1st of all, I want to apologize if I do many mistakes on writing the right language. I must admitted that I’m not a writer nor photographer, I just want to share what I see with my own language (sometime it’s hard to understand) and also with the picture I captured.
I’m a traveler and I do really like to travel around and meet a lot of peoples also see a lot of places. Sometime to be able to see the place more is by taking bus or train instead of plane. Anyway, I do really scare to fly. But what to do, to come to certain places to shorted the time I must take plane to be right on time in the destination I want to visit.
I know I’m considering lucky coz so far; I often able to grasp my dream by going around and mostly of it nearly cost less for me.
Vietnam and Cambodia, two countries I would like to visit and I put it in my traveling list. So when my friend Richard Richert (Richie) agrees when I gave the idea to visit those countries for his holiday and also his son’s (Eric) summer holiday I did really happy.
After we found that two countries to visit, we start searching all info which might needed for the tourist. Richie started to apply Vietnam visa for him and Eric. Lucky I don’t need to apply any visa to go to Vietnam. But for Cambodia, both of us need to make visa on arrival.
I don’t really have idea how Vietnam will look like, ok…one of my friend Rita (Rie) living there and she told me more or less about Vietnam. But still, I know that I need a lot of information before finally I fly there.
On my short discussion with Richie by phone call and skype, finally we booked the ticket for me to go to Vietnam by Airasia and for him, of course by Air France. We found the date to visit and it come from 10 – 20 of August (Richie and Eric have arrived in Vietnam one day in advance – 9 of August). I start to calculate the date, plan the place to visit and hotel for us to stay. I was thinking if 10 days of holiday we just stay in Ho Chi Minh City that will be quite boring and also we won’t see much. After discussed again, finally we decided to make short visit to Cambodia for a few days. We choose the date to go to Cambodia from 12 – 15 of August. I found the information that we can go to Cambodia from Ho Chi Minh City by bus. What we like to see in Cambodia is Angkor Wat temple. So we need to go to Siem Reap instead going to Phnom Phen. Yes…I choose bus coz except it’s cheaper than the flight ticket, I feel it’s also safer than to fly. Also, I know by that we can see a lot of things along the road.
10 August 2009
Ready to go. I live far away from the Sukarno Hatta airport and it takes me about 2 hours from my home to the airport. This morning I will fly to Ho Chi Minh City with Airasia. I woke up at 4 o’clock in the morning and prepared my self then finally I left home at 4.30 am. I got phone called from airasia the night before that they changed my flight to earlier. Ok…so I don’t want to miss my flight.
My flight to Kuala Lumpur departed at 08.35 and I used airasia with flight number AK 381. Unfortunately, my flight wasn’t that pleasant flight. I’m a freak of fly…and after several bad experience I had during this flight….its make me freaky even more.
I’ve arrived in LCCT at 11.30 local time. Still in shock, I just collected my luggage and sat for sometime. I was really grateful that I finally land safely after several times we had turbulences and also hit air pocket. I was also thinking…What will happen for my next flight to Ho Chi Minh….oh…That so hard!! I started sending short text message to Richie in Vietnam asking about the weather there. I know this could be happened anytime in any airplane, a moment I have little bit worry that I won’t be able to land my butt safely.
Lucky my friend in Kuala Lumpur (Mr. Rahmat Husein) pick me up and we had lunch together with his family in Pan Pasific hotel near the airport. Yummy…the food was delicious and I had oyster. Great…all those foods can reduce my stress of flight even just for a little bit. Thanks for Mr. Rahmat family for the welcome during my short transit in Kuala Lumpur. After my lunch finished and I had to back to the airport again, the nervous of flying comes again.
At 15.00 Mr. Rahmat sent me back to the airport. His wife and he tried to relieve me by telling me if the next flight will be better. But still…I was really nervous.
With airasia, I had to do check-in again. So after did check-in luggage and go to immigration counter, I waited for my next flight to Ho Chi Minh with little bit fear in my heart.
Finally at 17.40 my flight heading to Ho Chi Minh with
airasia flight number AK 884. Along the way I can’t stop praying and I feel so
lucky coz the flight to Ho Chi Minh was better than the flight from Jakarta to Kuala Lumpur.…And finally I arrived in Ho Chi Minh at
about 19.00 local time.
