Don't catch Vietnamese trains

What more can be said. We learnt over the last few days that travelling on trains in Viet Nam is not for the faint hearted. To explain. I decided whilst Matthew was away that I was going to go somewhere with the children. Originally it was to be Bangkok, but I missed the cheap fares. So it was down to travelling in Viet Nam.
We have not yet been to Mui Ne, a coastal town 200km out of Ho Chi Minhm, which apparently has better beaches then Nha Trang, so I decided the ocean was calling. 200km I will remind you. Not really one for buses, especially after our epic Mekong Delta 8 hour journey, I decided on the train. It was just over 4 hours - perfect. I picked accommodation that looked not to fancy but enough for a short break, bought the train tickets and off we went.

The train was scheduled to depart at 6.50 am, so it was an early start for Khanh and us. We arrived at the Station, found our train then our carriage and sat in what looked like the best seats, the train was empty so we thought it was going to be a perfect 4 hours. All too soon the train filled and filled and filled. We had to find our numbered seats which unfortunately where those ones at the back of the carriage which don't recline. But that's OK it was only for just over 4 hours.

6 and a half hours later we arrived. Honestly the train could not have gone any slower, Josh looked out the window at one point and said people were walking faster. It was very squishy to say the least - mind you the poor girl who sat next to Zander I think she was worried, She did not remove her mouth mask except to eat, and she had all her luggage piled on her and between Zander - goodness only knows what she thought he would do.

About 4 and a half hours into the trip a food cart came around. That's good you might think! But oh no Vietnamese have these obsession with boiled eggs. The little cart had two huge buckets filled with them and that's all people bought. After 4 and half hours on a train, now we were smelling boiled eggs, I was about ready to lose the plot. That coupled with the smell of the toilet which was quite close to us, was pushing me to the brink of jumping off the damn train.

Finally we arrived with me saying I was not going home on that train!

We took a taxi to our hotel, of course that was half hour away, so I short break out of town was turning into a very long journey to a short break. Travelling internal of Vietnam, I didn't even think of taking our passports, forgetting of course that in this country you have to register with the police - so I spent a few hours trying to contact Matthew to get copies of our passports. It all ended well with copies

Thankfully the accommodation was simple but quite lovely. The afternoon was sunny and hot so we just lounged by the pool, had afternoon naps and studied - well kaela did.

We all decided on an Italian restaurant for dinner, which had rave reviews, and besides numerous blackouts including the generator blacking out as well - we had a great time eating and playing cards.

To describe Mui Ne, the closest similarity I can come up with is, Byron Bay about 20 years ago. There is one main road with tour buses, bikes and bicycles. If you walk down one side there is a pathway but the other side is just the side of the road. There are lots of resorts and also simple guest houses it's quite a contradiction. But time will change it I am sure.

The next day again was lovely so it was back to the pool and the beach. The beach was not great but I think as Australians we are quite critical of beaches. But it certainly was nice to get back into the ocean.

But typically of Viet Nam during the wet season the afternoon saw rain and rain and rain, but none of us minded at all, we read, we slept, and kaela continued to study.

Drinks at a resort right on the beach (next we are staying there), dinner at an Indian restaurant finished up the day.

Unfortunately the next day was not as nice weather wise but we still managed to swim and hangout. All too soon it was time to go, a mad dash to the train station only to find the train hadn't even boarded. It's amazing how Vietnamese we have become, we started at the end of a very long cue - but managed to board at the front.

Thankfully we had better seats this time so we settled down to another 4 and half hours train trip. 7 hours later we are sitting in a stopped train when an annoucement is made that the oncoming train had flooded - yes it was raining again and our train was just stopped indefinately. Eventually we got off the train, just got off, walked across the tracks down the road in the torrential rain and caught a taxi to the train station where Khanh was waiting for us.

We had left Mui Ne at 1pm and didn't arrive home till after 9 - in all reality we could have flown to Australia in that time.

I will never catch a Vietnamese train again. If there is no airport I am not going.
That is of course until the next time we want to go some where and rail or road is the cheapest option I will probably fall for it again.

But at this moment all I can say is Don't every catch a Vietnamese trains.

Visitors

We have been so lucky since we arrived here, we have had so many visitors. Our first visitor was Bella's friend Lizzie Bates, or as Bella calls her "Do you know Lizzie Bates". She came with her mum and her sister but only Lizzie stayed with us. Bella was so excited to see her and even though school was still going Bella managed to talk herself hoarse. The only sad thing was she left, poor Bella said "I don't know if its worth having people come because I only have to say goodbye again". Certainly a thought we all have had this year.

