08.25 I’ve just brought in yesterday´s laundry from the balcony. The sun is shining through a drape of clouds. It is quite simply a classic scenery. We’ve woken up in Nha Trang in southern Vietnam.

09.16 It is time for breakfast. Today we will be having pancakes with pineapple/banana and to drink it´ll be coffee/juice. Along one of the walls there is a 4-5 metres long aquarium.

Tháp Trâm Huòng

11.02 We’ve strolled down to a bench just by the beach. We’ve taken pictures of a terracotta coloured building. On the wall in front of the building one can read Tháp Trâm Huòng, that is the name of it. The building that is, not the wall. We just bought a roll of Mentos from a lady who was determined to sell something to us. She also thought that we were young compared to her. I wonder what kind of fluids it is in the 1.5 litres plastic bottles you can find standing along the road? The fluid is yellow beige in its colour.

11.27 A new bench break and the sweat is pouring. We fled from the other one to get away from a guy who sold paintings/litographies. He said ”Wanna buy painting?” I misheard and thought that he said ”Wanna buy Bentley?” There is plenty of people selling almost anything possible. It would have been so nice to be left alone. We’ve seen pigeons. Are they introduced here?

Traffic on the boulevard Trán Phú in Nha Trang.

There are lots of hotels and a nice green park near the beach in Nha Trang.

12.06 Water is pouring down the wall to my right. It is flat black rocks placed on each other along the wall and the water pours down them. We are at the restaurant Frog and Parrot. We are planning to have lunch. A small puppy just jumped on the footrest of the scooter and went away, together with the owner that is!

13.07 Different vendors approached us as we waited for the food and also during the meal. They offered us books and litographies. The different travel guidebooks they sell here are just photocopies with a nice cover, not the real thing. The food was great but all the annoying vendors bothered us. We went home to fill up with beverages and sun block. We will cool down before we head for the beach. We might even have a rest. Nothing has been done and we are still tired.

14.14 The sun that has been shining so warm today is gone. We are sitting on our towels at the beach. It is so typical. We’ve bought sun block and want to swim and it just has to be cloudy.

The beach in Nha Trang, almost as many vendors as grains of sand.

15.21 We’ve swimmed in the ocean and are sitting getting dry on our towels. I heard a voice as I was writing this. Someone wondered if I wanted to buy? I ignored it all. Last year we were offered grass. This year it is cigarettes, literature, postcards, snacks, etc.

16.28 We are back in the room. On CNN they are discussing whether cellphones are dangerous or not. I am a little frustrated due to the lack of sunshine on the beach. There are some, small, possible chances that we perhaps, might go down there tomorrow morning before we check out.

Our balcony gives us a good view of our street. We´re watching people and the things they do.

18.44 Just imagine how different things look from above. We’ve been standing on the balcony looking down on the street. How often do you get to see a bus from above to mention some of the things we´ve observed? We’ve been able to see people act and they know nothing about it.

18.59 Yesterday we were seated by an enormous table. The one today is 0,5x0,5 metres. We are at Phò Cali. We are about to try their three course meal. The restaurant is recommended in our guidebook. I hope they are right. Our beer glasses have been brought from the fridge. They are ever so frosty.

20.50 It was delicious but not much chicken meat, still enough of it to get stuck between our teeth. We’ve done an internet check after the meal. It seems that we need no photos for our e-visa to Bahrain. It is now time to cool down.

22.29 We’ve talked to Shu Ming on the phone about the upcoming days. Now we are watching a game of soccer, South Africa versus Zambia. It seems to be the semifinal of some tournament. Madagascar faces Mozambique in the other semifinal. We are watching a South African sports channel. I am getting tired.

Thursday 31st of July

07.22 Well, yet another July have passed without us waking up on Swedish soil. It is hazy outside. The journal is getting run down or is it the pens? It is no matter the reason hard to write.

08.08 We’ve been sunbathing on the balcony. We would have had some problems if we had gone down to the beach as we had planned. Our clothes and shoes would have needed a wash. The sun might also hide behind the clouds before we get there. I am currently inside but will soon head out again.

08.52 I am sitting down for the final breakfast at Golden Hotel. We will be having pancakes today as well. There are other guests by the other tables. All four tables are surrounded by people in different states of breakfasteating. Today we will be transported to our final destination for this visit to Vietnam.

10.25 We’ve just left our room. We met some of the cleaning ladies outside of our room. They thought that we were handsome and looked alike. Was it possible that we were brothers? I guess we look identical in the eyes of an Asian.