I saw Richie, Rie and Eric in the airport waited for me. Oh…it feels wonderful to see the peoples you know in the new country you just visit. This night, Rie brought us to Mojo and we had dinner there. After dinner she sent us back to the hotel. Richie, Eric and I stayed in Sophia hotel and we share family room. The room is not that big but ok…not bad with two beds, one single and one double. We shared the room. I took a shower then we walked again and tried to discovering little bit more the area around the hotel. We went back to the hotel around mid night and prepared for the next day.
11 August 2009
I forget what time we start to wake up, but during this trip, I always take the 1st place in the morning to take a shower then those two guys. We had breakfast in the hotel and feel little bit disappointed with the menu there.
We were waiting in the hotel for the next program planed by
Rie for us. She told me the day after that she will be in the hotel at 9 am.
After sometime my phone rang and Rie told me that she had a lot of things to do
and she will then pick us from the hotel to have lunch in her house at 1
o’clock.
So this morning, before Rie come, again we just walked around then we went to the Saigon River. Some Tuk tuk come to as and offer us to go around with them. There are a lot of motor bikes in Vietnam and it’s really difficult to cross the street. I remember what Mr. Rahmat and wife told me, that I don’t need to see right and left to cross, just move forward and those motor bikes will try to avoid us! But…well…I’m not blind and I can’t pretend to blind hik hik…Ok, so I normally love Richie more by holding his arm so tight when it time to cross the street hehehe…typically me!
Rie picked us at 1 o’clock. We go directly to her house. There we had really wonderful lunch. Yes…I must say that one of the best foods I ate during my stay in Vietnam!! The Pho was really delicious and the mussels were drop death delicious! Rie said Chi Bich who prepared all those things for us. Chi Bich is Rie’s maid, she still single. Rie told me that Vietnam men don’t like big women to marry with. For me, Chi Bich is not big nor fat at all…so if they think like Chi Bich is big and fat, then how about me ?? I think if I live in Vietnam I will never married hehehe. Anyway, thanks to Rie for wonderful hospitality and thanks to Chi Bich that prepared the good foods.
After lunch, Rie brought us around. We went to Notre Dame
and also went to other side of Saigon.
Before she drops us to the hotel, we went to buy bus ticket and she sent us to Mailihn ticket office. Unfortunately, the bus ticket from the Phnom Penh to Siam Reap on 12 August was finished already. So we only can get ticket from Saigon to Phnom Penh
With a little bit worry by what will happen to us, I tried to convinced Richie and Eric that we will find solution about the transportation which going to bring us from Phnom Phen to Siam Reap. Anyway…we can’t postponed the trip coz we already booked the hotel in Cambodia from 12 – 15 of August. So for me, the show must go on in any case I know that I will find solution. We finally bought return ticket from Saigon to Phnom Penh then one way ticket from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh. The ticket cost about US$ 12/person one way from Saigon to Phnom Penh (it will be cheaper if you can buy return ticket) and about US$ 7 from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap.
After we bought bus ticket Rie sent us back to the hotel. We plan to have dinner together so we still have a time to take little bit nap to be fresh for dinner.
Around 7 pm, Rie came to the hotel with her friend Nanang. We had dinner in Barbeque Garden. Then we went back to the hotel by walk. I felt sorry to Rie coz she felt tired after we walked several block. I do really need sport after eat coz I’m fat hehehe but she isn’t fat at all. Before Rie left us, I asked her help to put our bags in her house. So we just left necessaries things inside those bags and bring some important things to Cambodia for the next day. Coz we will travel by bus, we must tried to pack as efficient as we can.
After Rie and Nanang left, we stayed for sometime in the lobby to book the hotel after our return from Cambodia. This time, we know more of less about Saigon and good hotel location already. We finally choose Rex Hotel and Rex Suite room for our place to live in Saigon after the return from Cambodia.
12 August 2009
We left the hotel at 5.45 in the morning and going to the MaiLinh bus station. We skip our breakfast since the breakfast in our hotel just start at 6 am. We waited for sometime before we finally left Saigon heading to Cambodia at 6.30 am. The bus drive really slow, I just know that in Vietnam we can’t drive more than 60 km/hour. After about 3 hours we finally reach Moc Bai and everybody must go out from the bus and bring all their belonging to do custom clearance to exit Vietnam. Moc Bai is the exit and entry point in Vietnam from and to Cambodia by land.