Our second lot of visitors arrived with much anticipation, Tess, Ian and the kids arrived in April. Jessie had been counting down with Bella for months so she could hardly contain her excitment. Bella was a little more then devastated when I told her she couldn't come to the airport - she just wouldn't fit in the car. To make matters worse they didn't arrive until the 10pm flight so it was a long day of waiting for all of us. I have never seen the clock move so slow. They arrived and we had the best time ever - even though we were in the middle of our school quarter it worked out that during the 5 days they were here we only went to school twice and on one of those days the Mara, Jess and Sam went to school with Kaela, Bella and Josh. On one of our school days Kahn began, what was to become, a very a regular trip, he took the Crofts, Matthew and Josh to Cu Chi Tunnels. We then even managed a week end in Nha Trang for Easter! But I think I agree with Bella, its horrible saying goodbye again.

OK next visitor. Reannon arrived at the beginning of summer break. We did a quick trip back to the Mekong Delta, this time we had Kahn drive us and we only went to Can Tho, about 3 hours drive away rather then the epic 8 hour drive by bus we did in May, we also stayed in a nice hotel this together with the delight of all 7 of us being together again made the beginning of Reannon's visit wonderful.

One thing we have learnt with having visitors is you can't, actually you don't really want to, see every tourist attraction every time. So we try and see either a new museum or tourist site, when visitors come to town or we send those who either like or haven't been in a while to the attraction . In Reannon's case Matthew, Josh and Zander wanted to go to the Reunification Palace (again for Matthew and Josh but new for Zander and Reannon) and the War Remanants Museum, so off they went. Kahn again took Reannon, Bella and Josh (yes Josh's 3rd trip he could be the tour guide I think) to Cu Chi Tunnels, and then Matthew, Reannon and I explored Cholon (the Chinese District). All too soon it was time to say another goodbye.

The next visitor was Mikaela's friend Sarah. This time we headed off to Dalat and Nha Trang, but all that is in a separate blog. This time Mikaela showed Sarah Saigon - we just joined them for lunches and dinners. Once again poor Kahn headed off to Cu Chi Tunnels this time with Sarah and Mikaela.

The week flew by for the girls and their long waited reunion was over far quicker then either of them wanted, for them it's back to Skype Chats.

Next...Zander's 4 friends arrived. So our house has been packed to the brim (I could have said rafters but that would have been too corny). This last week has seen food massively consumed, beer drunk, late nights and even later mornings - but it has been wonderful to have them.

I am sitting at my computer waiting for the boys to come home from yes Cu Chi Tunnels, poor Kahn I am sure he could do it in his sleep by now.

And it will be all too soon when it is back to the Airport to say yet another goodbye. Khan has become a genuis at packing the car I will add. And I am sure Khan as well as us, now every flight arrival and departure to Sydney

One of the nicest things about having friends, particularly the kids friends, is seeing how seemlessly they pick up from where the left off - its amazing to think 12 months has past.

In these past 12 short months we have had our fair share of visitors, and we have loved every single minute of it.

So to the friends and family that came thank you and for those who are thinking about it - come, we would love to have you visit.

And we wonder why they stare?

Yes the Vietnamese are sticky beaks, and yes they stare, sometimes you have to wonder why and at other times...........well a picture tells a thousand words.

We really shouldn't wonder why Vietnamese stare

Adventure Bound

In an attempt to try something different, (as if living in Viet Nam is not different enough) I decided months earlier that our summer holidays in June were going to be spent enjoying the outdoors, particularly since we have never had summer holidays in June!.

Our first adventure was to be bike riding, the pedalling variety that is. Some of the teachers at school had told me about a bike ride from Dalat, central Viet Nam in the mountains, to Nha Trang again central Viet Nam but on the Coast. They had told me how beautiful it was – all 90km of it – and they also said it was easy. So I decided that was for us. We can all ride bikes. 90 km’s is a long way but the brochure said you can take as long as you like AND there was the longest downhill stretch in all of Viet Nam, 30 kms. So I booked it for the week that Mikaela’s friend was visiting.
A few weeks before summer break, three more teachers did the ride but their experience seemed completely different. Firstly none of them completed it, they all had to use the back-up vehicle and they said the traffic was just terrifying. I began to get very nervous, what had I subjected my family to.

