My flight to VN with a stop in Istanbul (Turkey) and a short stop at Bangkok (Thailand) was scheduled for 6 pm.

Boarding – check !

Luckily everything went smoothly even though I had quite heavy cabin luggage with me.

Flying with Turkish Airlines ^^

Kebab – Meal on Board of Turkish Airlines

20:20 I’m about to land in Istanbul. Having a nice view down on Turkey by night. The moon above Istanbul shimmers in orange.

Istanbul by Night ♥

20:40 Got out of the plane and entered the shuttle bus to get into the airport building because we were dropped out right on the airfield. The air is warmer than in Germany but still colder than it is usually in Vietnam…

‘Welcome to Istanbul’

21:00 Waiting for the flight to Saigon (HCMC). The plane will take off at 00:44. Went to the Duty Free Shop which is located next to the Food Court. Even though the stores and shops are all crowded next to each other, there’s no sight of the gates for transfer flight passengers and the gate numbers aren’t displayed yet…

Duty Free Shop

Duty Free Shop

Everybody loves Duty Free

Hermès at Istanbul Airport

21:45 I sat next to a girl who was also travelling alone and we talked a bit. Suddenly, a disgusting old man who seems to be drunk sat down next to us and started to molest all the people around him. He even started hitting on us, repeating ‘I like it, I like it. Take two easy. F***’ etc. and mixed up some kind of languages I couldn’t understand in a manner which can be seen as sexual harassment so I finally decided to leave before it would get worse.

Bvlgari at Istanbul Airport

22:07 Finally found the gates. Good to know that ‘Kapı’ means gate… it wasn’t displayed in English when I first passed that passage behind the Duty Free Shop…

22:45 It’s really hard and nearly impossible to understand the man from the loudspeaker announcement because he has a real thick Turkish accent and on top of that he’s speaking way too fast…He speaks English faster than I would speak German if I were in a hurry. Even the British people who took the same flight with me were obviously confused…

Gate 212 @ I.A.

23:15 Sitting in the airplane and waiting for the boarding to be ready. The Check-In and boarding began unexpectedly early.

Goodbye Istanbul ~ Now heading towards Bangkok !

23:40 Safety regulations video on board starring some members of Manchester United was quite amusing and not boring as usual.

Midnight Meal on Board

07:00 Breakfast on board. The orange juice is extremely sweet even after I added my spring water pack to it… Juice is always much sweeter in Southern countries.

Breakfast on Board

1 hour Stopover in Bangkok (Thailand).

Bangkok !

Turkish Airlines

17:12 After 18 hours of travel and 15 hours flight, I finally arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Saigon, Vietnam, Landing took quite a while so that I arrived late. After that I had to line up for the  Passport Check and then I waited another 20-30 minutes for my luggage…

High to the sky \(^o^)/

Landing at Tan Son Nhat Airport

Tan Son Nhat Airport

17:30 HCMC here I go ! ♥

Welcome to Ho-Chi-Minh-City ! ♥

Shortly after I arrived at Ong Noi’s (paternal grandpa) to drop off my luggage I went with my family to Di 3 (maternal aunt) who had already prepared HotPot for me and Di Ut (youngest maternal aunt) ♥ Even Cau 4 (maternal uncle) came by so that we had a nice big family dinner HotPot tastes best in a big group but unfortunately I didn’t take any photos :/

Late back at Ong Noi’s, Co 3 (paternal aunt) brought me crackers from her trip to Korea yummy ♥

Korean Dongwoo Green Nut Crackers ♥

Let the journey begin ! ♥

L.dT

“…in Rome, do what the Romans do.”

It was past 12 midnight. Our flight was just about the last flight landing for the night. The atmosphere was relatively quiet. The last thing everyone wanted to do was to get their luggage and go out the gate to meet their families, relatives, love ones, etc. This would be the most exciting part before crashing due to jet lag and exhaustion. The only thing left standing in the way is getting your luggage through the machine for the final check.

Pause.

If you ever travel to a foreign country to visit friends and family, don’t let them know! Yes, just show up. You know why? Because you would have to buy gifts and presents and be responsible to buy expensive items as requested of you.

