food. Very confident. I try to imagine Melody moving to another country to study and I can't. Or even imagine going up to Sydney to study and staying with her aunty there and I just can't see it. 

Changes planes at Saigon and the queues are slow because they are having internet problems. A recurring theme at airports these holidays. We get through customs and get to our gate to wait. We buy some water from the kiosk. Sit them down then I decide to have a beer. When I go back I'm told that they are no longer serving liquid to people going to Australia. Not even water. I figure it might be because I'd be drink in the waiting area. So I try the little coffee place there. There's people drinking there. But no, they cannot serve me beer or water. They're very apologetic but security as told them no. When we came to gate they were checking bags one last time. I guess they were checking for liquids. Heaven knows why and I can't be bothered googling it.

The trip back home leaves late and arrives early morning. Sleep doesn't really happen for any of us and Remi gets to use a sick bag. 

Customs is a breeze as we use the e-passports they have installed now. Strangely they only told us about them because I asked if I could stay with my family in line because I have a British passport. Through in 1 minute. I look over at the long lines at customs and wonder why they don't let everyone know.  

There were a lot of Vietnamese on the flight and those long lines mean the baggage carousel stays full for  along time. It takes a while for our last bag to come down as the sensor looks for spots. An enterprising guy to my right sorts the bags into a neater order so the bags keep coming. Then it comes. We leave the terminal. It's 6 degrees. Our bodies still carry the last remnants of the Hanoi heat as we head for home.

Day 14

Our last day in Vietnam. Well kind of. Tomorrow we're here in the morning.
The hotel we're staying at, La Siesta, as given us a map to follow which will take us to some of the interesting places. First we have breakfast there which is alright except for the coffee. The lack of good coffee here is killing us. But the pancakes were very tasty and the pastries were fresh.
Equip ourselves for a bit of a walk in what looks like sunshine. Not that we've seen too much of that over here. It's a blast of hot air as we hit the streets. Even at 9:30am.
We are basically walking the streets.Mainly because there is no room on the sidewalks because of the motorbikes. Crossing the road is a bit easier in Hanoi. You just keep walking and the bikes go round. Cars are a different story. Liz still looks a little nervous crossing the road.
We make our way to the big indoor market. 3 floors of almost the same stuff repeated. I see some shoes I like but as I approach the seller says my feet are too big and don't bother looking. The next door doesn't even give us an excuse but doesn't want to serve us. Nothing here for us really and it looks like I'm too big for any shoes so we leave and keep following the trail. Shops seem to be clustered as we pass a bunch of stationary shops then a bunch of toy shops. Interspersed with antique shops.
We come across a large church which looks very similar to the Notre Dame in Saigon. This seems to be the main shopping area and things look a lot better here. Streets are a little wider and quieter and french architecture is more prominent. We continue back to the lake then cross a bridge to the temple in the centre of the lake. The legend of the lake as got something to do with a large turtle and a sword. Remi thought he saw it in the water. The temple as a large statue of the turtle on display. It's a quiet retreat from the bustle of the city. We pick up some tickets to the water puppet show later this afternoon and pop back to the hotel to freshen up. And change clothes.

The water puppet show is a full house and very popular. It's not a puppet show we used to. It's more a combination of movement and music. The accompanying orchestra have an interesting sound that reminds me of some of Damon Alban's later efforts. The puppet dragons shooting fire after being under water was cool. As was a fox that ran up a tree. It was all in Vietnamese so I'm not if the stories were related.
Despite protestations from the kids we went back to New Day for more street food. Again great food. And very cheap. And a lot more atsmosphere than the non descript western places.
Tonight is the Night Market. The street we're on is closed and theirs traditional entertainment. The market is round the corner. and the place is buzzing. No motorbikes because of street closure so it's safe to walk. Stalls are pretty much the same thing again. But the city is alive and everyone is eating and drinking on the pavements.
Back at the hotel we find that a Vietnamese pop star is filming a music video out the front. The kids love and we stay to watch. Spiderman, Iron man and a Stormtrooper are in the video. Then a couple of girls down the street pull out a beat box and start dancing and twerking. Meanwhile the traditional singing is still going on down the end. The kids are having a great time watching all this so we let them stay out there while we grab a gin and tonic at the hotel. When we come back out the girls have been joined by a boy who then goes solo. The music video as moved down the street. We're leaving tomorrow and it's late so we call it a day.

Day 13

This morning we pack for Hanoi. Obviously because it is our last day here the sun is shining. Thank you Hoi An!  Doesn't take us long to pack and then it's just a case of waiting to go.
The driver picks us up and takes us to Dunang airport. When we came in it was night time so we didn't see much. But today we the Marble Mountains which look amazing. If we had known we could have visited them. The road to to Dunang is full of marble sculptures too. Dunang also has some amazing architecture. The sports centre as what looks like a spaceship for one of it's arenas. It's the mix of 21st technology and historical Vietnam that makes it such a fascinating country.