The bus driver took our passport to faster the process, but still, it took quite sometime till everything done. We wait for about 45 minutes before we continue across the border to another enter entry point Bevet in Cambodia.
After about 5 minutes by bus, we had to go down again for the visa and custom process. The bus crew asked us to give him US$ 24 for the visa to enter Cambodia. We saw there are several visa prices from US$ 20 for the tourist and US$ 25 and none of it is US$ 24. So I guess they took profit US$ 4/person. The visa process in Bevet little bit faster than in Moc Bai. After 30 minutes we finally left and voila….I’m in Cambodia!!!
The face of Cambodia is really different than Vietnam. I saw a lot of empty land and several building Cambodian style. I saw beautiful view along the road, their traditional house, their temples, palm trees and also the pond full of lotus flowers.
Traveling by bus allowed us to have stop in several places. We need also to cross the river (seem like it is the only way) by ship in Banam – Cambodia. We had stop also in Cambodia and it was totally different than our stop in Vietnam. In Vietnam, there is no body offer us the fruits or water of any things, if we want, we can buy in the shop at the place we stop if we don’t want there is no body will bother us. But that won’t be happen in Cambodia. Once the bus stop there are a lot of kids comes offer you many kinds of fruits. They put those fruits peel in plastic bag already, from pineapple and many others tropical fruits.
“One dollar for two mister…”
“sister, you are beautiful…please buy the fruits from me ok…” Hehehe…It put smile on my face when they told me that I’m beautiful, well…at least there is somebody in this trip told me that I’m beautiful!! Well…that’s rare!!
After I back from toilet, some of those kids still followed me. And they started asked a lot of question.
“Sister, where are you come from ??”
“Sister, you look like Cambodian”
Oh well…they start to guess from where I’m, but none of them think that I’m Indonesian hik hik…seem not a lot of Indonesian going to Cambodia especially by bus like me.
Those kids will always in my mind. Also that bus stop where you can see fried spider, ok, maybe I better say that’s not spider…that’s tarantula!!
In 3 hours later we finally reached Phnom Penh. I tried my luck to ask to Minlinh bus counter if there any chance for us to have the bus from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap. They said they don’t have it anymore. Rie ever told us if there is taxi from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap, but unfortunately once we reach Phnom Penh there is no taxi at all!! We just saw Tuk tuk everywhere but no taxi! Gosh, seem like I have big trouble!
Then one of the guy who follow us since we go down from the bus came to me, “Where do you want to go ?” his is the Tuk tuk driver in that area.
I told him that we would like to go to Siam Reap and unfortunately we don’t have bus yet to go there. Then he told me if there are a lot of bus from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap, “I just want the good bus” that’s what I told him. What I like in Cambodia, there are more peoples can speak English and I understand what they said more than in Vietnam.
He finally sent us to another bus station with his Tuk tuk. We pay the Tuk tuk US$ 3 for about 15 minutes drive to another bus counter. In Cambodia, even though their money currency is Riel, but they also accept Duong and US dollar. Actually, you can just prepare your dollar and they will gladly accept that.
Once we reach another bus counter (forget what the name is…and it’s really difficult to read the name of the bus with Cambodian script) we bought the bus ticket for three of us. The ticket fare here is US$ 10/person for one way. It is actually little bit more expensive than if we buy ticket in Saigon with the same bus company Mailinh. I must admit, for the peoples, I like Cambodian people more than Vietnamese in term of the friendliness. They smile more even I can still see the pain from their past in their face. We were told that the last bus heading to Siam Reap that day was in 1.30 pm. We try to find time to have lunch. We almost didn’t take anything since the morning. So having sandwich or croissant was better than nothing. When we back to the bus counter again, one of the guys asked us where we would like to go and where we will stay in Siam Reap. I told him and started the conversation with him since I saw Richie was already pissed off with the long journey (hehehe sorry honey hehehe). This guy finally told me that he can contact his friend in Siam Reap to pick up us in bus station once we reach there. Ok…thank’s God I still can use my charm to get a help hehehe…
The journey from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap was faster than what I expect. And the view a long the road…really fascinate me! Ohhh….I suggest you to see by your self!! It was splendid!!!
