Ho Chi Minh City

Day 41/42: End of the Road

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Our last morning in Ho Chi Minh City, looking out at the calm of the early morning from our hotel room in Bến Thành District.

The final day of our trip began at dawn, before the rest of Saigon started its day. From our hotel room balcony, we watched as buses and motorbikes began to filter through the typically-frantic roundabout connecting the city’s lively districts.

The first stop on the long road home was a three-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur. We found an Indian restaurant in the food court. The nearby juice bar had a 3-in-1 option that called our name after 40 days of travel eats.
The first stop on the long road home was a three-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur. We found an Indian restaurant in the food court. The nearby juice bar had a 3-in-1 option that called our name after 40 days of travel eats.
We arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on a mission to catch the last train home. In a karmic kick in the pants, our luggage came out five minutes before the train departed. We spent one last night in a hotel, staying at the airport itself.
We arrived at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on a mission to catch the last train home. In a karmic kick in the pants, our luggage came out five minutes before the train departed. We spent one last night in a hotel, staying at the airport itself.
By the afternoon of Day 42, we were finally on our way home. The "stop" button on the bus called out to me... we were finally stopping.
By the afternoon of Day 42, we were finally on our way home. The “stop” button on the bus called out to me… we were finally stopping.
The end of another adventure... and where we've already started planning the next one!
The end of another adventure… and where we’ve already started planning the next one!

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Day 40: Ho Chi Minh City

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Ho Chi Minh Statue at Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee

We spent our last day in Ho Chi Minh City doing a makeshift walking tour, including the Ho Chi Minh statue in front of the People’s Committee building. Built in 1909, it was modeled after the City Hall building in Paris. It’s still a working government building today.

One of many couples taking wedding photos in front of the iconic Saigon Central Post Office. It was built by the French in the late 1800s and is still an active post office in addition to being a popular tourist site. Architect Gustave Eiffel, famous for Paris tower that bears his name, was among those who designed the building.
One of many couples taking wedding photos in front of the iconic Saigon Central Post Office. It was built by the French in the late 1800s and is still an active post office in addition to being a popular tourist site. Architect Gustave Eiffel, famous for Paris tower that bears his name, was among those who designed the building.
The epic Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica is directly across the street from the post office, offering a two-for-one sightseeing experience. The church itself was completed in 1880, but the current Our Lady of Peace statue was installed in 1959. In 2005, the statue was in the news when it was reported to have shed tears, although the local clergy weren't able to verify the event.
The epic Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica is directly across the street from the post office, offering a two-for-one sightseeing experience. The church itself was completed in 1880, but the current Our Lady of Peace statue was installed in 1959. In 2005, the statue was in the news when it was reported to have shed tears, although the local clergy weren’t able to verify the event.
Finding breakfast on the streets of Vietnam is simple. Step 1: Find a banh mi stand. The bread is always fresh in the morning and there's nothing like a deep-fried egg to get your day started.
Finding breakfast on the streets of Vietnam is simple. Step 1: Find a banh mi stand. The bread is always fresh in the morning and there’s nothing like a deep-fried egg to get your day started.
Step 2: Find yourself a ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) vendor. This lady might have made the best one we had on the entire trip despite a very makeshift operation on the sidewalk.
Step 2: Find yourself a ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) vendor. This lady might have made the best one we had on the entire trip despite a very makeshift operation on the sidewalk.
Students in HCMC outside their school on a Saturday. The school week is six days long, but there was extra activity as they celebrated the beginning of a new school year with loud music, loud speeches and general loudness.
Students in HCMC outside their school on a Saturday. The school week is six days long, but there was extra activity as they celebrated the beginning of a new school year with loud music, loud speeches and general loudness.

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Day 39: Mekong Delta

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A motorbike ride through narrow trails on a tour of the Mekong Delta

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) around 3:30 a.m. on the overnight train from Nha Trang. To avoid the temptation of napping in our hotel room all day—oh, and to see one of the world’s most diverse biological sites—we booked a day tour to the Mekong Delta along with two other people from our main tour group.

Rich with life of all kinds, more than 10,000 species have been discovered in the Delta including the Laotian rock rat, once thought to be extinct. It’s also under great risk due to climate change. Some estimates suggest two of its provinces could be completely flooded in the next 15 years due to rising sea levels.

On Turtle Island, we rode from a coconut candy-making kitchen to lunch on a motorcycle with a seating box in the back. The four of us decided to put on the provided helmets more for fun than safety (mine had a drawing of a teddy bear with the words “bears” and “hapry dreams” on it. Yes. “Hapry.”). However, the helmets proved handy as we dodged low-hanging palm leaves. I even had a bundle of bananas bounce off my helmet!

The Mekong River passes through five other countries (China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia) before reaching Vietnam. At the Delta, all of the silt and sediment collects, making the river appear the color of chocolate milk.
The Mekong River passes through five other countries (China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia) before reaching Vietnam. At the Delta, all of the silt and sediment collects, making the river appear the color of chocolate milk.
A boat full of bamboo fish traps parked along the shore of a creek. Nearly 60 percent of Vietnam's fishing output and a quarter of its agricultural land is located in the Mekong Delta.
A boat full of bamboo fish traps parked along the shore of a creek. Nearly 60 percent of Vietnam’s fishing output and a quarter of its agricultural land is located in the Mekong Delta.
Part of our tour included a boat trip on a stream leading back to the river. The woman paddling the boat was clearly working hard, each stroke accompanied with grunts that grew louder as the trip went on. She earned an extra tip when the four of us leaned left to take a photo, swinging the boat hard to the right toward the muddy bank. Oops!
Part of our tour included a boat trip on a stream leading back to the river. The woman paddling the boat was clearly working hard, each stroke accompanied with grunts that grew louder as the trip went on. She earned an extra tip when the four of us leaned left to take a photo, swinging the boat hard to the right toward the muddy bank. Oops!
Traditional river boats parked at shore have eyes painted on the hulls. The stories say the eyes are meant to scare off river monsters while also helping guide sailors back to land on their many journeys.
Traditional river boats parked at shore have eyes painted on the hulls. The stories say the eyes are meant to scare off river monsters while also helping guide sailors back to land on their many journeys.
The traditional conical hats are available for sale all over Vietnam. On a particular sunny day, it seemed like a good investment. It would also be donned by our guide in a demonstration of the carrying pole during the tour.
The traditional conical hats are available for sale all over Vietnam. On a particular sunny day, it seemed like a good investment. It would also be donned by our guide in a demonstration of the carrying pole during the tour.

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