Get to the airport with plenty of time. Have a bite to eat and queue up at check in. The clock starts to get closer to boarding time and we don't move. We tell an official our plane is boarding but she says it will be alright. Panic starts to set in as we get nearer to take off. Finally they take us out the queue to another desk. As we checking in the official keeps bringing over people who are on the same plane as us that have to be rushed through because their plane is boarding. Finally get through (and strangely looking back the lines have all disappeared) but time is tight and as we get to the long line at security our plane is on last call for boarding. The line moves slowly and then Remi's bag is opened because he has a bullet he bought at the Chu Chu tunnels. A souvenir bullet. Make it to Gate 9 and I steam ahead like Goerge Constanzo, ignoring all other passengers when I see the last bus.  But we're on and we're off into the sky.
The other end at Hanoi airport was amazing. Walk off the plane and there's our cases on the carousel. So we're out of there in 5 minutes. Hanoi is hot. Sun is blaring.
We get to the La Siesta Hotel mid afternoon and the staff are again lovely. We're right in the middle of the Old Quarter and near the lake. So we quickly freshen up and go for an explore. Hanoi is quite different to Ho Chi Minh City but the motorbikes here are still pretty wild. The French managed to build wide roads and roundabouts here when they were in charge. The wide roads are just so hard to cross when there is a 100 bikes and cars heading towards you. Sometimes you just walk into the traffic. Usually the bikes will go round you.

The lake is beautiful and there are crowds of people both tourists and locals just sitting and chatting or strolling. The noise of the traffic is a bit much but if you can ignore that then it is quite serene. We getting hungry so we end up at a Highland Cafe for a beer and some fries and milk shakes for the kids. I have another Vietnamese pork baguette. They are delicious. Then it's time for a chill out before dinner.
Dinner tonight is at the New day restaurant. To get to out seats we had to move through a labyrinth of steep stairs and also walk through the kitchen which looked amazing. And the food was amazing too. beef and chicken curries with rice and spring rolls.Pushed up against each other in a small crowded area with Vietnamese locals. A great experience.
We get the kids home and Liz and I go out for a nightcap. A couple of Mojhitas at the Nola Bar across the street. Again a trek through steep stairs until we're up on the rooftop. The drinks are a bit heavy on the mint. Like a jungle in there. But it's good to be just us two. Really should of done it sooner.
Then it's good night.

Day 12

We leave for Hanoi tomorrow so this is basically our last day in Hoi An. But we spend the morning really not doing much. Liz as got a bit of a sore throat probably caused by the air conditioning. Everyone is little weary. We are always on the move here. Walking or riding. Breakfast time we notice that the Resort is almost empty. At one stage we're the only people in the breakfast room. and there is so much food.

We don't really do anything until lunchtime when we head into town. We grab some baguettes from the place we went to the other day. No half hour wait today. I had the pork baguette and it's fantastic. We eat as we walk then drop into a coffee shop to get some real coffee.  It's so hot in there I feel dizzy but a quick walk outside puts me right. We eventually end up in the ancient town. Or maybe it's the really ancient town. Built by Japanese traders hundreds of years ago. Pick up a few souvenirs and get a little guided tour round a 17th century house. The tour guide is lovely and we sit have a chat over cups of tea. at one point my glasses fall apart which is just brilliant. I'm going to have to put them together with sticky tape until we get back to Melbourne. Oh brilliant.We also need another bag for stuff we've bought.
We plan to go home for a swim but flop out on the beds and just chill. Sometimes holidays can just take it out of you.
After dark we travel back into town for our final dinner in Hoi An. The kids would like to go back to Alfonzo for some more pizza which at least we know will fill them up. We do like the American style pizzas. And we know Remi will eat them. I don't think he's eaten all day. So we buy plenty of pepperoni pizza for him.
Walk slowly back through the town stopping to barter over a new suitcase.  Back on the shuttle and our last night in Hoi An is over.

Day 11

Aster breakfast we have an appointment with the security manager to go down to the Police Station and report the missing IPhone. Checking out Melody's raincoat from yesterday it kind of looks like it may have been stolen. Probably on the bridge. When we get to the police station there is a young guy sitting there who lost his camera on the bridge. He had 3 months of his Asian adventure on it and he looks pretty sad. Our security guy helps him a little but he has to go back to the hotel and get his statement translated. He pleadling asks the officer if they have the camera. They don't.
It's all a bit surreal when it's our turn. The police are not friendly, they don't speak English and our security guy's English isn't that great. Plus the room we are in as bars on the windows. There's lots of things going on and a senior officer comes in and asks if Mel as "Find My Phone" which she doesn't. Nor any link to iCloud. Then poor Mel can't remember her number We haven't got our phones either. We are there for quite a while and things go on around us. 3 officers seem to be involved but we haven't really got any idea what's going on.
Finally we get a stamped report and we leave, very now and then I call her phone through the day but no answer.