We reach Siam Reap at about 7 pm. It was dark already. The local time in Vietnam and in Cambodia is exactly the same like in Jakarta. So, I didn’t need to set my watch again.
I saw somebody outside the bus showing the board with my name ASTRI. Well, seem he didn’t know yet if Astri is man or woman (Richie told the other guy in Phnom Penh bus counter that his name is Astri when that guy asked his name).
We went to the hotel with Tuk tuk. Again…we didn’t see any taxi in Siam Reap. But we saw a lot of good car there…mostly of them Lexus and Camry. WOW!!
When I was this city, my memories bring me back to few years ago. How can I say bout this city ?? hmm…it’s not poor if we see how the car there, but well…they are different. From the bus station to our hotel took about 15 minutes. We are quite happy to see the hotel. The hotel Angkor Borei Hotel was nice and the room also big with three singles bed and big private terrace. And not to forget, they have fabulous bathroom! Oh…splendid!
Before left us in the hotel, I told to the tuk tuk driver to pick us up the day after and bring us to Angkor Wat temple. He was agreed and we got deal for the trip with him. I just think the way how to know the people are from the origin country is by trying to live as they are as possible as we can. After about 12 hours journey, we were really exhausted. We just had dinner at the hotel and luckily the dinner was good! If in Vietnam we can find Wi-Fi easily and fee at the hotel, that not the case in Cambodia. We have to pay US$ 12 for 24 hours connection and it just access able from the 1st point we buy the access pass. So…we just thought that bed was the best destination after the dinner. Sleep tight…
13 August 2009
We made appointment with Lem (the name of our Tuk Tuk driver) that we will wait for him at 9 o’clock in the morning. Again, we must in hurry and in tight schedule. Well…we made the schedule our self to be efficient and can visit some places effectively. We changed the money in the hotel, but then the hotel person said that we can still pay in US$ coz we going to have one box of money if we change it to their currency (Riel). So we just changed the money to small note and I changed of my US$ 5 to the Riel...wow…I feel suddenly rich!! Beautiful and a lot of money in my hand hehehe…
This day we planed to visit Angkor Wat. It took about 20 minutes from our hotel to the complex of the temple. We bought for one day ticket which is cost US$ 20/person for one day entrance fee. There have two entrance fee ticket price; US$ 20/person for visiting complex for one day and US$ 40/person for visiting complex for three days. Anyway, we choose for one day only coz we will just have short stay only. After we purchased the ticket, they took our photo then put it together in our ticket and each person of course then having their photo on their ticket. I think it is a good idea so no body can steal the ticket.
After entrance gate, we must go to the Angkor Wat area which is took about 10 minutes by tuk tuk. I just knew that the complex is really big with many temples spread around and the distance from one to each other is quite far. Well…yes, it is really big temples complex.
Once the tuk tuk stop near the temples, I heard many peoples started to call us and offered us the souvenir to sell. We just start the journey, so no reason to buy the souvenir that time. Still far to go and we didn’t know yet how long we going to turn around and we didn’t know yet how big this complex is.
After go around to the “front part” of the temple, we went to find something to drink. The weather in Cambodia is really hot!! I was melted like ice cream close to the fire. But this ancient place really fascinate me with it beauty. In Cambodia, there is no place without somebody come to you and offers you something. We actually just want to buy drink, but then many of kids and adult start to come and selling something to us. Well…it’s really hard to resist, we then finally bought some souvenir also there even before we started to really enter the Angkor Wat temple! We put those souvenir plastic bags some in my camera bag and some Richie hook it in his belt. At least we still have free hand to do some photo shot hehehe…cleaver enough hihihihi
I think this Angkor Wat is the biggest temple in that complex; it took us about one hour to go around. In this place I met two guys who using same camera as me, Nikon. One of them from Japan and the other guy (couple) from Germany. We discuss about lens and about camera for a while (Richie still using his Canon at that time). Feel nice to share bit knowledge during the trip.
