I called MilcahG to sort out last-minute travel details.
Actually, they shouldn’t be called last-minute because we barely did any.
By right should be called only-minute planning.
:p
The USD has dropped so her friend’s advised us to change currency in Malaysia.
“I just changed just now, i’m a millionare!” she laughed over the phone.
“Oi oi oi be careful ar! Where’re you going to keep it?” I thought of IceCalvin’s way of dividing sum into half and storing some in a sock.
“It’s like nothing okay!”
I already have images in my head of the woman flinging dong around the country. -_-
After blahing about cost and where to stay, MilcahG said, “Eh, can we just go there and hack it??”
“Can. But i thought you wanted to plan a bit, so that’s why i went to research!”
“Screw it la. As long as i know the currency and weather on what clothes to bring, can already!”
Then tiba-tiba in the conversation later on,
“Hey remember ar, beer costs only 50 cents!”
“…Wait i thought you said you couldn’t be bothered to research about anything, but you researched about that?!”
“Of course. So i know we won’t get cheated!”
“… -_-…”
So i’m flying off tomorrow afternoon with a robust Singaporean hairstylist (and probably the most outspoken one you’d find in KL at that!), i must admit i feel awfully safe with her, we’re taking the train from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, probably stopping on the way (to stay in Ha Long Bai, i’m totally guessing the spelling btw), partying in the city and staying with her friend Tommy, who apparently hosts Vietnam Idol. I had no idea they had V.I. but as long as he can speak English, boleh jalan la!
Any suggestions for us two who are hacking it -_- please please comment/email what we shouldn’t miss out on in Hanoi ๐ Muchos gracias.
hey babe, you going to Hanoi?
you have to do HaLong Bay.
do a overnight stay, grab a few bottles of beer and your ipod and go to the sundeck at night.. to gaze at the stars.. its gorgeous!
Haven’t been to Hanoi babe, but I have been to Ho Chi Minh. Ben Than market there for your shopping and pack rat tendencies and the lovely, lovely food and Viet coffee from everywhere. Apocalypse was a happening club, don’t know if it still is
Hi..
When you work with BAT, they give you stuff like car and PDA right. What do you have to do and how to apply? Is Dik the boss there?
hey joyce, a must buy in vietnam would be the oh-so-cute silk bags… they come in all shapes and sizes, when i went there last yr i bought a million to give as christmas pressies! i think theyre quite up yr street:)
Temple of Literature
HCM’s old house
Little Hanoi restaurant (at old Quarter)
Hoan Kiem Lake
Cathedral after the lake (can’t quite remember the name of it!)
Water puppets show
HCM’s Mausoleum and its surroundings
Pagoda along the huge lake not too far from the Mausoleum..
Good luck!
vanessa: thanks for the tip!
paulynn: wow thanks for listing those down, went to the church today ๐ urm well, outside at any rate!
You’re welcome ๐ I went there in August and absolutely loved and hated it. Hated it because there was this unbearable stench around Old Quarter where it made me felt nauseous 24/7, not to mention the mad traffic (i’ve learnt the art of crossing the roads though!)! I loved it because there’s so much to do and see and buy!
Funnily enough (since i know you used to contribute to EXL), I’m interning with EXL and when i wrote to Matt (the editor) when I was in Hanoi, the title of my e-mail was : Honkin’ Hanoi!
Have fun in HCMC
paulynn: i couldn’t smell anything (maybe cos my nose was congested most of the time!) but i don’t see much to buy…
ohhh you interned at EXL ๐ cool
you’re lucky! Well i’m surprised you said that because I had to stop myself from buying (esp. when i’m not a shopping person). It also depends on where you were as we stayed right in the heart of Old Quarter where there were MANY shops selling LOTS of stuffs.
I’m still with EXL, only working from home as it’s easier for me to juggle between classes ๐ How is HCMC?