We borrow some bikes and ride to the beach. The hotel as a private beach so we go there. It's overcast but warm and the water and the view is great. Hawkers on the sand are relentless though. They won't stop coming over to try and sell us things. The only way is to walk past them into the water.
After a bit of a splash we set off for a bite to eat. We have to give the towels we borrowed before we leave. Since the private beach is in front of a restaurant they give Liz a hard time about using their towels and not eating anything. The hotel must have a deal with them. We go looking for a baguette place we heard about but walk so long we give up and drop in a sandwich place and have a burger and fries.
We pass some pretty rich resorts on the way back. We spend a lot more time in the water. Well are except Mel. When we come out I ask for more towels. Only one a day they say. Liz ain't too pleased as see gets dressed wet. However after Liz and I are ready a guy from the restaurant comes and gives us towels for Ruby and Remi.

We ride back past rice fields to our hotel. We had one scary part where a motorbike rider just missed knocking over Remi. But he's alright. His bike doesn't have brakes either.
After putting our bikes away Ruby and Remi go out to the street to buy some snacks. By themselves. They go to a little shack around the corner. They thinks it's scary but return with a stash of goodies.
Get ourselves showered and changed and catch the shuttle into town. We're off to eat at Morning Glory. It's packed but we get a seat and get a mix of Pho and Chicken Curry Soup and Vegetable Curry Soup. The food tastes fantastic. The atmosphere is great and we fill up with Vietnamese street food.
Then we go for dessert across the bridge where the kids can get 59 flavours of ice cream. They are not allowed the Mojhita or Baileys though. It's wonderful walking through the town. It's quite magical in the evening and rather than taking a photo that will not do it any justice I stand by the side of the river and just drink in it's beauty. Try to get the other to do it too with varied success. We pass lots of Japanese games going on. A strange traditional bingo. A pot smashing game. People being taught traditional songs.

Stroll though town and back to the shuttle. On the way I stop and get a bottle of Dulat Red Wine which is made in Vietnam. Back at the hotel we taste it and it's not bad. And after a couple it's really alright.

Day 10

Monday. Wake up early. Can't seem to sleep past 6 am. Power is alright now so it;s nice and peaceful except a couple of dogs that go off every now and again. I use the time before everyone wakes up to write my blogs.

After breakfast, we go to reception to borrow some bikes so we can all ride into town. Ruby keeps pestering me to let her ride a motorbike. No chance. It's raining so we go to a little shack next door and buy ponchos. All one size so mine is terribly small and Remi's is very big. But we're ready to face the elements. Ride all the way to the other side of Hoi An and reach the main river. Then Melody notices that her bag is not on her shoulder any more. She's quite upset because it as her phone in it. The new iPhone she got for Christmas. We jump back on our backs and try to retrace our steps. But no sign. We don't know if it dropped off or was stolen. It's a mystery.
We go for lunch at the Morning Glory. Despite the dark clouds of Mel's loss over us we manage to enjoy some beautiful Vietnamese street food. We will definitely go back for more. The rain as cleared up as we ride back to the hotel. We did quite a bit of riding so the rest of the afternoon is for relaxing. Mel is using my iPad to let friends know her bad news. Ruby, Remi and I swim while Liz takes a nap.

After getting ourselves back together we head back into town for dinner. We catch a taxi which is very cheap. Tonight we eat at Good Morning Vietnam which is Italian.With this family we have to keep a balance between Asian and Western food. The pizzas are good and Liz and I get a shot at the end. The chef comes out and as a chat with us. He is Italian. Alfonzo. And he talks to us for a little while. Obviously it's not very busy.
From there we walk over the Hoi An bridge to the night market. Crossing the bridge Mel makes a wish by sending a candle down the river. I can guess what she wished for. Liz buys the girls some lanterns for their rooms. The lanterns in shops that line the road do look beautiful.
Then we walk up to the old Japanese Bridge and buy tickets into the the Ancient Town of Hoi An. The buildings are pretty amazing but the night market is here to mostly selling the same stuff over and over. But it's quite atmospheric to walk through.

We drift back to B Bs tailor shop where the shuttle back to the hotel will pick us up. Liz makes some plans with the shop to get a dress made. Then the bus comes and takes us back to the hotel. The girl at the desk informs us we will be given a ride to the police station in the morning to report our lost mobile. Earlier I had written an incident report and she had it translated into Vietnamese.
Fall asleep to Godzilla rampaging over New York.

Day 9

The hotel seems to be having some power problems at the moment and we are unfortunately situated close to the generator. So we wake up to that thing humming close to us, Mel's not feeling well, The rain is coming down softly. Usual holiday fare. We go off to breakfast. We keep passing all these men, women and children wearing ""We are a family" T-shirts.It's like some strange cult. Turns out it's a corporate thing. A company takes it's staff and family away to get to know each other. Beside the breakfast hall they're setting up a stage and chairs outside ready for some outdoor games.

After breakfast we want to go into town Mel can't make it so Remi volunteers to stay back here with her. He's  a little bit over it I think. So Liz, Ruby and I catch a taxi into town,. Lots of tailors here and the taxi driver takes us to is mate who as a shop here. We accept even though it;s not on our plan for today. Grab a card and go looking for an ATM. Maybe because it's Sunday they close some of them. I'm looking for a Commonwealth ATM but we end up settling on Western Union. The rain is really coming down now which is a pain. The power outage goes for all of Hoi An and shops are dark inside. If youre interested in something they hold their phones up for you. The main market is in darkness too, They're cooking away in the dark, Chopping meat in the dark. It's all kind of eerie.

