Saigon

 We have a late breakfast this morning as we need to check out by 10.30 for our flight to Saigon.

I forgot to mention when we dined at the press club we had to cross the road. Our guide was encouraging, walk slow at a steady pace and stick together. Got across safely and also on the way back. Very nerve racking though.

Our breakfast was in the garden area, a lovely ambience. Our drive to the airport was hectic with traffic everywhere and going in all directions. We arrive at the airport safely and are getting organised when one of our group realises he has left his phone on the bus. Duc our guide quickly contacts the driver and arranges for him to return and drop the phone. We proceed through check in while Duc waits with Rodney to get his phone back. Everything worked out and he got his phone back. I said to him he was lucky he remembered so quickly, he told me his Apple Watch notified him he had left his phone behind! Our group is getting on well, there are a couple from Winchester England, a couple from NZ and the rest are Aussies. 

In the next couple of days we will meet up with the other group of 20. The flight was 2 hours and I passed on the meal but Ann tried a pork and rice where Ann only ate the rice - didn’t look very appetising. After landing we had a bus ride to the terminal, all bags arrived and then off to the bus. We thought Hanoi was busy, Saigon is three times as busy! We get dropped off near the Notre Dame cathedral, which unfortunately is covered with scaffolding. We then proceed to Ho Chi Minh train station and now a post office. We then walk to our hotel and along the way Duc points out significant buildings, including one where the rooftop was used as a helicopter pad to transfer south Vietnamese out of Saigon.

We check in and the hotel is lovely, but the staff do not seem as friendly and courteous as the were in Hanoi. We had paid extra for a signature room which had complimentary privileges but nothing was mentioned. Ann had to return to the desk to get it clarified and find out where the signature lounge was.

We have a quick shower - now showering twice a day. A lot warmer and more humid. We meet up 6.45 to walk to our restaurant for dinner. We have a lovely entree and then chicken, but the chicken was just cooked, tasted ok but was bordering on pink. We then had a lovely desert of chocolate mousse with vanilla ice cream with gold leaf on the ice cream! 

We walk back to the hotel, it is Sunday night and the traffic - motor bikes is incredible. Ann and I decide to have a drink at the signature lounge. Ask for a wine and champagne but told I would have to pay! Appears free drinks only available during happy hour from 5.30 to 7.30 pm. I said we weren’t aware and I would pay but then apologised that it was not explained to us and I wouldn’t have to pay. One drink and off to bed.