Tuesday 17th – Monday 23rd September 2024.

Wow, so it’s been a while since my last blog! Don’t really know why I’ve been so lax, strap in, I think it might be a long one! 

One of the reasons I write my blog regularly is so I don’t forget where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing! It’s easy to lose track when you’re moving about. 

The last blog ended in Kampot. I’m pleased to say that my bus wasn’t rescheduled and left promptly at 8.30. After a pretty uneventful journey we arrived back into Phnom Penh around lunchtime. I grabbed a Tuk Tuk to the hotel, I’m staying back at the same place, The White Mansion, mainly as it’s central, good value and the bus picks up from here! 

I was welcomed back like a long lost relative! 😍 So lovely and they had given me a larger room! I didn’t do much for the rest of the day, swam, read and just relaxed. The weather in the afternoons is usually pretty unpredictable and rainy. A relaxing day and an early night! 

On my list of things to do in Phnom Penh had been to do the river walk, just a nice little promenade area down along the riverside. 

With the weather looking promising after breakfast I set off. I walked down towards the large Independence Monument, which is impressive. This area also had some trees for shade. I eventually made it to the riverbank, after dodging traffic (I’m a pro at this now😁) and sweating buckets! 

The area I arrived at is the spot where the Tonle Sap river and the Mekong River meet, flowing in different directions. 

The rivers are very high due to the season and quite wide. It’s surprisingly quiet on this part of the river. 

I stop in a cafe for a drink, as I stupidly came out without my water! 

As I sit there I can see the rain clouds gathering, so decide to head back. 

You can see all the locals covering their stalls and people heading for cover. The wind picks up quite a bit, then the rain comes in a sudden heavy burst! My little umbrella gets turned inside out, spokes are buckled but luckily for me it still works! ☔️ I walk back through the rain, I’m so pleased that Phnom Penh has non slippery paving! Absolute live saver, literally. 😳😀

I stop at a nice little coffee shop on the way,  have a coffee and read my book while the rain pours down outside. 

When I get back to the hotel it’s still raining, so I decide to do some planning for Vietnam. 

Looking for buses from Ho Chi Minh City is a little confusing, so many to choose from and some sites not in English, so many recommendations! In the end I decide to wait until I get to my hotel in HCM and ask them for advice. 

I pack up my stuff, go out for a last dinner in Cambodia. Which is obviously going to be Vegetable fried rice!! 😂

My bus is due to arrive at 9.45 so once again I do as instructed and am ready to go at 8.45, luckily, as the driver appears at 9am! What actually happens is the company send a small bus to collect passengers from various hotels and takes them to the main coach in the centre of town, which now makes sense of the flexibility on collecting times! 

The coach is great, I have a single seat by the window, it’s pretty busy but everything is looking good! 

It’s a 7+ hour trip to Ho Chi Minh City, which includes the border crossing. 

I’d like to say it was a good trip and in the most part it was, the coach, drivers, host and the border crossing were all brilliant. 

The problem came from the totally obnoxious areshole sitting behind me. 

He was simply vile, rude, ignorant and loud! 

Every time the lovely host/helper spoke to us about anything, welcoming us aboard, explaining about toilet breaks, information about the border procedure he would make noises (loud enough for everyone to hear) the whole way through the talk! He pushed his way to the front whenever we stopped, complained about the water, the wifi, he was unbelievably rude to the poor host. He then made huffing, snorting noises for no apparent reason, played his phone loudly and listened to a podcast or something which could have been by Andrew Tate it was so misogynistic! A total wanker. 

We eventually arrived in Ho Chi Minh City around 5.30. By then I was tired, and I had a headache. I got into a cab to the hotel. I asked the driver how much, having shown him the address, he said it was on a meter, that’s great, so it should be a regulated fare. Sadly not! The twatty driver refused to take me to the actual hotel, dropping me off down the road, then told me it would be 400,000 Vietnamese Dong, which is $20! Which is a total rip off. Unfortunately I was locked in the back of the cab, with my case in the boot and it was either pay him or be stuck in the bloody cab! I paid, told him he was an arsehole, and then walked to my hotel! 🤬

All in all not my best journey so far! 

The hotel reception staff were lovely and made me feel lots better, my room was gorgeous with double windows looking over the city. I unpacked, drank a ton of water and took a paracetamol for my headache then ventured out to have a look around the hotel and find some dinner. 