By the river we see the real beauty of Hoi An. French colonial mixing into Japanese architecture.Lots of mini restaurants and cool bars. Plenty of tourists.Everyone looks wet. I buy a banana pancake off a street cart which is tasty but oily, We make our way back to the shuttle stop (which is a a tailor) where there are some people Ruby knows. The Mum and dad have been here 4 times and give us tips for our stay. The first one we take up is the baguettes from just round the corner. There is a bit of a line but it moves incredibly slowly as people buy 10 at a time. This shop is a bit famous and therefore very popular. Once we have the food we grab a taxi back to the hotel and proceed to have a picnic in our room. The baguettes are delicious.
Rest our weary bones for a while and Ruby and Remi go for a swim. Still raining mildly but beginning to clear up.
So I try to whip up enthusiasm for a bike ride into town. Liz stays back to look after Mel while the rest of ride into town. The landscape is flat so it's an easy ride and we reach the town as the sun goes down. Now the town looks amazing. Lots of tourists now.  Many from Japan especially as we get close to what is known as the Japanese bridge. The waterfront looks amazing and their are lanterns floating down the river. We cross the bridge and find a few little street markets. Too much to look at and I'd like the other here for all this so we head back to the hotel. We've established a few landmarks to guide us back to the hotel and it works. We don't get lost.
But it is late and Liz and a few concerned guests are at the gate waiting for us. Liz was getting worried.
Mel's not well enough to go into town so we eat at the bar here. "We are a Family" are having a Karaoke night in the restaurant. They're letting the kids do some songs too. One kid cracks me up with his quiet to loud song. And it's really loud. And I mean loud. But then the storm hits and that's loud too.
The storm and the karaoke finish at the same time and in the quiet we get chatting to a couple from Newcastle in the UK. Have a few more drinks and talk about the difference between the UK and Australia. It's almost always interesting talking to fellow travelers. Kids leave before us. We follow them a bit later and catch the end of the Avengers on HBO..

Day 8

Wake up to our last morning in Cambodia. Not much planned as we have to check out at 12 noon. Breakfast and it's pancakes all round. For some reason mine turns up after everyone else are nearly finished. The chef comes out and apologises. A power shortage thing.
From there we go and look for some presents for the kids to take back to their friends. And souvenirs It's very hot. And time flies. And the kids spend almost all of my US dollars. So we head back and finish packing.

Drop the bags off at the front desk and then hit the pool for the afternoon. Nice and easy.
Check my Facebook and notice an ex-parent of two of my pupils is working in Siem Reap at the moment.Dianne not only as tow lovely kids that I taught but also as said many kind words about Little Murders after she as been to see us play at the Lyrebird Lounge. So we organise for her to come and catch up at the hotel over some Long Island Teas. The kids are in the pool and Dianne tells us some great stories on her travels through Asia helping out orphan Orangutans in Malaysia and dealing with the no drinking laws in Kuala Lumpur. We chat for almost 3 hours and it's time to go to the airport.
After saying goodbye to Dianne we bid farewell to the lovely staff at the hotel especially Orwinn whose been looking after us since Day 1.
On the way to the airport we realise that Siem Reap is bigger than we thought and we've really just hung around the old part of town. Then again it's mostly just shops and shops selling the same thing. We've seen enough of those shops.
Airport is smooth sailing. Our plane has propellors! And there is lightning on the horizon. Consequently Remi gets to feeling sick.Poor kid. It was a bit of ride though. The plane bucked up and down as we hit the bad weather. They gave us a little lunch pack. I enjoyed it but the meat inside scared the kids.

Touchdown Dunang and then a 45 minute drive to Hoi An. Streets of Dunang remind me of France. Wide and open. Lots of roundabouts so scooters and cars can fight it out for position. Weather is hot and the hotel rooms we walk into is beautiful. Very luxurious. Remi as some ginger tea and feels much better. It's now 11:15pm and we all fade into sleep.

Day 7

Off to Angkor Wat again this morning to catch the sunrise. Alarm goes off at 4:15 am and we have baguettes and croissants waiting for us at the front desk as well as tow Tuc Tucs. They are not the same as Bangkok. These are basically motorbikes with a carriage.
Off we go into the darkness. As we move along the roads other Tucs Tucs join the procession. It's a warm morning but with the trace of clouds overhead so we won't get the full affect I guess.
Get to Angkor Wat and there is already a huge number of people there. This is the low season so I can't imagine how many would be there during the High Season. We set up by the lake in front ready to watch the sunrise. Poor Remi starts feeling sick though so everything looks in jeopardy. Poor boy is suffering. Clouds roll over. We see the sunrise but we don't get the brilliant reds. Will have to catch them on youtube.