Basically, I had one laptop that I was using while bringing two netbooks, brand new in the box, inside my luggage. Immediately, I knew it was hard to get them through without any struggle. I remember from all the stories of travelers going back to Vietnam, never let the bag boy help you with your stuff unless you’re willing to tip an outrageous amount of money (usually 5-10 dollars). Just take care of your own luggage. If you want any process to go faster (getting through customs, going through the gate), just forget about 5 to 10 dollars in your passport.

So, as an American, I try to do the right thing. I pushed my luggage through with a stern look hoping to not have to pay any tea money (bribe). Of course, my luggage was taken to the side. One lady went by to the agent taking care of me. She whispered something to her, and then the agent lady proceeds to ask my questions. Basically, let me see your passport. This is a cue for you to put in some money; they’re not really interested in your passport. Seeing how it is almost 1 in the morning, I gave up into my temptation, and put a 5 dollar bill in my passport and gave it to her. You can tell that she’s experienced. She flipped the pages in my passport, and found the bill. She took it and slipped it in her drawer without even making eye contact to confirm with me. Basically, we both know was sup. So without further wasting her time with me, she let me through. It was as simple as that. No more hassle, no more questions, not even a look. I’m done. Got my luggage and out to the gate I go.

I have not been to many airports in Asia, but Tan Son Nhat airport has always been a zoo every time you walk out the gate. Many petty crimes also occur here. It gets crowded so people push up against you and steal your wallets and belonging. These petty crimes also happen everywhere in the city where it is crowded. I also personally witness such a crime happening right in front of me during Chinese New Year but that’s another story. My duty for that moment when I get out of the gate is to locate my relative. Boom! Found her. She was alone. I guess that’s all the people that were excited to see me. But it’s past midnight so no complaints. I’m glad someone came out at all.

We hugged, and we start walking. Walking really far. Far away from the airport into the parking lot. Why? I’ll tell you. Most taxi scams are the ones in the airport. And most scams happen at midnight when you’re really tired, and you’re new to the country, and you’re new to the currency you have just exchanged. You probably don’t even know the difference between 20,000 dong compare to a 100,000 dong. If the taxi driver gave you a fake bill, you would be clueless as to what is fake and what is real. The taxi driver could use the timing to confuse and take advantage of you like dropping you at a different location (hotel), so that they get commission, and it is late at night so you won’t have too many chances to fight back. So why do you go out all the way to the parking lot? So you can get to the domestic side where the taxi drivers are less likely to scam you. Another trick I learn recently is to go up one floor to the departure and catch a taxi as they drop off passengers.

By the way, if you guys ever travel, make sure to do your homework. Know how much from destination A to destination B. Know what the local currency looks like. Know which taxi company to take. If you have a friend, call to make sure they know you’re coming. Arrange for a place to stay. Use trip advisors to look at reviews. And always stick to the plan. Do not deviate unless you absolutely have to in an unknown environment. Just take extra precautions when you travel. Not everyone is a crook, but all that it takes is just one crook to mess up your whole entire traveling plan.

Home sweet home. Made it and too exhausted to care for anything else besides sleep.

To be continue…

Btw, jauh sebelum saya tiba di Saigon, saya sudah melakukan reservasi kamar selama saya berlibur ke Saigon.

Untuk penginapan di Saigon Mini Hotel 5, reservasi saya untuk 1 kamar Superior, seharga US$ 28 per malam, sudah termasuk makan pagi.
Perjalanan saya selama 3 malam, terhitung 28-31 Januari 2012, total keseluruhan US$ 84.

Well, Hotel-nya ngga besar, justru mirip Ruko. (Katanya sih, karna dulu jaman Komunis warga Vietnam tidak bisa membeli tanah yang luas… Dilarang mungkin ya!?).

Superior Room 202, di lantai 2. Ngga terlalu sulit untuk dijangkau. Bisa pake lift, bisa juga lewat tangga.

