Stage Two - Darwin to Ho Chi Minh City

So after a few days in Darwin, driving around to zoos, parks and other natural history attractions we packed up and boarded our Jetstar flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  An uneventful flight, interspersed with games of Angry Birds, reading novels and updating our knowledge of HCMC with the Lonely Planet guide.  But, nothing we had read could prepare us for the cacophony of noise - scooter horns, taxis and buses just pulsating through the night-and that was just the airport concourse!!!   Luckily we had arranged a driver and car to collect us from the hotel we had booked.  We had made all our travel arrangements through the net.  Jeststar was our chosen flight provider and Agoda.com was the site we used for accommodation.  We had narrowed the hotel chase to three hotels after many months research, and had decided on the Blue Diamond Hotel about a two minute walk from Ben Thahn markets.  And what a good choice it was.  The driver was there waiting and had a placard with our names on it.  Customs and immigration was a snap, and we were soon through the glass doors and shaking hands with our driver.  If we had not organised a driver there was no shortage of cabs (Use Vinasun - their drivers are polite and the meters run properly!).  Bags put in the boot and off we went into the HCMC night.

Did I mention the cacophony of noise at the airport?  Multiply it by a squillion and you'll get the idea.  There is a feeling of a full frontal assault of all your senses as you enter traffic in Vietnam's cities.  Motor scooters, taxis, a handful of private cars, buses and small trucks all jostle for road position and instead of using indicators they use the horn.  Honks, beeps, squeaks and deafening air horns add together with the constant buzz of small engined scooters and the throb of diesel engines resulting in a sense of confusion in the weary traveller!  We did however, adjust relatively quickly and managed to enjoy the ride through traffic the likes of which we had never seen!  The trip to the hotel was about half an hour and I must say, we marveled at the judgment ALL the drivers and riders made, passing within centimetres of each other and it reminded me of diving through large schools of baitfish the way the traffic seemed so fluid and even graceful as they wove and gaps opened and closed and cars and scooters all managed to go where they wanted.

We finally pulled in at the Blue Diamond Hotel and before we could even think of opening the door, two bellboys came and retrieved our bags opened our doors and welcomed us to Vietnam and the Blue Diamond.  They escorted us to the reception area and the concierge asked for our passports for registration and showed us some very comfortable lounge chairs to rest in while the formalities were completed.  While we waited, other reception staff brought us a lovely cold juice and a warm face washer to wipe the grime of the traffic from our faces - by this time it was about 10pm HCMC time and we were a tad weary, but the face wash and juice revived us!  We were later to realise that pretty much all the better hotels offer these little services and they are most welcome!  A very pretty young lady called Daisy showed us to our room and explained the operation of various bits and bobs and handed us our room key.  We grabbed the camera and basically followed her back to the lift and were off on our first jaunt through the city at night.  She had told us the night markets and food stalls were in full swing beside the Ben Thanh markets so we braved the traffic, crossed our first Vietnam street and walked about two minutes to the bight lights and buzz of the markets.  WOW!!!  Intense!  Stalls everywhere, belts, tshirts, lacquerware, watches, junk, carvings, perfumes - and soooo cheap.  We just wandered around looking!  We had a whole week to go back and barter, so were content to absorb some of the atmosphere before heading back across the still teeming streets to the Blue Diamond and a restful nights sleep.