Have to use the toilets run by the monks there. Not an experience I will forget in a hurry and not one to write down here. After a bit of discussion about whether we go back to the hotel we decide to push on and see if we cover at least a few of the temples. I jump in the Tuc Tuc with Remi and the wind in his face seems to make him feel better.
First we go to Angkor Thom. Which is another city of temples. We begin with Bayon which as 54 large stone faces. It's like one great movie set. Breathtaking. And very hard to put into words. All the faces are resemblances of the King at the time who ordered Bayon to be built. There's not many people here which is great. We almost have the whole place to ourselves.  From there we wander over to Bayon which is a very high temple with very steep

From there we move to Baphuon. This is the one with lots of steep stairs. Unfortunately it doesn't open until 8:30am. So we go to look for the reclining Buddha at the back. We don't find it. Then we look for the Elephant Terrace but we can't find that either. By this time Bayon is open so we make our way back. Children under 12 not allowed in so Remi gets a bit upset because he wanted to climb the stairs. Luckily Melody is already fed up with the temples and is back with the Tuc Tucs.

Bayon is indeed a steep climb. I know my legs are going to feel it tomorrow.But it's an amazing feeling going up these temples. Places where over a million people lived and worshiped. We hang onto the railings as we climb. Earlier we had seen dogs zoom up the same steps. Lots of photos and then back to the Tuc Tuc. We turn around because someone is talking about the reclining Buddha. We ask where is it? He shows us. It's the whole back of Bayon. The stones form the Buddha. It's pretty amazing.
And on the way back as walk down stairs near to where our drivers are waiting we find we had been standing on the Terrace of Elephants. Big smiles all around because the elephants look spectacular in an old ruins sense.
Then it's off to Angkor Thom where Angelina Jolie filmed the sequence in Tomb Raider featuring the tree temple. Again spectacular to see nature completely dominating the ancient architecture. The roots of the trees look magnificent, It looks like the trees have fallen from the skies and landed on these buildings.
But now we're weary. Remi recovered but tiredness is getting to all of us.

we get back to the hotel before noon so breakfast is still on. Food, a dip in the pool and a nap seems in order. Then it's my turn to feel terrible. Luckily it's just for the afternoon and by evening I feel a lot better but we're all still exhausted from the early morning temple jaunt so we have our dinner at the hotel and go to bed early. Remi kips with me tonight so we watch The Beast from 20000 fathoms but fall asleep before it ends.

Day 6

Woke up. Had breakfast. Sun pouring down as we eat casual in the Cambodian sunshine. Weather looks like it's going to be divine today. Check my e-mails and realise it's Thursday already. Unbelievable. No big plans for today. So we start off with a swim in the pool.
Take a break to go and get some supplies from the local supermarket. Mostly cheese and crackers. Takes us a while to figure out which crackers are not sweetened but eventually Ruby figures it out by the pictures on the boxes. Get our first chocolate on holiday. A snickers bar. Notice the wine we get from our local supermarket is 3 times the price here. Stick with Angkor beer then.
Back at the hotel we lounge around the pool and eat lunch and read books. Basically relax. We're off to see the sunset at Angkor Wat this afternoon but the rain clouds are gathering. And then it pours down. We still go because you can buy a ticket at 5pm, see the sunset then come back the next day on the one day ticket. we head out of town on a couple of Tuc Tucs. The rain still belting down.

We seem to be first at the ticketing office but soon loads of buses turn up unloading Germans, Russians , Spanish and Japanese. A lot of Japanese people here. Somebody tells me it's because of the great golf courses here. I'm sure Liz wouldn't mind a quick round herself.
We get our pass. One day. Photo on pass. Officials continually check your ticket here. Rain keeps coming down and not a good night for sunset so we just walk around Angkor Wat getting wet. The temple is impressive and very dramatic . Even the rain can't dampen our excitement. But it closes at 5:30pm so we only get to spend a hour there. But we'll be back tomorrow. For sunrise.
Back to town and a quick change out of our soaking wet clothes before heading out to the dinner. I've found a real American style Pizza place run by some guy from Chicago. Belismos on street 7. This morning Siem Deap was empty but now the streets are packed with backpackers.

The pizzas are huge and delicious. It's quite crowded so they sit us next to an American guy and his two sons. Travelling around South East Asia for two months. Interesting chatting to him and his boys and when he leaves his place is taken by Sheena from Minnesota. I find the best way to talk to Americans is relate their state to a famous film or TV show. Sheena comes from the home of Fargo. Liz tries her first red wine in a while, we finish up and head for the hotel. Tomorrow we'll be up at 4:00am to go to Angkor Wat for the sunrise. Try to get to bed early but of all the nights this is the one I can't sleep. Hope the kids do!

Day 5

Wake up incredibly early again. Can't seem to get those 3 hours that separate Vietnam and Australia together. Oh well gives me time to write this blog.