Setelah proses check-in, saya langsung menuju kamar… Oh iya, paspor kita di tahan pihak Hotel loh. Alasannya, menurut pihak hotel, dikhawatirkan ada pickpocket.
Cuma kayaknya itu akal-akalan mereka aja, biar jadi jaminan bahwa setelah kita menginap, kita ngga akan kabur gitu aja.
Karena menurut pengalaman mereka sebelumnya pernah ada turis yang menginap, setelah itu kaburrrrr… XD

Oleh karena itu sebaiknya kita sebagai turis punya cadangan paspor (fotocopy) supaya aman aja…. Tapi ya! Selama saya di Saigon gak ada tuh pemeriksaan/sweeping turis…

Setelah proses check-in, saya langsung ke kamar, istirahat sebentar trus mandi, trus keluar Hotel lagi, maksudnya mau memahami “medan” aja.
Sebelum keluar Hotel, pihak Hotel akan berikan Peta dan Kartu Nama Hotel.
Mungkin untuk jaga-jaga aja, kali aja nyasaaarr.

Sewaktu saya keluar jalan-jalan, saya hanya cari makan aja sekaligus liat area tempat saya menginap.

For Your Info, District 1 itu terbagi 3 lokasi : De Tham Street, Bui Vien Street dan Pham Ngu Lao Street. 3 lokasi ini memang terkenal sebagai lokasi Backpecker. Semua bule tumpah ruah di lokasi-lokasi ini.

Beberapa kali saya kenalan dengan bule dari Canada, UK, Perancis, dari Malaysia juga ada….Malah dikira orang Saigon, saya ini orang Malaysia. (Di bagian 1 sudah saya sebutkan, untuk saat ini Vietnam belum jadi destinasi buat sebagian orang Indonesia, sementara justru kebalikan dengan orang Malaysia… Jarak tempuh Kualalumpur-Saigon cuma 1.5 jam, sementara Jakarta-Saigon sekitar 3 jam…)

Situasi De Tham Street dan Bui Vien Street hampir mirip dengan Jalan Sabang di Jakarta, 24 jam hidup terus. Sementara Pham Ngu Lao agak sepi….Buat kalian yang suka sepi, pilihan menginap di Hotel sekitar Pham Ngu Lao Street bisa jadi pilihan

Selesai membaca “medan” Bui Vien, De Tham dan Pham Ngu Lao, dan setelah selesai mengisi perut dengan semangkuk Pho Bo Noodle, saya kembali ke hotel untuk istirahat.
Sebelum tidur, saya sempat chek ke Staff Hotel, apakah mereka sediakan Tour? Mereka memberikan beberapa pilihan Tour dan untuk besok pagi (Minggu 29 Januari 2012) saya pilih Chu Chi Tunnels Tour dan Cao Dai Temple Tour seharga US$ 8.

— bersambung ke Bagian 4 yaaaa —

Some weird situations which happened to me on the way to VN :

I. 18:05, Bremen, Germany

Woman: *hit me with her luggage accidentally* Oh, I’m so sorry !
Me : Don’t worry. No Problem ^^
Woman : Gehen Sie ruhig durch ! ^^
Me : …öhm.. danke ? ö.ö

She could have just speak German right away but whatever xD

II. 18:35, Bremen, Germany

*indefinable noise and a loud crash*

Pilot: Ladies and gentlemen, the present turbulences may occur more often during this flight [...].

It just sounded like the airplane was going to hit the ground though we were already in the air…

Bangkok Airport

Later, we both met many other Vietnamese on board who neither could speak German nor English.
We decided to take them with us because at least I was able to speak German (and English) so that I could ask for the way.
In Bangkok it’s always very difficult to find your gate because the airport is not just big but also confusing with the stairs and doors (!) which leads to another part of the airport.
We nearly got lost if we hadn’t ask.
When we were still sitting on the plane there was an old couple who seemed not to know what to do and where to go on the airport and then decided to just stay on the plane.
When we were down at the airport we feel worried about the ols woman and man so we looked for them on our way.
When we finally found the gate we saw them already sitting in the VIP block because they had travel guides xDD
However, we went over to them just to check out if everything was okay because the old woman was somehow worried.
It turned out that she was looking for her husband but she couldn’t notify that to the guides so I helped her with translating everything into English.
I really had to translate a lot on this flight because all the Vietnamese there weren’t able to understand English but at least I was happy that I could help them and on top of that, luckily I was so used to English with Asian accent so that I could understand the board/airport personal without big problems :’D

Bangkok APT

There was a very friendly German stewart on the flight and it was quite funny how he always spoke English with me but German with Chi Sang.