I ended up at the rooftop bar, which has fabulous views. It was happy hour so I had a cheeky cocktail, more water then headed down to the restaurant for dinner. The menu was good, with lots of western dishes and Asian dishes, I opted for rice, no surprise. Then It was off to bed, as the whole day had been exhausting! My bed is enormous, comfy and with the best feather pillows, pure heaven! 😌😴😴

I slept really well and was feeling rested, positive and ready to start my Vietnam adventure! 

First breakfast! 

It’s a buffet style breakfast but the staff are so attentive and can’t seem to do enough for you, which is lovely but also a bit disconcerting! 

After breakfast I headed downstairs to speak to the concierge about where to get a SIM card and booking a bus to my next stop, Dalat. 

The concierge, Luck, was amazing. He is from Dalat and travels there often. He said I had a couple of options. I could get a private car, which he then contacted a company to get a price. I could fly, or I could get the bus. The private car was going to cost $160 a flight would be the quickest, but also a little expensive, as I was booking last minute. The bus, which Luck uses all the time takes approximately 5 -6 hours and costs $12! I went with the bus. Luck then organised all the booking for me! He sorted out a Spa treatment at a Spa outside the hotel, went over the map with me and highlighted all the places I could go including the phone shop for my Sim! He was a total legend. 

So off I went. Phone shop first, easy. New sim fitted and working. Then I made my way to the War Remnants Museum. 

I got there just as the heavens opened! 

The museum is another difficult place to go, but also an important one. It takes you through the Vietnamese history and most specifically the Vietnam War. I knew most of the history, but not all of the facts and statistics, which are shocking. 

I also didn’t really appreciate how devastating the use of chemical weapons, such as Agent Orange, has been for Vietnam and its people. They have such hideous long term effects. 

A sobering experience. 

When I’d finished in the museum it was still chucking it down but what can you do! I got out my trusty, bent up brolly and off I went! 

Ho Chi Minh City also has fairly non slip paving, thank god! 

I eventually came to one of the buildings I wanted to visit; The Central Post Office. It’s a beautiful old building and right beside a cathedral I wanted to see. Unfortunately the Cathedral is closed for renovation. 

Next to the Post Office I found a fabulous little street full of bookshops!! 😍 It would have been better if it wasn’t still chucking it down! 

I ambled back to the hotel, once it stops raining I go up to the rooftop bar and treat myself to a glass of wine!! 

I end up sitting next to an American guy called Nicholas from Kansas. He is great company, easy to talk to and the time and the wine go down very nicely! 🍷🍷

He is then joined by his friend and travel buddy, Patrick also very nice to chat too. 

After a few glasses I decide, rather sensibly to go and get some dinner, then head to bed. 

As I’m sure you are all aware by now it was my birthday! 

I’ll be honest I was dreading spending the day on my own, it’s always a mixed feelings day, as it’s also my Wedding Anniversary. 

The day turned out to be absolutely fabulous! I was very very spoilt by my beautiful children, Rebecca, Georgia & Grantley and by all my lovely friends! So many treats, messages, wine, cakes, videos! 

I’d decided to do very little all day and that’s exactly what I did, which was lucky as the weather was terrible! 

I got presented with the most glorious bouquet of flowers at my Champagne breakfast! 🍾💐 Then lots of people wishing me Happy Birthday! The kids had arranged for me to have a Spa treatment. 

The lovely Luck, organised and booked it and then sorted out the Grab, which was not easy due to the horrendous weather! 

My spa treatment was an amazing herbal massage which involved hot oil and hot stones. It was fantastic and afterwards my back and neck felt the best they have for ages! Then I had a cheeky pedicure, also amazing. 

When everything was finished I went through to reception and they bought me over a chair to sit on while I put my shoes on. Unfortunately it was a tricky little wheeled office type chair, I went to sit on it, it moved back and I ended up falling onto the floor! 😳🫣🫢 in front of a room full of people! FFS! 🤦‍♀️ I was OK, a little surprised and the worst of it was I jarred my neck…again!! It’s funny because you end up doing the very British thing of assuring everyone that you’re “Fine” but inside you want to cry! 😢 

I headed back to the hotel and was determined this was not spoiling my day, so I took an ibuprofen and cracked on with things!! 👍😍

I took myself to the rooftop bar ordered a glass of my favourite Whispering Angel wine 😇 and had a fabulous evening. I chatted again to Nicholas & Patrick and also a beautiful English couple, Dom & Grace who had just got engaged! ❤️ 

The staff presented me with a personalised Vietnamese Hat and the whole bar sang Happy Birthday 🥳😚 Then I  went to bed, watched rubbish on Netflix and eat birthday cake! All in all a wonderful day! 