Breakfast time. With such a large smorgasbord to choose from I went for the corn flakes. Then I tried rice pastry, sugar toast and bits and pieces of other stuff. During the meal Mr. Tan from Tonkin Travel turned up with US dollars for us. We had overpaid on the trip!. Comes in handy for Cambodia.
Pack up then Remi and I go up to the 20th floor to check out HCMC one last time and play some Fusball. Same driver who brought us to the hotel picks us up and we're off to the airport.
No queue at the desk. Short wait for the plane and we're on our way to Cambodia. Touch down 45 minutes later and walk from the plane to the terminal at Siem Reap. It's a brand new building and it looks amazing. We seem to be the only ones with visas so we each go to our own desk to get checked. Hand prints and thumb prints and a photo taken. Never seen that before. And then we're out.
Stepping out into Cambodia seems a lot more relaxed and open than Vietnam. Our driver gives us a bit of history on the way into town. By the sound of it Cambodia feels the same way about the Vietnamese as they do about Americans. The French get a bit of a kicking too. I'm going to have to read up more on this areas history.

The rain starts to pour down heavily as we get to our hotel, The Ramadun Resort deluxe. It used to be the Big Banana Hotel but I think it wants to be more sophisticated. The staff are great and the rooms are Cambodian modern. The kids are on the other side of the pool but we can see their room from our balcony. We find the outside baths impressive but I'm not sure who'll be the first to take one. It's all very tropical and as the rain recedes we order some lunch. Liz and I have the rice and noodles but Ruby goes out on a limb and tries the cold tomato soup. Verdict: nothing like the canned soup at home. Luckily we ordered fries and her soup came with lots of bread.
After lunch we go for a quick explore of the town. Quite small and full of tourists. Exotic smells come from every which way sometimes interrupted by the smell of rotting fruit. Cross the bridge into town and cross streets without fear of being killed. Walk through the markets. We're going to need some US dollars so try to work out how we can get some. There is a Western Union there so use my card to withdraw money. Dead easy. $5 US charge but I've got a bunch of fresh greenbacks in my wallet. Buy Mel a couple of pants to celebrate. Ruby sees all these spiders and insects for sale and wants to take them home. She;s particularly enamored by a stuffed baby crocodile. I'm not sure customs would let that through.
Remi is eager to try out the pool so we head back. The sun is out and it's very hot so he's in there in a flash. Ruby gets in too and they end up staying in until it gets dark.  Meanwhile Liz and I sit beside the pool and drink Mojhitas chilling out until it's time to head out to get some dinner.
The bridge across the river is lit up as is the river itself. We're going to the Night Market but all of Siem Reap seems to have turned into a night market. Pass the the Tuc Tuc drivers who hassle us to take a ride but in a kind of pleasant way and into the market which is quite small. We buy a couple of things and then head to Beer Street or something like that, Basically it's all the pubs and beer places and restaurants in one street. We settle for Cambodian Soup which I think is the name. I was looking at the menu and 2 Americans sitting close starting highly praising the food. Plus it was Happy Hour and beer was 50 cents a glass. The food was marvelous. Cashew chicken, Jasmine rice, fried rice and spring rolls was enough for all of us. It's all relaxed and laid back and the meal cost next to nothing.
Back in the street we take in the atmosphere as a band of Cambodian mine survivors play traditional music. We send Remi over with a small donation. And then we head back to the hotel and call it a day

Day 4

Start the day as usual with breakfast. Bit sick of eggs and bacon so I go for the continental breakfast with fruit. Tried a few different types such as Dragon Fruit but the watermelon was the best, Ruby is onto the dumplings which is great because it becomes another food she can eat now she is a vegetarian.
We've been doing a bit of walking so we're going to take it easy today.
First we get our laundry sorted by standing outside the hotel and waiting for the laundry lady who's been asking us everyday since we got here if we needed laundry doing.
Went back to the Ben Tahn Market to get some things we need. Shorts for me and a hat for Ruby. Used the money exchange there and the rate was so much better than the first one in Melbourne, And there was no fee. Straight swap. Melody gets herself some Nikes. If they're fakes they are pretty good ones. She's happy with them. Trying on clothes for me involves sheets held up by the seller or put in storage spaces. But I get my shorts
The market isn't as frantic today as on Sunday. We could actually look at things without being grabbed by the arm. We looked through the food aisles too. One vendor was skinning frogs. First she chopped off their heads then pulled the skin off. Which was gross. Worst was, when she put them down the frogs started moving. They were still alive.  Gross but fascinating.

Moved through the market and headed towards the Balexco Tower which we have been seeing from our window for the last few days. Voted 5th most iconic tower in the world. On the way we pass a plaza which looks like it as some interesting stuff. I try on some t-shirts. Now I don't even get a sheet and find myself trying on shirts in the aisles. I feel a bit guilty because I'm a bit sweaty from the heat.
Making our way through the streets Liz decides to make the plunge and try some street food.She orders and they bring out these little chairs and tables and put them on the sidewalk. The chairs are the plastic ones we used to have for the kids way back in infant times. The vegetarian noodles are tasty and it's great to be doing something a bit more local. The guys on the table next to us have their shoes repaired while they eat.
Keep moving on. Crooked pavements and dodging motor bikes are becoming second nature to us.
Reach the tower. Costs us about a million dong to go up. Tad expensive but the views are pretty outstanding. The city is revealed as enormous. We have been walking about a very small portion of it. District One.Ruby amuses herself by leaning on the glass and getting dizzy from the height we're looking down. One part is sloped out. This is to allow for the helipad above, The guy downstairs told us it never gets used. The view is fascinating and I walk around twice until the kids want to move on.