Waited until 22:40 (GTZ+1) in Frankfurt.

The flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok took altogether 9 hors and 55 minutes (a total of 5597 miles).

Extremely exhausting !!

]]> http://vnnhadat.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/phat-tai/ Mon, 09 May 2011 04:52:34 +0000 Administrator http://vnnhadat.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/phat-tai/ http://kelvinphoto.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/suju-o-san-bay/ Fri, 06 May 2011 18:35:40 +0000 Kelvin Nguyen http://kelvinphoto.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/suju-o-san-bay/ http://wanderlust723.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/current-city-ha-noi-vietnam/ Sat, 30 Apr 2011 16:00:41 +0000 wanderlust723 http://wanderlust723.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/current-city-ha-noi-vietnam/ I started the morning feeling so crazy about everything. The driver of the taxi I took seemed so much in a hurry because of his continuous beeping at anyone on the street. I thought Manila was already terrible in terms of driver’s attitudes on the road but looks like I found some place that’s even worse.

I’m taking the Jetstar flight bound to Ha Noi. To add up to a bizarre morning with the driver was the experience at Tan Son Nhat’s domestic terminal. Amidst the strange, funny smell while I was checking-in, there was no queue at all! Locals were coming from all sorts of directions and didn’t care squeezing themselves in to get ahead despite a very visible queue that’s behind them. Good thing I was able to find some sympathy with a foreigner travelling in the same flight as mine and was also feeling the same disappointment.

The flight lasted for 2 hours. I was met at the airport by Thanh and Pumpkin. From afar, I could already see JARL written on a piece of paper. Oh the joys of meet and greet! Unlike Ho Chi Minh, the airport was quite far from the city center. My hosts for 3months are on a holiday this week-end so I will be spending 2 nights at Lananh’s house.

Shortly after settling down at the 3rd floor where my room is, Lananh immediately served a cup of hibiscus iced tea in the living room. I had lunch with her and had a generous serving of Vietnamese local food on the table – susu (in Tagalog, sayote) leaves, cucumber, egg with tomato (much like scrambled egg), and pork cooked Chinese-style. I realized I was that hungry after finishing 2 cups of rice. Afterwards, I slept in the afternoon for 3hours. Pumpkin came over and it was time to go around the city. We dropped buy to buy my local SIM card. I bought a Viettel SIM for 50,000 VND. By the way, here’s the # I’d be using for 3 months: +841679170308.
It’s not my first time to ride a motorbike but the experience of riding one in Vietnam seems like being a first-timer after all. The continuous beeping of horns everywhere was really annoying but I’ll probably get used to it. The cool breeze felt very refreshing and colorful lights adorned the charming and quaint city of Hanoi’s central district. First off, we had ice cream at the famous Trang Tien shop. It was a Saturday night so seeing groups of young people and couples hanging out together was already expected. Next, we checked out a bookshop which sold foreign books at the 2nd floor. I was hoping to buy my book of the month for May. Unfortunately, their English fiction books and novels were only very limited. I got to talk with Ernest for the first time in Vietnam and I can’t wait to have my own adventure at his humble abode soon. I was laughing my heart out after hearing his experience for the past 3 weeks since he arrived. Looks like there’s so much catching up to do. It’s a very big relief to be working with a co-intern that’s also Filipino. It’s one thing to experience that natural high when travelling abroad and immersing yourself in a totally unfamiliar environment but finding fellow Filipinos in the same area also helps  balance things out. It’s Liberation Day today so the roads were so much congested since there were several street performances in the evening. I had my first taste of Vietnamese noodles (Pho w/ beef) over dinner.