Thank to everyone who made it so fabulous. 🩷💚🩵❤️

To my surprise I woke the next day feeling ok, neck is sore but not too bad. It’s also not raining! Yeah! 

I set out to explore a little more. As it’s Sunday everyone is out and about, sitting in the park with friends, drinking coffee, visiting places. I walk to the Independence Palace, it’s a really interesting place to visit, and very busy! 

As I arrive I spot an older man on his own, he keeps looking over at me and eventually asks me if I’m on my own, he explains that he is and it’s his first visit to the Palace. He asks if we can look around together, I say no problem. I think he wanted me to take some photos of him in the palace, which I did. He was very sweet. He didn’t want to look around the whole place so we parted ways after I took lots of pics of him! 😍 I didn’t get a pic of us together 🤦‍♀️ Imdid get one of him walking away! 

It’s started to rain a little so I go off for a wander through the park and the local area. It’s great to just walk and observe life going on. 

I decide I need a coffee and opt to go back to the Book street as I’d seen a lovely little cafe there. 

I have to say the Vietnamese take their coffee very seriously! Every other building is a coffee shop, and they are all full! 

The book street is nice and busy as is the Cafe. I try my first Vietnamese Coffee, made with condensed milk….delicious! 😋 I’m sitting enjoying my coffee reading my book when a family sit down beside me. Then the young lad with them scoots his chair over and asks me where I’m from. This leads to myself and Quan having an hour long conversation about all sorts, books, his favourite is Diary of a Whimpy Kid! School, my children, my travels, his friends, Vietnam history, food…..all of this in English and Quan is 8!! He was amazing, such a chatty, clever thing. Neither of his parents spoke English, he said he learns from YouTube, books and online! Quan & I were then joined by another young lad, Pep, who is 14. He was also very smart and spoke great English. 

It was such a wonderful, unexpected encounter and I loved it. 

As Quan and his family were leaving they gave me a beautiful canvas bag (that the dad had run over the road to purchase) as a gift! 💝🥰 How beautiful is that! 

Back at the hotel I go for my first swim in the rooftop pool, as it’s not raining. The pool is bloody freezing! 🥶 Invigorating but bloody cold! 

Needless to say I’m the only nutter in there! 

This is followed by a beautiful foot massage at the hotel spa, which was one of the best I’ve had! So wonderful. Thank you gorgeous Tracey & Haley.❤️❤️

I opt to go out for dinner, so have a mooch around by the hotel. I go into a very cute little place that looks very Instagram inspired, flowers, pastel colours, teddy bears everywhere and full of beautiful young people. 

I would have loved to stay but didn’t want a coffee and the menu was limited in terms of what I wanted. I then tried another 3 places. I was looking for noddles or rice but without meat or seafood! Honestly harder than finding someone with an IQ at a Trump Rally! 

Eventually I find a little food stall in a Fabulous market across from the hotel who was prepared to make me rice with just vegetables 🌽🥒. 

I do think I’m going to struggle a bit in terms of food, as I don’t really eat seafood or pork, which are the stable ingredient in lots of dishes. I’m sure I will figure it out! 

I have enjoyed my time in Ho Chi Minh City, I would like to come back at some point and explore more around the area, I just didn’t have the time, the weather or the energy this time. 

Some observations so far. The city is very modern but with traditional stuff here and there. The young people are super stylish and very beautiful. Everyone I’ve met so far has been kind and helpful (apart from the taxi driver, but he’s an aberration!)  Coffee is serious business, they are very proud of their country and their culture. 

Today I’m heading by bus to a place inland, Dalat. It’ll be interesting to see how the Vietnamese buses are! 

As a little side note. I am due to be traveling through Vietnam heading northwards. Unfortunately the country is suffering with a really bad Typhoon season, and things up north in Hoi An, Hanoi and Sapa are pretty bad. They were hit a week ago by a huge storm, called Nagi and there has been a great deal of damage, flooding and landslides. 

Travel advice at present is not to travel to these areas, particularly Hanoi and Sapa. I will keep a watch on things and if I need to, will change my plans accordingly. 

That’s it for now my lovelies. 

Books read.

The Secret of Flowers. Sally Page. Another lovely one by this author. Really enjoyed it. 

That’s it! Bit slow on the reading front at the moment! 

Have a great week everyone.

Love and hugs. 

🩵💚❤️🩷💝