The Vietnam journey continues. We are currently in Nha Trang which is the Gold Coast of Vietnam. A lazy day today recovering from a small bug.

Plan is to go to the VinPearl resort tomorrow travelling on the world's longest cable car. The day after we will visit a Hindu temple of the Cham dynasty that is linked to the famous temples of Ankor Wat.

We will take the train to Da Nang and then fly to Hanoi to take on the challenging part of the trip getting to Lao Cai and Sa Pa in the mountainous northwest. Then to Ha Long bay travelling on a Junk among the islands of rock.

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Contains pictures sent to the twitter feed. I am trying a different way to upload some key images rather than try to get the entire albums up on the web.

Since leaving Ho Chi Minh we have been to Da Lat...

Here are some notes from Joe on this part of the trip...

 Joe's Report

Monday 5/12/11

What we did: Arrived at Ho Chin Minh city and got to Hotel. Went night viewing in streets around our hotel.

 
Fact 1: People in Vietnam drive on the right side of the road.
 
Fact 2: A lot of people ignore traffic lights and crossings.
 
Highlight: The highlight of that night was walking through the streets of Ho Chin Minh city.
 
Tuesday 6/12/11
What we did: We went to the independence palace, diamond plaza, notre dam, post office and the Ho Chin Minh museum.
 
Fact 1:There was a basement in the independence palace where everyone hid in when the palace was bombed in 1962. My Great Grandmother who was nanny to the president's children went to get the first lady's jewelry and was killed during the bombing. 
 
Fact 2: The names of famous scientists like faraday, ohm and Franklin are enshrined on the outer walls of the post office in Ho Chi Minh city.
 
Highlight: Going to the independence palace.
 
Wednesday 7/12/11
What we did: Went to Vung Tao by hydrofoil boat, met friendly college students on beach and went to the lighthouse, got to see the actual light up the top of the lighthouse Went to give our respects to the Buddhas.
 
Fact 1: The lighthouse that we went to could shine it's light 6 km.
 
Fact 2: half the religion is Buddhism and the other half is Christian.
 
Highlight: Meeting students from the tourism college by accident at the beach.
 
Thursday 8/12/11
What we did: We went to Dam Sen water park. Walked around Dam Sen.
 
Fact 1: The kamikaze is 19m high and 70m long.
 
Fact 2: The Dam Sen water park was developed by Australians.
 
Highlight: Going to Dam Sen and seeing sights.
 
Friday 9/12/11
What we did: We went to the Mekong delta river and went to honey making restaurant on the mainland.
 
Fact 1: You make sweets with a kind of rice called popped rice which is like popcorn.
 
Fact 2: You recycle the husk of the rice for the use of fire to cook. We saw shipments of husk traveling on the Mekong delta.
 
Highlight: riding on a boat around the Mekong delta.
 
Saturday 10/12/11
What we did: We went to my Mum's old house. Traveled on a bus for seven hours to Da lat.
 
Fact 1: Lots of coffee and strawberries are grown in the mountain area of Da lat.
 
Fact 2: The further you go from a place the more different the cuisine gets.
 
Highlight: going to see Mum's old house and seeing Mum's old neighbours. 
 
Sunday 11/12/11
What we did: We went and had a tour around Da lat, very impressive.
 
Fact 1: That Bao Dai was the last king of Vietnam.
 
Fact 2: The monastery had several places to give respect to the Buddhas.
 
Highlight: Traveling around Da lat and seeing it's highlights.
 
Places we went to on the tour of Da lat:
- Bao Dai's summer palace
- Robin hill cable car ride
- True lam meditation monastery
- Datanala waterfalls
- Hand embroidery picture gallery 
- Valley of love
- Showroom of preserved flowers
- 24m Buddha statue

 

 

 

 

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