On our way home, we passed by Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Hopefully, I’ll get the chance to see it up close tomorrow during the city tour arranged for us interns. Otherwise, I still got 3 more months in order to visit it one of these days. My achievement today was learning how to ride a motorbike at the back without holding onto the driver in front. Haha! Today was very much well-spent with such warm and hospitable AIESECers. Thanks to Lananh and Pumpkin! A long day awaits tomorrow. Good night!

So how can you ensure that your visit to Saigon isn’t blighted by taxi cheats? Here’s my guide, based on 5 ½ years as an expat in the city!

Which Taxi?

In my 5 years in the city, only two companies have an unblemished record with regards to overcharging. One of them, Mai Linh, is the Duxton’s taxi supplier of choice – they operate out of the forecourt of our hotel. Their taxis are white & green. Be careful – there are several fake Mai Linh taxis around using very similar livery and logo. The other is Vinataxi – their taxis are yellow. Hoang Long taxis (green/yellow) are also good but their fleet is currently very small, so you may not see them very often.

All other taxi firms should be treated with extreme caution!

Arriving at Tan Son Nhat Airport

When exiting the arrivals hall at the airport, you will be greeted by a huge crowd of people waiting for arriving friends & relatives. You will also be hassled by numerous taxi touts. Even if you ignore them and push past them to the taxi rank, things don’t improve, as there IS no taxi rank – just a mass of rival taxis jockeying for space and customers. In short, it is absolute chaos, especially when compared to the orderly system at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport. So what do you do? Well, until the airport authorities take steps to install some sense of order, you have 4 choices:

1.                Pre-book an airport transfer through your hotel or tour company. A more expensive option, but one that gives you peace of mind and eliminates hassle at the end of a long flight.

2.                Book a taxi at the official taxi counter, which costs around $12 – again, more expensive than a metered taxi, but you get to avoid the chaos outside!

3.                Fight your way past the taxi touts to the ‘taxi rank’, and flag down one of the reputable companies above. Have your hotel address written on a piece of paper to show the driver. Make sure he puts the meter on – if he refuses (he may try & offer you a “deal” or claim his meter is broken) get out and take another taxi. If he accepts, the fare into district 1 should be around 90,000-100,000VND. If it is substantially more, refuse to pay and get the porter at your hotel to sort it out for you. Also, if the driver asks you to pay any tolls en route, refuse – they are included in the fare.

4.                A more crafty ‘insider’ option this one. On exiting the arrivals hall, turn right and take the stairs or lift up the departures area. It is much quieter there and you will be able to catch a taxi dropping off people at the airport, following the advice in point 3 of course!

Getting Around

Once you are settled into your hotel you’ll want to go out sightseeing or on business, and you may want to take taxis. Again, use the aforementioned companies, have your destinations written down, and make sure the driver uses the meter.

Aircon

After recent petrol price hikes, many drivers are turning off their aircon to save fuel. Not a good idea in a city where temperatures constantly hover around the 30C mark. If your driver refuses to turn his aircon on, get out and take another taxi.

Tipping

Tipping is at your discretion and is not expected. If the driver has been polite, helpful or gone above & beyond what you would normally expect, feel free to offer a tip.

Beware of drivers “assuming” that you will tip them – e.g. the fare is 25,000VND, you give him 30,000VND, and he says “thank you” and pockets your money without giving you change. Or alternatively, he may claim he has no change. In this instance, insist on getting your change back and stay put in the taxi. He will then miraculously find some change in his pocket.

Precaution

All taxis have the driver’s number in the window. It’s worth noting this down. If he gives you bad service or tries to cheat you, you can ring the company to complain and give them the number; and if you leave your bag or camera in the back of the taxi by mistake, you’re more likely to get it back!

****************

Don’t be scared by the above advice into thinking that every single taxi driver in Saigon is a crook, intent on preying on innocent tourists and business travellers! Sure, some of them are, but stick to the companies mentioned above and follow my advice, and you should have a hassle-free taxi experience during your visit. And if you have any other tips to add, please share them with me.

