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Food (local specialty), booze (local brew) and a fat buddha - can there be a better day?? Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
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Bodsy's remote for FBH
15th Apr 2019 10:40 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
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There can certainly be a weirder day. A few pics & will bung in txt later, sorting out travel arrangements for a few weeks time onwards & it’s getting too complicated.
Right, where were we? Today was to be a day in Dalat, to see what we missed on the tour and 1st day here. Firstly a bit of a hike through crazy busy traffic, round the lake to the old French colonial station.
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This used to be connected to the coastal strip via a partly cogged railway line, and several km of it have been renovated and run for tourists. Unfortunately we weren’t getting treated to a run with the steam loco doing its thang.
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Got this diesel one instead, with a driver that was fixated with his phone, like 95% of peeps in VN.
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The ride was advertised as seeing the valleys and jungle, in reality was a view of polytunnel after polytunnel for several km.
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We then got to Ga Trai Mat and a small trainload of tourists shuffled off wondering “where now?”. We followed the crowed to this pagoda/temple area but declined the chance of climbing it, icecream was calling.
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Then on the return train journey things got really, really weird.
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Then, wth SWMBO having previously “yes dear”ed the forecast of thunderstorms, we headed round the lake. The sky was pretty black in most directions but we’d be fine as the forecasts are always wrong. The lightning was getting pretty close from F2B time, until one can’t have struck more than 100m from us, though SWMBO thinks it was about 10m. It’s the first time she’s heard the crackle of a close lightning strike. We found a bit of cover in a metal bus shelter, then once we got a break we headed for the local fast food joint, before the heavens opened again. Then it was fun watching the storm.
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And it’s just started raining again, at least no lightning.
15th Apr 2019 10:51 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
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Bit of a combo day today, sightseeing then travelling. Walked up to an old Vietnsmese royalty summer palace. Bit like a 1950s bungalow where nothing has changed for several decades, just on a much bigger scale. SWMBO’s pic.
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A couple of oddities on way up to it. One of the finest examples of Vietnamese Telecom art we’ve seen for a while.
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Pretty blossom, cute villa type house and chimneys! The latter being a most novel sight in Vietnam. The blossom is the real stuff this time.
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Plus on a hot and sweaty climb this hotel is just rubbing it in. No hotels have AC in Dalat, which isn’t good when it’s mid to high 20s and pretty noisy to sleep with the windows open.
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Lazy rest of morning, 31km taxi ride to Dalat airport then flight to HCM/Saigon. Couple of nights there (Ibis at the airport then bit of a treat at the Caravelle) then minibus down to Can Tho and the Mekong Delta for a few days. Well that’s the plan.
16th Apr 2019 4:59 am
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26699
It’s a bit more than a 2 week beach break Del! How long are you staying away for?
16th Apr 2019 8:13 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72775
A few days/weeks/months to go.
16th Apr 2019 9:11 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
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Finally got to HCM/Saigon. Only 2 hrs late, not too bad, but announcement re technical problem got peeps a tad concerned. Pic of the sunset(ish) when taxiing, the same one we should enjoyed from the rooftop terrace but hey-ho, better late than never.
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View from the terrace, not a sunset in sight but the beers were most needed, as was the fish & chips.
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Night folks, need beauty sleep to recharge batteries for heading into The Big Southern Smoke tomorrow.
16th Apr 2019 3:52 pm
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
If everything went to plan life would be sooooooooooo boring
Won't make any comments about beauty sleep as I'm sure your friends have far more experience in that regard Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
16th Apr 2019 5:32 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72775
And goooooooooopd morning folks.
At last a chance to play:
Our view out the window is deffo better. The Caravelle is undergoing a bit of an overhaul so instead of our “basic” room we get a suite overlooking the Opera House. Fantastic view from balcony.
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Deffo the most spectacular iced latte to date, really need it after the walk from the bus to here, it’s Robin Williams/Goooooooooood Morning Vietnam hot.
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17th Apr 2019 6:26 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
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A few more pics. We think we’ve found the source of one of the infamous pressies on the TG Vietnam special.
Just 50m down the road from the Caravelle is this shop. Me thinks the peeps involved were staying here (nothing but the best for TV license payer) and had a “ah, that would make a good scene. We’ve been in Vietnam now for shade over 2 months and this is the only galleon shop we’ve seen.