10.50 We sat down at the pizzeria ”La Bella Napoli” for an early lunch before we depart. We took the chance and browsed through the menu. They told us just as we were about to order that they hadn’t started the oven. We said thank you and good bye and left. We are now at the” Little Italy City Pizza”. Here the oven is working.

11.44 We are satisfied, pleased and back at the room. I am about to pack my travel snacks. Soon we will check out and catch a taxi to the railway station.

12.01 We are sitting in yet another lobby after yet another payment. We are waiting for yet another taxi to take us to yet another railway station.

We´re waiting for another Vietnamese train, this time in Nha Trang.

12.13 It was a short taxi trip. We levelled the debts between us. All we need to do now is to wait for the train.

12.37 Here in the waiting hall we´ve been offered some kind of ice tea from a company that did some advertising for this beverage. It was fresh, cold and kind of bitter. We’ve also bought some bread for the trip.

The tracks going to the railway station in Nha Trang is a dead end.
The train is coming in and returning in the same direction.

13.42 Our train that has started to move has just come to a stop. Now we are moving again. We are about 20 minutes late. We had problems finding our seats. The numbers are on the back of the seats and covered by a white cloth. Hurray, it is time for train TV. The man opposite to Christer has a striped white and blue shirt and matching pants. Is he a convict or is he wearing his pyjamas?

15.01 The train continues on its trip to the south. We are going through a flat landscape. There are still some hours left.

16.10 People are eating food here in the wagon. It is food they brought with themselves or bought from some ladies with a trolley. The pyjamas man is eating a corn cob, a small girl is eating fruit and her father is eating something chocolate-coloured that is wrapped in something that looks like brown bark. The guy opposite to me and next to the pyjamas man has poured Red Bull in his final drops of coffee.

The man in blue enjoying the train TV.

16.57 A gentle rain falls over the train and the ricefields. Rail-TV goes on as well. It feels boring and I am happy that we´ve got some books to read.

18.24 The rain is falling and the lightning with its flashes are crossing the sky. The dark sky is lit. The lightning just struck just outside of the train. No weather to be outside in.

19.45 There is no more lightning and no rain but ever so dark. Christer and myself are reading in our books. Most of the others are watching TV. It is time to note our passport numbers and their expiring date. We might need it as we apply for an e-visa to Bahrain later.

21.19 We have reunited with Shu Ming. We took an unregistered taxi from the railway station. We are sitting in room 401 at Dưc Vưong Hotel (http://www.ducvuonghotel.com). Shu Ming got here from Kuala Lumpur earlier today and had already checked in in our small room for three. It is time to head out for food. We’ve reached the biggest city in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon).

21.47 The three of us have sat down in the dining part of Sinh Café, a part that is called French Deli. It is time for food. I’ve been waiting for it.

23.29 It is time to begin to pull back. I am looking forward to fall asleep, sleep, rest, maybe dream?

Do you want to work as an electrician in Vietnam?

Friday 1st of August

07.53 Bang! bang! bang! echoes through the hotel and the room. Some people are nailing, hammering and carpenting somewhere. I’ve fallen asleep, slept, rested and perhaps dreamt. It is time to plan the day.

08.45 We’ve sat down to get us something to eat. We are on the ground floor. It is time for breakfast in the basement.

09.31 We are back in the room. It is time to prepare for yet another Asian major city. There are just a few of them left on this trip. The official name is Ho Chi Minh City and it is called that in the north of Vietnam. The people living here keep referring to it as Sai Gon, or Saigon as we spell it.

Peter taking a walk in the tourist street Bui Vien in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

A good place to practise your driving.

10.11 We are back at Sinh Café, at the travel agency part of the company this time. We’ve booked a tour for tomorrow in the Mekong delta. We’ve seen and met all the classic things in Vietnam, cars, motorcycles and people selling books. We are about to follow a recommended city tour. Recommended by whom? Well, the copies from a guidebook over Vietnam.

10.44 The lights are dimmed and the music as well. Behind me is the clatter of china. In front of me Christer is looking through a guide pamphlet. Shu Ming is sitting to my left writing postcards. We are at Highlands Coffee. Our beverages just got here.

Inside Ben Thanh Market.

11.35 We are in the middle of the Ben Thanh-market. We’ve bought tea and snacks. It is time to head on. The city isn't as chaotic as I had feared. The traffic is murder but under control of green and red traffic lights and the zebra crossings can be used without risking lives and limbs.

12.12 We made another stop in our walk around Saigon. We sought shelter from the rain. It is easier to cross the streets here than I thought. Could it be because we’ve learned how to act? We do like the locals. At green light we just walk straight ahead in an even pace. The vehicles pass by without any problems.

Reunification Palace, an important place in the history of Vietnam.

