welcome to ho chi minh city, vietnam!!!

yes, we made it. the flight was good even though we woke up 45 minutes late. the alarm clock has an issue....sometimes it works, sometimes it just does not go off?!?! anyway, we made it in plenty of time with no problems.



here are some of our first thoughts/impressions when entering vietnam---

• it's hot....i mean REAL hot!


• the people are quiet, not smiley like in thailand, but helpful when you ask (sometimes too helpful)


• lots of honking horns---buses, taxis, scooters, you name it---they use it!


• many taxi drivers asking, "where you go?"


• we sat on the bus waiting for it to leave and were sweating like mad


• "vietnam is more like thailand than seoul or manila, but different"--paul


• lots of scooters--everywhere!!!


• the bus driver sat smoking in his seat while he waited to leave. he had his feet propped up on the steering wheel near a sign that said, "no smoking." too funny.


• many people wear flip flops even in a uniform


• many ladies at the airport were wearing the traditional Vietnamese dress which i don't know how to spell


• people on scooters cover their faces with scarves and face masks....they even wear gloves.....protection from the dirt, i guess.


• the traffic here is nuts---have no idea how it even works....our bus would honk at the intersection and then go right through and the oncoming traffic would yield?!?!?!


• crossing the street is what you imagine if you were playing real life frogger......crazy!!!