NGÀY 1 : TP.HCM – THAM QUAN TP (Ăn tối trên du thuyền sông Sài Gòn)

Chiều : Xe & HDV đón Quí khách tại Sân bay Tân Sơn Nhất, đưa về khách sạn. Nhận phòng nghỉ ngơi.19h00: Mời Quí khách dùng cơm chiều trên DU THUYỀN SÀI GÒN & ngắm nhìn phong cảnh bến Bạch Đằng, trong khi du khách dùng cơm – du thuyền sẽ đưa Quí khách du ngọan trên sông với các công trình kiến trúc như Cảng Sài Gòn, Xưởng ba Son, Bến Nhà Rồng…21h45 : Du thuyền trở về đất liền, về Khách sạn nghỉ đêm.

NGÀY 2 : SÀI GÒN – MỸ THO – CỒN PHỤNG – CỒN THỚI SƠN – VƯỜN TRÁI CÂY – CỦ CHI

Sau khi dùng điểm tâm tại Nhà hàng. 07h00: Xe & HDV đón Quý Khách Khởi hành đi Mỹ Tho ( Tiền Giang ). 08h45 : Đến Mỹ Tho – tham quan : CHÙA VĨNH TRÀNG , một trong những ngôi chùa đẹp và cổ nhất của tỉnh Tiền Giang . Trại Rắn Đồng Tâm – trung tâm nuôi dưỡng rắn lớn nhất Miền Nam hiện nay. 09h:30: DU THUYỀN TRÊN SÔNG TIỀN – Thưởng thức nước dừa xiêm và Quý Khách sẽ được ngắm nhìn cảnh sông nước trữ tình của dòng Cửu Long Giang hiền hoà, hòa nhập vào cuộc sống thiên nhiên của miền Đồng bằng Nam Bộ & tham quan Cồn Thới Sơn với : VƯỜN TRÁI CÂY – thưởng thức trái cây theo mùa (sampôchê, nhãn, thơm, mít,v.v…) TRẠI NUÔI VÀ CUNG CẤP MẬT ONG – thưởng thức mật ong với cam. XEM CA NHẠC TÀI TỬ NAM BỘ – loại hình nghệ thuật đặc biệt của dân tộc Việt Nam được sản sinh tại miền Đồng bằng sông nước này. Khám phá những ngôi nhà dân tiêu biểu miệt vườn.12 h:00: Dùng cơm trưa tại Nhà hàng trên Cồn Thới Sơn – đặc sản : Tôm Càng Nướng, Cá Tai Tượng Chiên Xù, Lẩu chua cá lóc Nam Bộ, Chả giò Nam Bộ, Thịt kho tàu, rau xào thập cẩm, trái cây,..13h:00: Đoàn tiếp tục tham quan : ĐI XUỒNG “BA LÁ” VÀO NHỮNG CON RẠCH NHỎ, xuyên qua những rặng dừa nước với những điệu hò Nam Bộ du dương trên sông. Quí khách rời ĐÒ CHÈO để dùng thuyền đi đến CỒN PHỤNG – tham quan : DI TÍCH ÔNG ĐẠO DỪA, một trong những di tích đặc biệt về tôn giáo chỉ có ở Việt Nam đã được nhiều du khách nước ngòai biết đến. 15h:00: Đoàn lên xe trở về Củ Chi – tham quan : ĐỊA ĐẠO CỦ CHI – với hệ thống đường hầm ngầm sâu dưới lòng đất tỏa rộng khỏang trên 200km, nơi đây từng là chiến khu kháng chiến trong thời kỳ chống Pháp, chống Mỹ & cũng là nơi cư trú của các đồng chí cách mạng cùng người dân Củ Chi thời bấy giờ. Quí khách sẽ được chui địa đạo để tham quan & tìm hiểu , sau đó tự do giải trí với các trò chơi : Bắn súng hơi,…hoặc ngắm nhìn phong cảnh trữ tình bên bờ sông Sài Gòn, Viếng đền tưởng niệm Bến Dược .18h:30: Về đến TP. Hồ Chí Minh.19h:00 ùng cơm chiều tại Nhà hàng . Tối HDV đưa Quí khách dạo phố đêm .