It was nearly lunch time when we finally meet Lem again in the place where we left him. He suggests us to try local food in the restaurant inside the temples complex. Ok we agreed, anyway we have to know and to try the local food to enrich the experience. Eric and I ordered the same things, egg plan and beef and Richie ordered the mix vegetables. When they started serving the food, I was bit surprise by what I ordered; well…it’s seem not really like my expectation hehehe…
After lunch we continue again exploring other temples around. It is a lot of temples to visit one by one till we finally back to the hotel at about 5 o’clock. This time I started to have some conversation with Lem more. I was bit surprise coz I saw he put his clothes inside the compartment under the seat of the tuk tuk. He told us that indeed he is living in his tuk tuk and he is orphaned. Yes…a lot of orphaned in Cambodia and also a lot of disability peoples the victim of the war. The stories about that really touch my heart. That time I just know how hard life can be in Cambodia.
After long journey at the day after then had quite tiring day going around all temples in that complex we decided that we will just stay in the hotel that evening and enjoying the swimming pool. Also after had known that maybe we can’t find food outside the hotel as our desire, we then finally decided that we will just take dinner in the hotel. The day after Lem suggest us to visit fishing village and the country side in Cambodia.
14 August 2009
This morning Lem came little bit late to pick up us. I was bit worried if something bad happened to him. Lucky after 10 minutes more he finally came. As the planed, this day he brought us to the country side of the Siam Reap. It took about one hour by tuk tuk to reach that place. Then we finally had stop in the place near the huge river. We bought the ticket to have tour along the river and it cost us US$ 15/person. We went a lot the river, visited fish farm and also school there. All are floating in the river. The guide told me they eat everything for survive. We saw one house put the snake meat on the top of their roof and the guide told us if they eat the snake meat also. He said mostly of snake which live inside the water is not poisonous but the snake live in the water surface is normally poisonous. I don’t know how to tell about this place, I just feel…sad. This place is really poor and I saw a lot of kids lost their arm. Our guide told us that happened coz that kids there become beggar and they had accident fall down to the river then the big boat hit them…sorry…you can then try to imagine your self about that. I saw a mother slaps her son front of me coz he talk something in the language I don’t know. Our guide told us not to give money to them, he said better to give charity by give them book or something more useful to the only one school there. So on the way back to the meeting point, we had stop in the shop near by school and bought some books and pencil for those kids to study. The mortality in this place is quite high, it often happens that the baby fall from the house and since they can’t swim yet, they are finally sinking…drown and die. Well we have feet and legs to walk on the ground, God made us not to live in the water.
If you go to Cambodia, I will highly recommendation this place to visit. It’s just something difference about Cambodia…the other side of Cambodia…if you lucky enough, the guide will tell you the stories about Pol Pot…the fact…the true stories about that…black side of it. It was explaining me much why a lot of orphaned in that place.
We just had short tour this afternoon. Then after we choose to be back to the hotel and promise to Lem that we going to have Apsara show in the other restaurant in the evening with him. The short visit to the river area of the Siam Reap, really made me tired…not my physic, but I feel really mentally tired by what I saw.
After napping and stay in the hotel, we had to prepare for the Apsara show. Lem pick up us at the hotel at 6.30 evening. He told us that the orphaned that do the dance shot that night. So we went to the restaurant with the show included in their package. We have to pay US$ 12/person for buffet dinner and entertained by the Apsara dance show. The show started at about 9 pm after the meal was nearly finished. They made several dance show and it took about one hour for all those show.
On the way back to the hotel, I made stop front of the palace in Siam Reap and took night shot there. We must be ready to go back to Vietnam the day after…another 12 hours journey again.
15 August 2009
Lem pick up us in the hotel at 6.30 am. This time we managed to have fast breakfast. This time we already have bus ticket with Mailinh from Siam Reap to Phnom Penh and also from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. We waited for sometime then finally the bus left right on time.
All the way I just slept hehehe…I just awake for a while to change the song on my ipod then slept again.
Like on the way go, on the way back also we had stop in the same places. In one stop place, I go down from the bus latest after Richie and Eric go. When I stood at the door, I saw Richie surround by the kids who offer him fruits and seem like they had conversation about me. I ignored them and went to toilet…well…nature call hehehe.