12.28 The rain got fed up and moved on. We are sitting on a bench in front of the Reunification Palace. The palace is famous for being the place where South Vietnam surrendered and officially handed over power on the 30th of April 1975. Earlier a stubborn to say the least, boy kept on nagging that he wanted to polish my sandals. It is sad that you almost need to get angry before they understand the message.

13.02 The rain tried to find us again and we sneaked into the restaurant Nha Toi not far from the War Remnants Museum which was the goal for our walk. It is time for lunch.

War Remnants Museum

Photos from the Vietnam War on display in the War Remnants Museum. The war is actually called the American war here.

14.07 We managed to (after some confusion) order and also eat our lunch. We are now inside the War Remnants Museum. Here you can see objects and pictures from the wars in Vietnam. There are tanks and warplanes outside of the main building. Inside are photos and exhibitions. There is also a part of the museum showing the South Vietnamese regime´s aggression on the locals, there are prison cells and a guillotine. I am currently resting on a bench and I must admit that I am sweating.

15.47 We’ve seen pictures and objects from the horrors that the wars brought with them, innocent civilians who have been victims in different ways. We also saw Swedish banderols and signs against the United State´s war in Vietnam in a part of the museum that wanted to show how the rest of the world protested against the war. As a contradiction to all this we have now seen the Catholic church Notre Dame which was built in the 19th century and now we have reached Tax, a modern mall. Shu Ming has gone to buy something to her colleague.

The cathedral Notre Dame in Saigon.

The weather is getting worse.

16.04 There is thunder, there is lightning and the rain throws itself mercifully against the ground. A single jazz trumpet can be heard quiet close and now a clarinet. We are at yet another Highlands Coffee. We will not have coffee but juice. The café is on the top floor of Tax Department Store.

17.29 Just as we were about to the leave the mall we got surprised by the amount of people around the entrances. The street was flooded. One can for sure say that the traffic is floating. The street is covered with about 10 centimetres of water. It is more of a small canal. Tremendous amounts of water have come down during this afternoon.

18.03 We are still in the Tax Department Store and the water is still outside. The question now is to how to get back home. Ok, we can call for a taxi but can it get close enough so that we don’t get soaking wet? To walk seems out of the question. This isn't the only flooded street in the city.

It has been raining today!

19.04 At first we searched for some cheap beach sandals to Shu Ming but gave it up. We leaped over some puddles before we jumped into a taxi that stopped to let someobe out just in front of us. This was a jackpot. Everyone is looking for a taxi on this flooded evening. I am hoping that the taxi will get going again. We are stuck in a queue but are safe from water from above and below. We are on the move again. Through the window we can see whole families crowded on one single motorcycle.

19.24 We realised as we came driving down our street that it had turned into a canal as well. The driver remained calm and drove on with a face of stone. I wondered how we should get out and have something to eat. I suddenly realised that there was no panic, we can always eat in the basement where we had breakfast. The taxi drove too far and Shu Ming and Christer left as it parked. They got out in the running water, with bare feet. I paid and as I was on my way out the stone face cracked and the driver started laughing. We had to wade in knee deep water to our hotel. We found out as we got there that the basement and the restaurant with it was flooded, drowned and filled with water. Will there be any breakfast tomorrow?

Our street was a river.

Indian dinner at Akbar Ali Restaurant.

20.11 We’ve gone (waded) over to the other side of the canal street. We’ve sat down at Akbar Ali Restaurant. There is a certain touch of Venice over all this.

21.37 We had Indian food for dinner. After that we splashed away and bought something to drink and chew. We are about to plan for tomorrow, among other things where we will eat breakfast. It might be in that café we went too yesterday. It is after all neighbouring the travel agency. We asked in the reception if it might be possible to have breakfast tomorrow morning. The sad man replied that there might not be breakfast ever again!

There is something wrong with the hotel restaurant.

Saturday 2nd of August

07.13 We are clean, washed and ready. It is time to head out to new events. We are going to do a tour in the delta of Mekong. We’ve been acquainted a lot with this river during the summer. It is time for another get together. I wonder what the street and basement looks like today.

07.37 We are back at Sinh Café French Deli. Sure, our home street was drier and it seemed as our breakfast room was up and running. But it is from here that our trip origins.

08.30 A man is walking through the bus gathering the tickets. Outside of the bus the vendors are swarming. Who wants to buy a watch as he is going to the Mekong delta? Another man demonstrated a soap bubble pistol and soap bubbles floated around as we boarded the bus.

08.48 Our guide, Son, has told us the number of the bus, 4773. He has also given short information about the rules for today. We shall walk with care, mind our heads, don´t move too much in the boat, keep limbs on the inside of the boat and something else. Now the information is being given in Vietnamese.

