Much to the annoyance of the hospitable and friendly English speaking hotel proprieter, I had miraculously found the lie down coach to Saigon Bus Station. If he books you in he gets a small commission but I’d been the night before where I had to firmly insist that they sell me the two tickets required, one for me one for the Bike. They wanted to sell me only the seat and the freight / bike ticket the next day. It ended amicably. I had two tickets all duly stamped.
I felt a rumbling deep down as I cycled anxiously to the bus station. They put me on the correct bus, bike stowed away safe enough in the baggage hold below. Then they wanted me to travel on a different bus and not to worry – I’d find my bike at the other end in Saigon. Haha. No thank you – we travel together. They told me ETA Saigon was about 6 hours after departure. It was only 4 thankfully but of course I was not aware, dozing in my mini-me bunk. Then, on the crowded and bustling West Bus Station, followed the drama and time wasting from the conductor and his mates – you need a ticket. Idiots you can see that I just arrived. 30 minutes later after much gesticulating and, eventually, a kind porter on a motorbike showed me to where I had to buy a bus station exit bloody ticket. Makes Derbyshire Dales look generous. Thanks to Ridewithgps I had a quiet and enjoyable cycle trip across Saigon to my apartment where I’d booked 3 nights (fortunately) to explore the city.
Hotel checkin was a complete fuster-cluck. The guards would not let me unpack the bike near the reception. In the end I politely simply ignored them – the body’s bowel-clock was ticking faster than desired. The youth who was supposed to check us in finally appeared, there were three sets of guests chomping at the check-in bit by now. I told the guards to be patient, made sure there was no after-you to one of the all women groups waitung anxiously (FIFO is fairer) and I legged it for the bathroom faster than a choir-boy running from a confessional. Timed to perfection. But the problem was not a one-off.
Randy and Anita had met their son and had a few days left. They popped round with some sysmpathy. yoghourt & travellers penecillin stuff. I took one tablet but decided it was the second fish Bun Ca in Chau Doc and must pass (no pun). Since I lost my sense of smell (pre wuhan-US flu), I try fish mostly to be polite. Invariably I feel ill or throw up when eating any fish or crabs etc. (Dec 2024 – I have stopped being polite as I keep being sick when I have eaten fish).
I recovered sufficiently to have a marvellous night out at Heart of Darkness Brew-restaurant with them on their last night before they flew home to Canada! haha USA’s 51st state. FYI Randy and I were quaffing expensive (by VN standards) porters, DIPA & stouts etc like veritable afishionados! Anita less extravagent on bottled mineral waters. We had three main courses. My friend Loubie from Birchover UK pinged me a beer menu from where she’d been the night before. One litre of her porter cost more than our heart of darkness trip for 3!!
My feet took a pasting. Itching badly, athletes foot and I am sure what might have been ring-worm? I could not find a thick enough pair of open airy shoes that either protected my soles or did not make my foot blister – slip ons, or big toes get sand-papered off – flip flops so I had worn Millets walking boots and Aldi workmans socks.
In Saigon I took the bike for packing and had it posted to and I flew out back to Vinh Yen in the North.
Long Distance Adventure in Aisia on two wheels Phase I completed. Well done legs. No major bum-sore either.