On the way back to the bus one kid approached me, ”Sister, I remember you”
I just looked at her and smile. Can’t stand with the kids voices offering some fruits, finally Richie bought two bags of pineapples and I bought one bag of another fruits (I don’t know the name…but it sour) then we back to the bus.
Inside the bus Richie told me that those kids remember us hehehe…they recognize him as the guy who have Thailand girl friend. So when one kid come to me and asked me where am I come from, Richie told her that I’m from Italy hehehehe…Well…I’m not Thailand for sure and I don’t think I have the urgencies to tell to everybody strangers about my relationship with him.
We reached Phnom Penh faster than what we expect. So we decided to change the bus to 1.00 pm instead of 2.00 pm. We just bought the sandwich in the restaurant near by and run to the bus and ate it on the bus.
Again…another long time to go. We had the last stop before we reach Bevet custom point. In this place, there was no kid come surround us like the other bus stop along Cambodia. Suddenly Richie asked me “honey, do you want turtle?” I didn’t get what he mean before then I suddenly saw there is one plate full of turtles…cooked!! Oh noooo gossshh….
This time the process to exit Cambodia and enter Vietnam took long time more than before. Anyway, we are finally reached Ho Chi Minh city really late and we were really exhausted! Lucky we were quite happy when we saw our room in Rex Hotel. It was big! Yes…Rex Suite room is big enough for the three of us. Just pity I can still the smell of old building…hmmm they should put air freshener if they know that they going to put guests there…just suggestion…
This evening we just took dinner in street food at Ben Thanh market. Again, communication break down every time we try to order the food, they will come out with another different food than we expect. But ok, we already exhausted after long journey…what we need just eat.
16 August 2009
We were waiting for Rie to come in the morning then we planed to go to Mekong Delta, unfortunately latest I got news from her that she is sick. Ok…so we had to change the plan and thinking fast. Richie told me to ask tour from the hotel, and then we finally go to Mekong Delta by the hotel tour. It was really late when we started the tour, nearly 10 am. The guide told us that it took about 2 hours to go there coz of the traffic jam and also the country regulation about the speed. Our guide, his name is Thanh is the funny guy with full senses of humor. He told us many stories about the custom in Vietnam and also about the rice wine mix with snake or scorpion which they believe can give more power to the men. We had stop in one of traditional Vietnamese restaurant to have lunch before we went to Mekong Delta. Well, the food was nice but I don’t want more.
Mekong Delta. So far I just know the stories about that river during war time from the book with the title Mekong. Since I was in junior high school I was dreaming to see how Mekong River look like. And this day, all my dreams come true. We stop in small port for the boats which will bring us to the. We sail along the river…it is huge river. As before, the guide Thanh explains us about the island there. Yes, there are islands in the middle of that river. The one I remember is Coconut Island with the coconut temples on it. Yes…Coconut temples. No it is not made from Coconut, but it is the name of the religion they believe. Thanh told us that Mekong girls are more beautiful than the girls from another part of Vietnam and also the peoples there live more relax than other peoples from another part of Vietnam coz the weather among the Mekong river is good.
We stop in one place and we went up to the island. We visit house industry to make coconut candy and also went to the house that have bee farm and produce bee pollen and honey. I tried banana wine there and wow!! It is really strong!! Except walking (well, the island is not so big) we also use kind of tuk tuk but using horse instead of motorbike. After we walk again for sometime before we took small traditional boat to go along the river headed to bigger boat we used before. The view along that small river was splendid. I don’t know…it just different. Oh well…I won’t suggest you to go there if you don’t really like adventure and walk far…
After we arrived in our big boat, we left that island and prepared to go back to Saigon.
Again another two hours from the Mekong Delta to Saigon. We arrived in the hotel was quite late already. We just take a shower and tried to find Pho restaurant near by. Well…still trying to find Pho as good as in Rie’s house. Finally we found Vietnamese restaurant near by, sorry…I forgot what the name is. We had dinner there. Not really good food compare with what I ate in Rie’s house, but not bad when we are already starving.
After dinner, we went back to the hotel. We were really tired, but still everybody busy with internet using I-phone and IPod. If in the morning I always took the 1st place to take a shower, that not the case in the evening…I always the last one to take a shower hehehe…lazy!!!!! Anyway, during that trip, none of those guys complaining about my smell. Well, I’m sure I always smell like a roses hehehehe…love you guys!!
