HO CHI MINH THEN HOME
The highlight of the entire trip for me…The Cu chi tunnels..the labyrinth designed by the vietcong to fight, initially the french, then later in the vietnam war, the americans. The tunnels were tiny, so small that the united states had to recruit the smallest soldiers to fit and then fight in them..those GI’s became known as the tunnel rats, trying to ferret out the enemy. The design of the tunnels and bunkers with air pockets and kitchens and meeting rooms and arms assembly bunkers all completely underground, was astonishing. The ingenuity of the boobie traps to maim and kill was inspirational, horrible, but fascinating.
The city of Saigon, which is what the locals still call Ho Chi Minh, is ridiculously fabulous. I loved it. While there was so much more traffic than Hanoi, there were at least a few road rules and for the most part people stayed on the right side of the road. It’s clean and cosmopolitian and yet still developing and simple at the same time. The markets have fixed price tags, but after buying the same things in other vietnamese cities, the haggle still reigns supreme. I would definitely return and explore more of Saigon. Mum celebrated her 66th birthday there and we did so in style with lunch at the Inter Continental Saigon. Anne was able to withdraw a few more dollars and buy a few more things she didn’t really need or particularly like that much, but sure had fun doing it. Greeting me at the airport, my beautiful daughter just returned from 5 weeks camp and her 2 younger sisters. Not to mention a gorgeous husband..happy to be home..
Cambodia
From Hoi An we flew to Siem Reap in Cambodia. I was expecting it to be a poorer version of Hanoi, but was pleasantly suprised. There is lots of foreign investment starting to take place and the resorts look like some of the best I’ve seen anywhere. There is lots of poverty and I thought the shopping was pretty average. The market items are all same same and Loretta, Mum and Anne have bought up big. I’m sure all those $3 handbags, table runners and wooden elephants are going to be real handy. Today we went on a boat to Tonle Sap Lake…but the river life along the way was eye boggling. Floating homes made of bamboo, straw and whatever else is handy line the canals, where whole villages with hundreds of people live. Even dogs and cats live on board. Some are tiny. There are even floating basketball courts and small schools and when the dry season approaches the entire village is towed further out into the lake to keep afloat. Yound kids draped in pythons motor up beside our boats to entertain the tourists..sticking the snake’s heads in the mouth and waving at us. We had to pay $1 for the pleasure of taking their photo or to make them go away. This afternoon we visited an orphanage where a Brisbane woman is heavily involved. The children were so cute but so poor. Some were dumped as babies or some are still with their mums whio work as prostitues…It was so incredible. Loretta could do an Angelina and adopt a couple. Now at the
Halong Bay to Hoi An
Halong Bay is beautiful. We spent a night on board a junk cruising the bay which is dotted with over a 1000 rock formations …some as big as tiny islands, some as small as jetties…it is a piece of beauty in such a populated country where there is so much poverty and pollution. The junk was recently made but a reminder of ancient Vietnamese water travel. We spent time on the deck just relaxing after a whirlwind couple of days in Hanoi. Hoi An had a more villagey feel, there were less scooters and people, and hundreds of tailors. I got some clothes made which are brilliant and so cheap. The food is great and the locals are so friendly but of course love to haggle. I really liked Hoi An compared to Hanoi and would go back there again.
HANOI
Crazy, mad traffic…
Plenty of hagglers but no hassling..
Really loud, lots of people, lots of noise, lots of smells, lots to look at and look out for.
Loretta is manic about putting on insect repellent…Mum has been mobbed by Vietnamese school students for wearing rice paddy hat…Anne is over temples…I spent the day by myself, exploring and shopping and spekaing bad french to locals, having one of the best pedicure foot massages ever and we still have a cycling tour and dinner to go.
Tres bien ..dong!
VIETNAM
In Singapore, waiitng to board the flight to Hanoi. Just stopped in for very early morning cup of tea at the Dempseys. Caught a taxi there and back and all very easy. Midnight flight was tiring but 2 sleeping tablets got me through the worst especially after Nicole’s wedding I mean formal. She looked divine and the pre pre went off with out a hitch. Met up with Paul Messenger who snuck me into Qantas Club where I eyeballed Jamie Durie..cute but way too short even for people with legs as vertically challenged as mine. About to embark on a Vietnamese adventure with Loretta and the mothers. Din Dong!
Sailing Again
This week, our instructor was Mike…a 65 year old Vietnam Vet, partly deaf and retired new car salesman with no grandkids. He obviously talked a lot, but he also taught us a fair bit more than last week. We had a short, classroom briefing where sailing partner Jill went straight to teacher’s pet with her knowledge of the tide times and wind direction. We learnt how to rig the boat…I put on the jib which was pretty much like threading a shower curtain but on an actute angle..We also hoisted the mainsail and instead of being towed out of the harbour like the schoolkids, we sailed out. This time we had to use a till extension instead of just handling the till…It stumped us a bit but all blokes even 65 year old deafies like longer poles. It goes against all female instincts to go left and push the steering utensil in the opposite direction, it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
We also had a quick go at de-rigging when we got back in as well, which is pretty much like laundry and folding very big sheets. Easy! Sort-of! All-in-all a very good day on the bay.
We are SAILING
Into my second year of learning french…which I must say I am still finding tres difficle….I have tackled the next on my “always wanted to do” list. Sailing. A girlfriend and I signed up for women learn to sail lessons at the Royal Qld Yacht Club. Our instructor was an accomplished sailor but at 18 giggled a lot and while we learnt to jib and tack and something else with the big mainsail when it swings around…we didn’t get a great understanding of how we were actually moving forwards and in the case of when I was steering..zig-zagging. Regardless it was great fun…The weather was clear after weeks of Brisbane rain and we did get some burts of sunshine…So while the hubby’s were at work and the kids at school and childcare ..we enjoyed some freedom. Of course we had to rush back for school pick up..SO to add to my chores of cooking cleaning and chauffering…I am now a sailor and bi-lingual…well one day…I’ll be able to sail into Marseilles and speak to the harbour master and be understood.
From fulltime to french
What do you do when you’ve worked fulltime for your entire life and then make the massive decision to be a stay home mother and wife? Why you study french of course. Bien Sur.
Well that’s me…but for anyone the french part could be anything…going to the gym or reading or learning to dance. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and like the movie Dead Poets society I have Carpe Diemed…Something like a bucket list and at the top is french…I also have on that list learning to sail, taking wine and champagne courses and opening a book store…for now french it is.
That is because (despite that I should say being a wife and mother is rewarding and wonderful etc)..it’s boring!!! Yes it is busy and the efforts of being at home for homework, dinner on time and less fattening take-outs, the kids are collected from sport and computer monitoring is under control ..it is boring. Some might argue that learning french is boring, but it is on my list…and it feels good to make a tick on that. C’est super.
Karryn Wheelans 