09.36 It is time for a 10 minutes break. The break is for the ones who wish to stretch their legs and let out body fluids.

A map of the area we´re travelling through today.

10.36 The break is over and we’ve reached our first goal. We’ve travelled south and are at Ben Tre Tourist Office just close to My Tho. Soon we will go by boat out on good old brown Mekong. I wonder if I shall buy a rain coat or not.

11.02 We are once again going by boat on a river. We are once again looking at Mekong. We are on our way to the first stop of this day tour. We’ve bought a raincoat each. We will see if we are going to use them. They are the single use kind of raincoats.

Fishing boats near My Tho.

Fisherman and his wife in a boat.

Car ferry on the Mekong.

11.22 We´re passing some houses/huts which are floating in the river. People live in these kinds of buildings. Due to the heavy rain yesterday it is extremely high water in the river. Pieces of bushes and trees are floating in the brown water.

11.44 We are about to make our first stop on one of the many islands here in the Mekong delta, Phoenix Island.

11.53 We’ve walked over a wooden bridge that turned old many years ago. We’ve walked through the jungle and reached a small house where they´re making rice paper and rice crispies.

Rice crispies being made.

12.02 We’ve made a new stop by another hut and more handicrafts. This time it is objects made from the coconut tree and the coconuts. The air is filled with moist today.

12.29 A tasteful lunch is finished. The price of the lunch is included in the tour price. We had vegetable soup, grilled pork and now we will have longan. It is a common fruit here in Asia; it has a beige colour and reminds us of lychee and rambutan.

12.57 We’ve washed our hands and faces and taken pictures of some of the fruits that grow here, among them dragonfruit. It is time to travel on. The cloud cover has gone away and the sun rests on thin, soft clouds.

13.12 The journey carries on down the chocolate-brown river. Shu Ming is having a conversation with a nice couple from Hong Kong. New adventures await us around the next bend.

We met a similar boat on our canal trip.

The locals entertained us with some music. The men playing are fishermen, not professional musicians.

13.52 It is time for afternoon tea with honey and lemon. We will have fresh fruit to eat; banana, dragonfruit, rambutan, longan and pineapple. We are also being offered some song and music. Christer pulled back as the music began. It wasn't due to the music but to a bee. Maybe it was the same bee that later ended up in his tea cup. Was it about to get back the honey? Bee in tea, maybe something new? Come and try bee tea! The reason to the rich amount of bees here are the hives. They produce a huge amount of honey here.

14.24 We are going by horse and carriage. It is yet another spectacular part of this tour. My handwriting is back to worse. Someone is crying in a house and the small horse keeps walking. We are on a small village road.

Peter and Shu Ming trying nice hats during the horse carriage ride.

Peter is meeting a python. The Hong Kong tourists are taking photos. The koreans look scared.

14.38 It is time for a new stop. There are some cuddly animals here. I just had a python across my shoulders. The snake lived in a cage and curious tourists are welcome to get to know it.

14.57 We rock and are being paddled in a linear boat. All we need to do is to sit calm and avoid falling in the water. We are in one of the many small rivers ending up in Mekong. We are in the last of all the boats that brings the tourist group down the river. A woman and her son row the boat gently down the stream.

The boy is getting tired, but how can we help him without falling into the river?

15.13 We are back on the big boat and the big river. The journey home has begun. It has been an amazing day with a lot of experiences to a low cost.

15.34 We’ve made a last stop by a candy factory. They offer and sell coconut candy and local wine. There was a snake in one of the bottles. I just had to try it. I must say that I had worse. It was quite alright.

16.14 The journey home has for sure begun. All that remains is a two hours bus ride.

Three tourists visiting the Mekong delta.

18.36 We are back in Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon) again. We had to cross between puddles and rain to get back to our hotel. Now we are going to find out where we will have our dinner. My parents have put some money on my bank account. They want to buy us dinner.

19.47 I had a shower. We ran out of water just as Shu Ming was done. It is back now but filled with air. The water is being sprayed/spitted out. We’ve decided to go to Grill 69. The information we’ve got about them says that they offer exotic meat.

20.05 I don’t know if Grill 69 ceased to exist, expired or gone to meet its maker. After all we´re sitting down at Milwaukee Grill & Café, probably the same place but with a new name and owner.

22.52 They offered huge portions and really delicious food. I used the internet to send my e-visa application to Bahrain as we got back to the hotel. Christer didn’t have the same luck. Suddenly nothing worked no matter how he tried. It is time to do some packing for tomorrow now.