17 August 2009
Indonesia Independence Day!! Well…I was in Saigon and far away from the hectic we normally have during our independence day in our country. Before I planed to celebrate it in Indonesian consulate in Saigon, but then since I don’t have properly clothes for the ceremony, I choose to follow another heroic tour to Chu Chi tunnel.
One of freelance tour guide picks us up from the hotel at 7 am to avoid the traffic jam. Yes…now I have partner to work with in Vietnam!! Book your tour to Vietnam with me and I’ll give you special price! Hehehehehe…
We were reached the Chu Chi tunnel after about three hours drove from Saigon. The 1st impression when I just arrived…well…it is jungle! The guide tried to explain me about how the tunnel is, but still, I can’t imagine yet in my head how it looks like. I can see almost nothing around; all are flat and only have some rubber farm along the road.
During this tour the guide show us some trap Viet Cong’s use to trap the American soldier. They have a lot kind of trap using the simple material like bamboo and also steal. Here also we can try how to shoot. Well..I hate even to hear the loud sound of the gun, so I didn’t want to try.
In this area, we can also going down to the tunnel which already made larger as the size of the tourist. But still, even thought they said they made it bigger, I must still crawled to walk inside the tunnel. I can’t believe how those peoples can live there during the war time!! That must be really really really hard!!! Well…no body likes war…and I hate war!
The guide told us that during the war, the Viet Cong also made kitchen inside the tunnel. They cooked very simple food and only tapioca and rice. They must cook very carefully to prevent the smoke come out and attract American soldier’s attention. So they cooked smokeless.
I saw a lot of big hole there and it is written if that hole is the hole of the boom. Oh…Gosh…that must be really hard that time. I know that we can die anytime and in any condition even when we are sleep we can die still. But imagining those people at that time still eating then suddenly they dies because of boom…oh…I can’t imagine that longer.
After from Chu Chi tunnel we had stop in Ben Thanh market. Richie asked me if maybe he can find camera with GPS in Saigon. Well, since I don’t know how to use his Canon, so I asked him to buy new camera….Nikon same as mine. So we went to Saigon Center and Richie finally decided to buy Nikon D90. Yuppy…I’m so happy!! Now I can attach my lens to his camera too. Better to have two than one, but anyway, better to have one than nothing. We had nothing to do that evening except going around and finding Pho again. Thanks to iphone, we were finally found the Pho restaurant near by, Pho 24. Ok…it was better than the other Pho I had tried in another Pho restaurant, but still…the best Pho for me was made by Chi Bich in Rie house!!
18 August 2009
Yay!! We will go to Mui Ne this day. Rie told me that we going to have long journey again. It took about five to six hours from Saigon to Mui Ne. Well, in the 1st place I just thinking hopefully the trip we going to do are worth enough with the things we can see there. Rie told us that we must be ready at 9 am and she going to pick up us at the hotel. We check out from Rex Hotel and waiting for her in the lobby. Not for so long Rie finally came. There was Chi Bich also inside the car. So the trip to Mui Ne was really the trip for the whole family. I finally decided that I would like to change my flight with Garuda instead of with Airasia. Well, I had return ticket of airasia already actually. But remember the experience I had during my flight Jakarta – Kuala Lumpur, I think I’d rather change to something else bit better. So Rie helped me to contact the general manager of Garuda in Saigon and book the flight ticket for me. I think everybody knows if one way ticket is always more expensive than return, but anyway, as long as I feel comfortable and I know that I can land my ass safely in Jakarta…I will take that chance!
We arrived in Mui Ne at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I was bit surprise to see our room at the hotel Sunny Beach. It is too small to put one extra bed on it. Yes, again I share the room with Richie and Eric. Coz of the room is too small, so by putting extra bed more the bed seem like one big bed instead of three single beds. Hmm….try to imagine sleep between two guys in one bed….it just WOW!
We took photo of each other on the beach and had lunch at the hotel. The lunch well, I can say not well at all, but the view of Mui Ne, I must admit it is really beautiful! After we finished our lunch, we did photo shot again and again before we finally went to Sand Dunn at 4 o’clock. Again, this place impressed me much! It’s not only because the Sand Dunn impresses me, but the view facing that place also spectacular. We went back to the hotel after sunset, just put our belonging to the hotel and made some “private shot” at Rie’s room then went out again for dinner.