NGÀY 3: SÀI GÒN – TIỄN KHÁCH RA SÂN BAY (Ăn sáng, trưa)

08h:00:Sau khi dùng điểm tâm tại Nhà hàng, HDV đưa Quí khách đi tham quan : DINH ĐỘC LẬP – trước đây là DINH NORODOM (1 vị vua của Campuchia) đã từng là nơi làm việc Ngô Đình Diệm & các cộng sự, nơi đây vào ngày 30/4/1975 đã diễn ra 1 sự kiện lịch sử, đánh dấu Miền Nam Việt Nam hòan tòan được giải phóng. CHINA TOWN – tìm hiểu về cuộc sống nhộn nhịp thương mại của người Sài Gòn & đặc biệt đây là cộng đồng người Hoa tại Sài Gòn. Sau đó Quí khách tham quan Chợ Bến Thành, Trung Tâm Thương Mại Tax, Diamond Plaza, Germ Plaza,…và mua sắm quà lưu niệm.12h00 ùng cơm trưa tại Nhà hàng, nghỉ ngơi tại khách sạn. Chiều Quí khách trả phòng tự do mua sắm cho đến khi ra sân bay về . Kết thúc tour.

BAO GỒM :

1. Xe máy lạnh vận chuyển tham quan suốt tuyến
2. Bảo hiểm du lịch,mức tối đa 10.000.000đ/ khách
3. HDV kinh nghiệm, nhiệt tình phục vụ đoàn suốt tuyến
4. Ăn sáng + Ăn trưa + Ăn chiều theo chương trình tại Nhà hàng (có 1 số bữa thưởng thức đặc sản như đã nêu ).

KHÔNG BAO GỒM :
- Các chi phí cá nhân & các khỏan không có trong phần bao gồm
- Các lọai vé máy bay – vé tàu ngòai chương trình.

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Gary Glitter leaves Vietnam jail

Gary Glitter has reportedly said he wants to return to the UK

Disgraced ex-pop star Gary Glitter has been released from a prison in Vietnam, the authorities there say.

He had served most of a three-year sentence for abusing girls.

Glitter, 64, real name Paul Francis Gadd, is due to be deported after being jailed in March 2006 for molesting two girls aged 11 and 12.

Le Thanh Kinh, his lawyer, had said the authorities intended to deport him to the UK, but that he could use his British passport to travel anywhere.

He said that Glitter was released at about 1130 local time (0530 BST).

Tran Huu Thong, director of the Z30D Thu Duc prison in southern Binh Thuan province, told the AFP news agency: “He left our prison early this morning and he is now already far from here.”

And he told AP that guards were in the process of transporting Glitter to the Ho Chi Minh City airport, about three to four hours away from the prison in Binh Thuan province.

The former star had been expected to be driven under police escort to Tan Son Nhat airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

He was thought to have a ticket to London – but there are no direct flights to the UK, which allows him the option of buying another ticket when he changes planes.

His lawyer said: “He has served his sentence and the authorities in Vietnam will deport him. He does not have any sentence to serve in London. If he wants to stop wherever he wants to he can do that.

If he wants to stop wherever he wants to he can do that Le Thanh Kinh Lawyer

“If he wants to he can change flights.”

He added: “The only problem is the countries he wants to go to, because he has to get a visa.”

However, the lawyer said his client told him he wanted to return to the UK, had a ticket to London and was eagerly anticipating his release.

A Foreign Office spokesman said it was “a matter for Mr Gadd and the Vietnamese authorities” where Glitter went after he was deported.

If he does fly back to the UK, the disgraced star will be met at the airport by police and required to sign the register of sex offenders.

He will then be subject to monitoring and will have to tell the police where he plans to live and if he plans to go abroad.

And he could also face an order prohibiting him from going near children or using the internet.

Tan Son Nhat International Airport is no different!

