Good Morning, Vietnam... Round Two

As you read in my earlier posts, I was on a mission to scuba dive.  Borneo was out of the question, so Vietnam is was!  On my last trip to Vietnam I was only in the north, Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa, so this trip would be new and exciting.  My plan was to fly into Ho Chi Minh City, travel to Nha Trang, and possibly further north to Hoi An.  I found a place to stay online before I left, wrote down the address, and boarded the bus.  With only a two week trip ahead of me, I opted to only take my small backpack as a carry on.  I only say this because I continue to impress myself with my efficient packing skills.

I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City at around nine in the morning, got in a cab, and headed for the guesthouse.  When I arrived, the guesthouse was full.  I know that this is what I deserve for not booking ahead, but after a few sub par guesthouses, I like to see the place before I commit to staying there.  Luckily, the owner of the guesthouse had an aunt who owned a guesthouse right around the corner.  She walked me over there, but not before telling me to be careful with my purse.  She told me statistics of how many tourists have their bags stolen every day, and how people on motorbikes drive by with scissors to cut the bag off your arm.  She didn’t want me to carry a bag, or anything of importance or worth.  Ummm... okay.  Welcome, to Ho Chi Minh City, Meaghan!

I checked into the new guesthouse.  The sheets were clean, the bathroom was clean, there was hot water in the shower, a window in the room, and I was completely content.  I took a nap and a shower before finally mustering up the courage to explore the city.  Every new city is a bit intimidating.  There is so much going on, so much to see, and so many things that could go wrong.  After being told not to carry a bag, or anything at all, I was more nervous than I usually am.  

I didn’t carry much on me, but I was alone, I had to carry some things!  I had a few thousand dong (that’s not very much money) and my camera, and I just started to walk.  My first stop was the market.  But, I was so concerned that someone would pick pocket me, or cut my purse from my shoulder, that I couldn’t enjoy it.  I walked around, saw some of the sights and did quite a bit of people watching.

In the end, I only spent about two days in Ho Chi Minh City.  I didn’t love it.  I don’t know if I was too nervous and worried to enjoy it, or if I wasn’t a fan of how crowded and busy it was, or if it was a combination of the two.  I ate some delicious food, met some very interesting students in the park and took a handful of photos, but I was very excited to get on the train to Nha Trang.