We got back to Cebu city and spent a night there so we were near the airport for our flight the next day to Kuala Lumpur. We didn't have much time so we checked in, sorted accommodation for Vietnam, finalised the paperwork for our visas, ate and went to bed. As we were arriving late in Kuala Lumpur and flying early the next day we decided to find a couple of seats somewhere quiet in the airport to sleep on. Kuala Lumpur airport is huge, and has everything you could ever need, including a supermarket that sold a lot of well known brands, so obviously we stocked up on sweets and chocolate from home :)
After walking around for what felt like miles around the different levels of the airport, we were both shattered. We were really not looking forward to the night ahead. It didn't help when we couldn't find anywhere that was quiet enough to sleep and we were just about to give up when we saw a place called 'Capsule' by Container Hotel. It was more than we would have liked to spend but a lot cheaper than the other airport hotels. To be honest we were both quite excited to try it out. The entire place is designed to look like shipment containers. It's quite hard to explain so here are a few pics.
Ho Chi Minh city couldn't have been more different than where we had been previously. It was loud, chaotic, and so so so busy. We knew there were going to be a lot of motorbikes but we were still shocked at how many there actually were and the way they all drove. We were dropped off on a main road and the driver told us that the hostel was just on the other side, but it was no where to be seen. We then realised that beyond the main streets there are entire areas hidden down the narrows alley ways. Though you'd think that they would be quieter than on the main streets, they aren't. Motorbikes still drive up and down even though there's barely enough room for 2 people side by side, as well as shops, hotels, guest houses, restaurants, all the way along. A nice local lady pointed us to our place when she saw us looking lost. Turned out we were stood right outside it,
Though it is basic, it actually felt really nice to finally be somewhere meant for backpackers. The receptionists gave us maps straight away, pointing out the main sights in the area and a list of tours and trips that were available.
We went out for dinner that night, just to a place nearby, then decided to book a couple of trips, starting the next day.
The first was a city tour, stopping at 8 of the main sites in the city and going for lunch somewhere. Although it was a very typical tourist trip to do, we were glad we saw the sites that way because the traffic makes getting around very difficult. We learnt so much about the politics and history. It lasted all day from half 8 to 5.
'Tiger cages' used to hold prisoners
A few selfies for you Richard
Oldest chinese temple in Vietnam
Notre Dame Basilica
Reunification Palace
War Museum
The day after we booked another tour. The first half of the day visiting the Cao Dai temple and the second half of the day visiting the Cu Chi tunnels. The temple was very impressive but to Sean he was most looking forward to seeing some monkeys that we'd been told lived in the trees next to it. True enough we found them almost straight away, and he started taking his snaps. Anyone that knows Sean well, knows how much he is obsessed with Monkeys and typical Sean couldn't resist getting closer and closer, right until he stepped between a mother and her baby. She hissed and then it lead to him being chased down the road. It was hilarious! The local women all started laughing. I wish I'd had the camera because it was comedy gold!
We'd both heard of the tunnels before coming so we were really looking forward to the next half of the day. Amazingly it turned out that our tour guide had actually fought in the Vietnam war for the US and told us so many personal stories. It really was fascinating and we could have spent the whole afternoon just listening to him. Even at the war museum we'd visited the day before, and the documentary video we had watched at the tunnels, you could easily tell how much was just one sided propaganda. So having him explaining it from a first hand point of view, and admitting how much was just not true, was great. Whilst there we got the chance to go down underground into a section of the tunnels. Alex bailed along with the majority of others half way, as the heat was just unbearable! I carried on till the end though, and it got narrower and narrower, barely having enough room to crawl. The fact that people lived under there day in day out is crazy, especially seen as this section has been widened for tourists.
This takes us up to Monday.
Our first impressions weren't the best of Ho Chi Minh. We'd both said that we didn't want to spend long in cities like this but surprisingly we have actually come around a bit. Its definitely an experience.
:)
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