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And we’ve scoped out where to get the bus to the bus station where we get minibus to Can Tho tomorrow. We’re missing the nice Hanoi buses already.
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Mind you we could just shimmy up this building Mission Impossible style and summon a HeliGrab. Not sure SWMBO would be that keen though even though I’d be carrying most of the baggage, as usual.
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17th Apr 2019 9:07 am
ianm27
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 2154
Saigon is a beautiful city but if you thought the motor cycles were bad in Hanoi.........
But you will have perfected the "stare" by now so all will be well Uncle Ray's spare wheel protector
Limo Tint
Blackvue front & rear dashcam
Cruise control switch pack
Bodsy's remote for FBH
17th Apr 2019 12:40 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72775
We had a discusssion with the hotel GM re motos, general conclusion was they needed to be banned from the city for a number of reasons. Not that it’ll make a jot of difference. They cleared all the street food vendors off the streets locally, meant more room for scooters etc to go down the pavements. Only a short walk tomorrow to the bus, but mindful we return to HCM for 10 days end Apr/beginning May. Then we can see HCM properly.
Oh, and he does a 6km run for guests on Thursdays. Shame I’ve not got my Lycra.
17th Apr 2019 1:02 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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It’s looking a tad toastie for the next few days.
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At least the mini bus on 4 hour rollercoaster drive to Can Tho has good AC.
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Unlike the interesting ride from central HCM to the bus station. They seriously need to see how Hanoi does busses.
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Typed outside a very hot rest stop watching all the traffic our driver overtook go past. Will deffo be “here we go again!!” time.
PS Just crossed over the Mekong River.
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18th Apr 2019 7:07 am
mark the spark
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: southampton
Posts: 2477
del
a word of warning
if you get to the war remnants museum the photo gallerys on the second floor are not for the feint hearted and the prison is an eye opener (mind those bats they are big boys !)
Once i clocked how graphic the pics were going to be i wouldnt let my wife go in as ive seen this type of stuff before. it is a propoganda show by the victors.
i know the reality of war is far worse than we get to see in our diluted press but im a bit old school when it comes to women.. some great hardware on show tho
the third floor war correspondance gallery is excellent and has all the famous shots enjoy
and i assume you will go to the tunnels an absolute must seeMY05 SE D3 Manual my first LR what a car
MY10 HSE D4 auto
MY14 XXV more buttons than the spaceshuttle
18th Apr 2019 10:04 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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Both of those (remnant museum & tunnels) are on the to do list, I think we’ll skip the second floor. We passed a government building yesterday with a A-37, F-5 & Huey in the gardens but it was hot, we had our packs on so didn’t stop for pics. Much to SWMBO’s surprise.
Got a top floor room at the weirdly shaped Ninh Kieu hotel in Can Tho, nice big room with pretty spectacular views over the town & rivers.
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Down side being top floor is it’s toastie and AC is working it’s socks off, plus the en suite is like a sauna. We’re just hoping the bus load of Uni of Adelaide students that were checking in before us don’t discover the roof top bar.
18th Apr 2019 11:43 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
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Morning folks, another hot, hot, hot, day in The Delta. 34c atm, 38c max forecast so needless to say been out for a walk.
A few pics from this part of the river system. Lots of river traffic in the local part of the system and the honking big Song Hau river.
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I just love the pragmatism of this country, the H&S obsessives would go into melt down here. The orange (ish) container is the fuel tank for the motor. I think.
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And the foot belongs to a chap diving for what looks like fresh water mussels. He’s down quite a long time, and must be searching by feel. Again, pragmatism. Just use the cooking pot to collect them with.
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And lunch to cool down. At first I thought beer with ice was a bit weird, now in this heat it would be weird without. Plus coconut icecream, a truely eclectic but scrummy mix.
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The lightning was getting pretty close from F2B time, until one can’t have struck more than 100m from us, though SWMBO thinks it was about 10m. It’s the first time she’s heard the crackle of a close lightning strike. We found a bit of cover in a metal bus shelter, then once we got a break we headed for the local fast food joint, before the heavens opened again. 