After dinner Richie and I went to the swimming pool and swam there till 10 o’clock. The water was nice and warm. Hmm…it was wonderful...especially coz there is no body in that swimming pool but us.
That night I slept between Eric and Richie. Eric was in my left side and Richie in my right side. I can’t sleep almost all night long coz sometime Eric’s leg doing invasions to my bed and after I tried to sleep again, Richie started made his own “concert” oh mamamia….
19 Agustus 2009
I woke up at 7 o’clock in the morning when my body alarm asked me to wake up. I took a shower then after Richie prepared him self and the last one was Eric (well…that’s the bathroom order every morning…). This morning we have to leave the hotel at 9 o’clock to be able in Saigon before 4 o’clock to collect my flight ticket in Garuda office.
Along the road we made several stop to take picture or only for rest and going to toilet. This day the weather was better than the day before and the sky colors was splendid blue with little cloud as accessories. Again…another six hours drove.
We reached in Saigon at 3 o’clock and we go directly to Garuda office to pay and to collect my ticket. After the ticket was already in my hand, we went to Rie’s house to send her home and to collect our belonging we put in her house one day before we went to Cambodia. Then we went back to the hotel since she has another plan in that evening and can’t accompany us.
We had dinner in Lemongrass restaurant at Palace hotel. The view from the hotel was really nice and we can also see the river and the port in the night. Bout the food, well…it was also nice. Hmm finally…
After our dinner we went to business center to transfer our photos to each other. But unfortunately the connection was really slow and they business center at Rex Hotel is close at 10 PM. So after transferring the photos from Richie’s Nikon D90 to my camera, we decided just back to the room and continue to transfer the file the morning after.
When we went back to the hotel I had mix feeling in my heart. Mix between nervous for my flight on 20 August, also sad coz I must apart again with Richie and Eric. I was lain down on the sofa in our room and lost in thought when Richie asked me to move to my bed and sleep there. Well…the holiday will offer soon. I’m sad coz it must offer but also I’m happy coz soon I will back to my country again…
20 August 2009
Time to leave Vietnam…Time to say goodbye…time to see my country again. Yes, finally somehow I must leave Vietnam. As always the holiday with Richie and Eric is still and always will be unforgettable holiday. It’s always sad when the time come and I must say goodbye. My alarm rang at 7 o’clock in the morning. Normally I always woke up in the 1st beep my alarm rang (even when Richie said he hear nothing), but this day I seem had deep sleep and wonderful dream (don’t ask me what was that, I forget once I opened my eyes).
Then I hear Richie voice “Honey, wake up”. His voice seems louder than the sound of my alarm. My hand searched my mobile phone on the side table “ok” that the only things I said before I turn off my alarm and still laying on the bed for a few while.
Then I know that I must take a shower soon coz we need to transfer the rest of the photos. I have about 500 photos in my camera and all of that must be transfer to Richie’s external hard drive since I always have bad internet connection at home. So better do the things from the camera than must upload then download it again from internet.
Surprisingly, this time we just took about 15 minutes to transfer the photo from my camera to Richie’s external hard drive. Well…that’s better coz I must going to the airport at 10.30 to catch my flight.
We had the last breakfast for this holiday at Rex Hotel then after did some check for my belonging and last packing, we left Rex Hotel at 10.30. Richie and Eric sent me to the airport then they went back to the hotel. Slightly I feel my heart numb for a while. But ok…somehow we are going to meet again.
My flight with Garuda was I can say really smooth. We had stop over in Singapore for about 45 minutes before then fly again back to Jakarta….on my country, I do really miss the smell of you…
To Richie and Eric, thank you so much for the wonderful holiday and wonderful time during my stayed with both of you everywhere.
I can buy tooth paste and tooth brush
I know peoples said that I have sweet smile
But what I know
You the person who can make me laugh and smile often
I have a lot of memories about our togetherness
About the laugh we had
And also the difficulties we must faced during the trip
But still, the time I had with you was really wonderful time in my life
Thank you for those things which I can’t buy with all money I have…
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