The plane arrived in Ho Chi Minh City earlier than it should, entering the country was easy and fast, there was free WIFI, and there were even free drinking water dispensers available. Nice! Leaving the airport, at the exit, someone was checking people’s luggage tags so everybody only left with their own luggage! wow! I managed to sneak out between some other people, and was standing.. outside! Right after the exit door, I was actually outside in the open, there was just a roof. I wrote Nam and he said he’s on his way. So I chose a nice pillar, told him near what restaurant I was waiting, and sat down.
When he came, we first walked to the domestic terminal where the motorbike parking is. It has several floors, and is FULL of motorbikes! I was told to wait downstairs, near the exit and then we went towards the city and my hostel. After a bit of searching, we found it. From the big street, it’s along a tiny alley, then right into an even tinier alley, and there it is at the very end. I changed into shorts and sandals, left my backpack in the room and went down again for a little sightseeing tour around the city by scooter. Nam bought me sugarcane juice and Banh Mi, told me a lot about the history of the city, showed me where he lives, and drove me all across the city.
The next day, my first project was to buy a simcard.. I succeeded – and was online from then on!
I walked around the city, saw the War Remnants Museum, had lunch somewhere at the side of a street, and got used to the crazy traffic.
The next day, I met Vannie for dinner and coffee afterwards, and she suggested when I’m back to Ho Chi Minh City, we could go to visit a friend of hers living nearby at the sea. Great idea! 🙂
My next plan was to take the train north, to Danang and go to Hoi An from there. However, on the internet I read that the train line was interrupted as a bridge broke. They checked for me, and the departure stayed the same.