On the way back to the hotel we grab a few supplies from the supermarket. The next few hours is relaxing time as we sit by the pool. There is slight rain but it doesn't affect the heat or the enjoyment of swimming in the pool.
We decide to go to Chuck's Burgers tonight. It's past the Market but doesn't look too far on the map. However the map wasn't particularly accurate and it took us ages. Traffic was wild around the market. Dodging cars and motorbikes as a family is second nature to us now. And we get there. Order some cheeseburgers and hot dogs and fries. And they are pretty good. They also have that spicy kick most Vietnamese food have. And the kids are full for once.
Set off back to the hotel through the park where people are playing some form of Happy Sack. Keeping an object in the air with their feet. Unfortunately a seller comes up to us and tries to sell us one and won't stop asking so we have to move on. Sometimes you just want to look without being hassled. You have to develop a thick skin to say no to the constant street sellers. They've took a particular shine to my worn out runners. Also a lot of people say hello to Remi. He's always the popular one.
We must have stumbled into backpacker territory because it's more vibrant and neon in this part of town we've moved towards the river while meandering back to the hotel. Lots more younger people moving around the street. Go Go dancing here too. But we move on and cross the plaza near our hotel. The fountains are flowing. The crowds are packed around them. This place as only been open since April and is a symbol of the re-unification of Vietnam. But everyone is tired of photo opportunities and we need to get back to the hotel and pack for Cambodia tomorrow,

Day 3

Did a bit of a room swap and Remi came and slept in my bed. My son is a bit of a snorer and a talker, Woke up early again and both of watched a Zombie movie until the rest of the guys woke up, Then it was down to breakfast, The eggs were so good yesterday I had to have them again but this time I added dumplings.Trying to get the kids to be adventurous and try new things while we have such an open banquet. Remi came back with what he thought was jellyfish. Clear jelly like stuff. Touched his lips for a few seconds.. Then I was distracted by Ruby trying a vegetarian dumpling. Mel still likes her rolls just like in France five years ago.
After breakfast we set off for the vintage market. Almost have a meltdown because it's so hot and humid but compose myself with a drink of water.Keep going. Maybe I'll find some old French Ye-Ye records. But no.Did find some old tin toys. Badly damaged and rusted however. And incredibly dirty. But there was an old spaceship that might scrub up so might pop back tomorrow,

We're off to the Chu Chu tunnels in the afternoon so after a bit of a wander we stop at a bread shop and have some pastries, coffee and milk shakes. Back for a chill out at the hotel before the bus picks us up to take us to Chu Chu.
 The Chu Chu tunnels are a labyrinth of tunnels where the VC would hide before mounting attacks on the Americans during the Vietnam war. The bus trips takes about 90 minutes. Our travel guide gives us a brief history of Vietnam which is quite interesting. When it comes to the war the Americans get a hard time. Lucky there none on the bus. In between I put on music and find myself hypnotized by the motorbikes and scooters passing by the bus. The steady flow is mesmerizing.
At the tunnels we are shown how the army built a virtual civilization underground. Fascinating stuff. We get a chance to fire guns at the rifle range and Remi gets a little disappointed when he we don't think it's appropiate for him to shoot a AK47 at a beer bottle. So we pass and it's quickly forgotten as we go into the tunnels. Not a big fan of tunnels myself I let the rest go through and meet them halfway along.But I need to have a go so I get myself into the hole. Very small. Very tight. And at one stage very dark. Not a pleasant experience. Ruby and Remi loved it. They didn't like dropping into the camouflaged holes though. Seen too many extra long centipedes and giant bugs. At the end we try some root dipped in peanut sauce. Like hard tofu.

Back on the bus after a few meters we hear the loudest clunk from the back of bus. I mean really loud. The driver keeps going but there is this horrible sound as the wheel rotates. After a distance he stops the bus to have a look. Can't see nothing so he gets back on and we keep going. I tell the kids to put their seat belts on. But then it just stops. However there are little kids on the bus and they are so loud. And the battery on my iPod is exhausted. So I try to hypnotise watching the cavalcade of motorbikes. One passes with tractor tyres tied to the sides. The rain starts to come down. Now the bikes are covered in ponchos. Traffic is busy but smooth and we make it back to the hotel.
Starving, we work out where to eat using the internet. We want to eat Vietnamese and we settle upon a restaurant behind the Opera House. It's very atmospheric walking through the balmy night surrounded by French architecture and stumbling over crooked paving stones.
The restaurant turns out to be a delight, almost like some of the places we went to in the south of France and with all the family trying bits of Vietnamese food. Especially tasty was the brown rice. Tofu was alright but I'm not a big fan. Anyway they try the food. They like it but don't eat much. Luckily there's a KFC on the way back so we buy a Jumbo Fries to fill the empty spaces in their stomachs.
Make our way just round the corner to the hotel. Lots of young people hanging out on the street, chatting, having a meal on small tray tables. Not even sure where the food comes from. But everyone looks happy. One girl with bright red hair is playing an over-sized ukulele.
But it's kind of late. Everyone is tired so we make our way to our rooms and turn in for the night.

