Goodbye Vietnam

However this is from KL as all the computers at HCM airport were out of action I was so disappointed!


Anyway I had a pretty awful last 12 hours in Vietnam which was a real shame as on the whole it is such a great country. I left Marie at the hotel in Hoi An into my taxi which was late because the reception girl had forgotten to book it. We got to the airport in time and an hour or so flight delivered me back to HCM. I had arranged a single room at the hotel we had stayed at previously so needed to get to the backpackers part of town, which as always seems to be a fair way. I had arranged for the Cyclo man to meet me at the bus station and carry my bag from there. I arrived outside the airport to be told the shuttle bus finishes at 18.00, I couldn't believe it, all the people that had been involved in my returning at that time and no-one had mentioned the bus not running in the evening! So my only option was a taxi. I asked a few western looking people if they were interested in sharing but no-one needed one. So I got a quote of 250,000 VND and stepped in. As we approached the city it was clear he actually had no idea where the hotel eas and asked several times to see the business card which he viewed with the light from his mobile phone! Finally we got to the end of the road and he asked for the money (actually just turned round and said 'money') I gave him 250000 and tried to open the door to get out and found the handle was missing I couldn't get out! Then he said he had to pay the ticket and I should pay that, thrusting the toll ticket towards me. I argued that all taxis have to pay that and he had quoted me 250000 not 250000 plus toll. We went round and round for 5 mins or so until he eventually realised I was not going to pay and walked round the car to let me out. Phew.........



I then walked into the hotel, much to their relief as I guess they had no way of knowing if I would turn up or not. I told them about my taxi experience and they all groaned that I had paid far too much and the driver had been unfair.They showed me to the room, it was on the second floor a small room with two single beds. I went downstairs to ask the rate to be told it was 12 USD. Well that was the price we had paid for the very large room on the 3rd floor with two large double beds, this price is per room per night. I said I was not happy as I had asked for a single room and this was clearly a lesser room than the previous one, they had not told me they did not have any single rooms or that all the rooms were the same price, besides I did not believe her. Anyway she clearly said take it or leave it, I told her I had no option, I had come there in a taxi at that ridiculous price as I needed to fulfill my promise to take the room and now she was also stitching me up. I had a meal although was so short of currency that I had to choose carefully and went to bed. All through the night a pipe which appeared in the ceiling in the corner of the bathroom and went down the wall onto the floor, was flushing water, god knows quite where the water came from, in the end I got up and placed the end of the pipe in the bin! This morning I mentioned the pipe she was "shocked" as she had no idea what it was, yeah right of course .She would not reduce the price I told her she will regret it as I would have recommended and also returned myself but now I will be putting a report on both Trip advisor and Lonely Planet, she said be quiet and get out! I couldbn't believe it. So that ended my time in HCM unfortunately on a bad note, however the walk to the bus station and shuttle bus to the airport was fine.

So now in KL and now for another saga! I don't seem to be doing so well now do I? I arrived at the airport and so wanted to visit the city centre as Terri used to fly here regularly and loved it. I searched around for directions or information on getting to the city but to no avail, these countries do not apease their visitors as we do. Eventually I found an unmaned information desk with a policeman standing there who fortunately spoke very good English. He said I had three choices taxi, train or bus. The bus was cheapest of course but also I wanted to see the sights on the way so took this option. It was not an easy route to the bus up one floor down in a lift move to the nextdoor building etc. however I got there and used the ATM on the way as I had no local currency. They tried to sell me a ticket to go somewhere completely different and it was only when I said about the return trip to the airport and they said I needed a taxi to.......that I was then directed to the correct ticket booth which was the same size as our ticket booths and yet manned by two people, one to talk and take the money the other to tear the ticket from the pad! Anyway I got here after an hour on the bus. The journey was interesting they have so many new buildings, palm trees but not banana or coconut just ornamental, new roads being built, green trees as in England and few bikes or bicycles, many cars, the buses are very posh, clean and luxurious. They have several huge housing estates all fairly new. They clearly have a lot of money to spend. On arrival I find I actually am not in the centre of the city but at KL central, there is very little here, I found an area they call little India, you can guess why, that was in fact very run down and clearly due to be demolished soon as it is surrounded by construction. So I have eaten Burger King as I didn't want indian from a street stall and I am now in the Malaysia Airlines office using their computer befroe returning to the airport.



So this is the last leg of my journey and the last post...........until the next time. I do hope you have enjoyed reading about my brilliant experiences and my learning curves, hopefully a little of the euphoria has been shared with you.

XX