Summer break finally arrived. We did a lovely trip to the Mekong Delta with Reannon, Sarah arrived and all to soon we were on a plane bound for Dalat. Yes it is beautiful countryside and it was lovely to feel cool actually cold is more accurate. Dalat is a nice town, much bigger then I thought. We only had a day and a half so we only managed to do a few tourist things; the cable car to a gorgeous Buddhist Temple, a very weird house and boating on the man made lake.
The night before our bike ride I must admit I was very nervous, I had visions of trucks, buses, motor bikes all running us off the road; and me not being able to make the 90km’s.
The van picked us up from our hotel and drove us about 10km out of town – yes 10 down only 80km to go. We collected our bikes had a quick rundown on how to use them and then set off. Now anyone who has ever been riding with me will very quickly tell you I am not very good on a bike, I wobble, I use the brakes all the time, and I tend to fall off when I get tired or see a car, or a pothole or even turn around. The guide told us that the first 40km was up and down and then there was a 4km ride to the top of the hill where we would have lunch and then 30 km downhill. The first 15 minutes was OK I managed to look around and think how lovely the mountains were, I was at the back of the pack, the pack being just our family plus Sarah, 2 guides, 1 van and 1 truck but all was good. Up and over a few little hills then up another hill only to come to the top and found the pack had stopped and Bella was lying on the ground.
She had come off whilst trying to get a drink – will she ever listen, the guide told us to always stop when we want a drink – anyway she was cut and bruised and at first the guide thought her arm was broken. It was funny later but at the time it was very worrying. Being the caring family that we are, the kids were worried first about Bella but then, that they would not be able to go to the theme park the next day, I was worried first about Bella and then not being able to try and finish this ride and Matthew was worried first about Bella and then the waste of money if both her and I have to go the the hospital. Thankfully nothing was broken but she was very shaken with cuts and grazes all over her. They put her in the back up van and off we set again. I was a long way behind; the others had all gone on ahead, so I was pedalling like crazy to catch up. Poor Matthew said they stopped a number of times to wait but when I didn’t come they kept going but he said he was really concerned that something serious had happened. Anyway I did eventually catch them.
But the ride. There were so many hills. To say it was ‘up and down’ was a tad exaggerating it was more up then down. We did stop on occasion and on one of those occasions I was happy to see Bella up and riding again. The scenery really was spectacular you could have been anywhere in the world. We were completely surrounded by mountains. Unfortunately not having a camera with me, there was no way I was carrying anything extra, I just had to look. We rode on going through villages where it seemed all the local kids yelled hello, and up yet more hills. Finally we reached the 4km up hill stretch. Unfortunately for Matthew his bike seat was not designed Western rear ends and at the risk of doing permanent damage, he opted to use the backup van for the 4km up hill stretch. Alexander and Josh were legends they managed it really well and were the first up the hill, Sarah and I just plodded along stopping when we needed to, Bella fell by the wayside and joined Matthew at about the 2km mark, and Mikaela rode as she does most things in life, slowly but steadily setting her own pace.
For me, it wasn’t how long it took me or how many stops it was pure and simple - I made it to the top, exhausted, feeling like I was going to be sick but elated.
Lunch was amazing. Imagine sitting on top of the world – well Viet Nam – eating fresh bread rolls, salad, fruit and pork knowing that it was all downhill from there.
Going downhill though easier was certainly scarier you collect so much speed that I was really worried I would fall off the mountain and would roll to Nha Trang. Unfortunately it started to rain actually pour, teem, deluge – I am not sure what word describes the horrendous weather. At times we were in the rain clouds thankfully we all rain ponchos, but you couldn’t see anything in front of you.
Matthew, Mikaela and Bella loved it. The rest of us were a little more cautious. Poor Josh fell off at one point landing in a ditch, he was lucky he had a sweater on which saved most of his skin – albeit he did have some gravel rash on both elbows. It rattled his confidence but one of the guides then rode with him telling him when and how much to brake – a kind of wish he had been with me .
Eventually we reached the end – all in one piece well kind of – we got back into the van for the drive into Nha Trang wet, dirty, cold, bedraggled but happy.
When I had booked the trip I booked a very simple hotel in Dalat but a lovely hotel in Nha Trang as a reward. Our arrival I’m sure had people looking – all 7 of us tramped into the hotel looking like vagrants I’m sure, but nothing a shower and a glass of wine (for Matthew and I) didn’t fix.
Now we wait for the next of our adventure tours – canoeing and trekking in Laos.