On my second day in Vietnam, I went back to the airport to pick up my sister who was scheduled to arrive at around 10:50AM.  Since I have never picked up anyone at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport, I was looking forward to the experience.  The experience was incredible and should be a “must “for all travelers to this airport.

Learning from my experience (remember I have just arrived yesterday), I did not leave for the airport until close to 11:15AM.  As we pulled up to the curb of the airport around 11:30AM, I could see a swarm of people occupying the curbside area.  The crowd this morning was much larger than the one I saw yesterday.
What could be the reason for so many people on the curbside?

Unlike most airports I have been to, Tan Son Nhat International Airport does not have an inside waiting area.  In other words, if you are there to greet a traveler, you will be waiting outside.  No one is allowed to go through those set of doors unless you are heading outside.  Because of this, the curbside area of the airport has become the “waiting room.”  Hence, instead of the traditional scene of weary travelers waiting to be picked up, the people waiting at the curbside area are mostly the family and friends of the weary travelers.

I can not help but take in the excitement in the air as the crowd patiently waits for a glimpse of their loved ones.  Even as I followed my aunt and politely but firmly pushed my way to the front of the crowd in hope of having a better chance of spotting my sister, I did not feel any hostility that is usually a common feeling in such an overcrowded area.  Instead, everyone seems to understand our impatience and let us through.

To accommodate the waiting relatives while providing a protective area for the incoming travelers, a clearance area of about 5-6 feet wide has been set up closed to the building.  The clearance area has a “T” shaped to account for the two doors from which the travelers will exit the airport.

Benches have been provided behind the clearance area to provide a resting place for the family and friends.  However, very few people used the benches as a resting place.  Instead, people were standing on the benches in hope of seeing above the heads of the people who were standing before them.  My nephew being slim was able to jostle his way to the front to have a better chance of spotting my sister.

Afraid that she may exit from the other door, I left my nephew in the care of my aunt as I pushed my way through to the other side of the airport.  What greeted me on the other side was a total surprise.

Away from the doors, were chairs and tables with vendors selling their wares.  Unlike the bustling atmosphere where I was at, the atmosphere over there was one of calm and tranquility.  People were sitting around chatting as they sipped on their drinks and eat snacks.  Not surprisingly, most of the people sitting in the “quieter area” of the curbside area were mostly men.  How glad I was to have seen this other side of the “outside waiting area.”

The “outside waiting room” was crowded because in Vietnam having a visitor is an important and honored event.  Thus, instead of a simple pickup event, the weary traveler could be faced with dozens of closed and distant relatives all eager to greet their visitor from afar.  In our case for example, besides my nephew and me, my aunt and her grandson were also with us.  Our uncle had to stay home to watch the house.  Since we have previously requested that our uncle keeps our arrival date a secret, many of our relatives did not know about our arrival.  Heck…even our uncle did not even know my sister arrival time until I informed him that morning.

As I waited for my sister, I could not help but observed the crowd and take in their energy of the crowd.  There was so much joy and excitement on everyone face.  Even though no impatience can be seen on any of the faces, I could definitely feel the barely held tension in the air as everyone hopes that their loved one was the next one to exit.  I was no different.

Upon spotting my sister, I desperately squeezed my way to the front as I yelled at her to catch her attention.  After a few seconds, I caught her eyes and screamed that I would meet her at the end of the clearance area.  I seriously doubted she could hear anything above the crowd, but I figure the extra hand-waving I did while I was screaming my instruction would be sufficient in conveying my message.

I took advantage of the fact that I did not look like a native and crossed into clearance area to meet my sister.  Amazingly, I did not have to go in search of the rest of my party (who were waiting at the other door) since they have also spotted her from the other side.  So a word to the wise, it does not matter which side you are waiting on, you can spot the incoming traveler easily because the traveler will most likely not proceed past the safety of the clearance area until they have spotted a familiar face.

For those who still think I am crazy to enjoy the airport atmosphere, I strongly recommend that you spend about an hour there and just observe the scene.  The activity can be very therapeutic as you put aside your worries and enjoy the happiness that is emitting from the weary but happy travelers.