Day 2

Woke up bright and early. Well not especially bright because it was around 3.30 in the morning. But got back to sleep and repeated that routine a few times. The decision to leave the blinds open probably not being the best one. By 7:30pm we were ready to go down to breakfast. Large banquet hall filled with foods from many countries. However Liz and I went for eggs and bacon. Remi the fruit loops. The coffee wasn't particularly inspiring being a tad sweet. But there was lashings of juice and croissants. I tried the dim sums.Everything was tasty. Tried to fill up as much as possible.

Then it was time to hit the streets. Our first destination was the Ben Tahn Market to check out the bargains. Pavements here are are very uneven and we weren't the only people tripping that day. My shoes were a target for street vendors. Not clean enough. Not today. And they kept on coming. Seems there is a bit of my sole loose! Short walk to a large plaza which led to a statue of Ho Chi Minh. Took some photos but Remi got too close to the statue and was chased off by soldiers on duty. The market was very tight. I wore a Holister T-shirt and was accosted by vendors trying to sell me Abercrombie and Finch t-shirts. I won't do that again. The heat was suffocating and the aisles were less than a metre wide.I wouldn't of minded getting a new pair of shorts but it was all too much. Luckily Mel came away with make up and a Man Utd away shirt while Ruby bought some new sandals. She also managed to get some tiny objects which constantly fascinate her. 1 cm statues. Oh and a bat in a frame.
Made our way to the Notre Dame and the Saigon Post Office (which was designed by Gustav Eiffel) Crossing roads is like a game of Frogger. You are continually dodging motorbikes and scooters. Red lights don't mean that much. Maybe for cars. Motorbikes also came down the pavements. After a coffee at the Cafe Bien we went back to the hotel for a swim.Which was a breather before we took off again for the War Remnants Museum.

Quite confronting images of the Vietnam War.And lots of tanks and jet fighters. The walk there seemed ages but coming back was really quick. Which seems to happen everytime. Then again we are quickly learning short cuts. Thank you Lucky Plaza. Had dinner at a rooftop restuarant called 3T. Barbecued our own beef in the middle of the table. Deliscious. We were surrounded by waiters in black. Looked like Restuarant Ninjas according to Ruby. We had glasses of beer but the table next to us had these giant beers. I mean giant. About 50 cm tall. Like a bubble gum machine. I looked on enviously. On the bill there was charge we didn't recognise. I asked what was it? For the napkins! Passed through the plaza again which was packed with people. There are many fountains there and I think they were all waiting for them to start again. But we were too tired to wait. Back to the hotel for an early night.

Day 1

Woke up on a cold winter morning to complete our final preparations before leaving for Vietnam. Still dark but everything goes smoothly and by 7:30am we've loaded the Honda and we're off to Tullamarine airport. Usual stuff. Long term parking. Bus to the airport and then a long wait as the check in line is massive.
Through security check. Through customs. Then grab some Dong from the exchange. Not a good rate as we find out in Ho Chi Minh City. First lesson. never change money at the airport.
Plane ride is just over 8 hours long. Air Vietnam as seriously bad entertainment. Movies are a bit old and look like they are really worn down VHS tapes. I just read a book. "In the garden of the Beasts" which I finish off over the time of the flight.
The seats go back way too far and the woman in front almost smashes my drink bottle at one stage when she leans all the way back in a quick motion. Puts me off leaning all the way back myself. Mel sits beside me listening to her own music while watching bad movies.
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh. Everyone here still calls it Saigon. Rain is bucketing down and slows down the transfer of our luggage.Much waiting once again but we finally get outside and our driver is waiting for us. Liz gets in front so she can see all and after half an hour we are at the Grand Hotel.Amazingly on our travel to the the hotel we had to weave our way around thousands of motorbikes which zipped in and out of traffic obeying no particular road rules as far as I could see.
Very impressive building at we're on the 13th floor looking out at the Bitexco Financial Tower which looks amazing. Like a giant CD tower with a tambourine stuck into it. The bed is massive. Almost the size of our room in Melbourne. Kids are in a room by themselves. Ruby opens the window which is not locked and peers out which scares the hell out of Liz and I. We're a long way up. Stern warning given.
We're getting a little hungry so we go for some normal food at a pizza place round the corner. Unfortunately poor Remi feels a bit sick and needs to throw up which he does in the toilets. A bit hard to clean up so we head off quickly and we have to meet a guy from the Travel agency who's going to give us $75 US. He thinks he's there to pick up money so now we have to follow that up. Bother.

But by now it may be early but we're all kind of tired. So we head of to sleep. I leave our blinds open so I can see the bright neon lights from the adjacent building.