Revisiting Hong Kong

 The jet-setting continued during a 5 day break from school, which was thanks to Vietnamese Kings' Commemoration Day, Liberation Day and Labour Day.

So, it was off to Hong Kong to catch up with good friends and to re-visit some of the old haunts. It was all so different, of course, after 18 years. I had not even flown in to the new airport, so the trip to Sai Kung took in new bridges and areas completely. And, I must note that on my return to Saigon I truly noticed how little infrastructure there is here.

I was quite disoriented when I first ventured in to Central and Kowloon too - the land reclamation had of course changed the lay of the land, but some of the expected shops and restaurants were just not there. Luckily, there was one old faithful, Chung King Mansions.

I enjoyed visiting a couple of the places that I had lived and was most interested to see that St George's School, where I first taught  has gone completely and has been replaced with two other schools and a bus terminal!

There were a lot of nice little shops and boutiques to discover on my walk from Admiralty to Causeway Bay and a brunch in the gentrifying area of Western allowed a snoop at the trendy shops and cafes there too.

A trip out into the New Territories was also fascinating as it has developed so much and from the lookout on Route Twisk, we could see the old air force base of Sek Kong and through the pollution haze across to Shenzhen.

I must note that on the whole, the city seemed to be much cleaner and there weren't many of the pungent smells that I remembered. The air quality was a little concerning, however, so I thoroughly enjoyed my Saturday morning walk when there was blue sky and the view of the rugged mountains to enjoy.

An afternoon sail out from Hebe Haven was also  a great way to enjoy the water and the views of the rugged islands. We just won't talk about the unexpected added adventures that made it a later afternoon than we had planned.

Naturally, I loved seeing my friends from both school and netball and it was great to catch up on all that is happening in their lives. As always, with good friends, it is great to know that nothing changes - it is always easy.

So, until next time, keep smiling and thanks again for having me, Flickie!

   

A lovely weekend with Sally

It was terrific to have my good friend, Sally, in town over Easter.

We had a great time catching up on nine months of missed conversations and I loved showing her around the city.

We visited galleries, boutiques, spas, Museums and saw a show at the Opera House.

Naturally, local food experiences were high on the list of adventures. We ate banh mi at a my local street stall, spicy chicken salad at Propoganda, soft shell crab and lemongrass tofu at Cu Gac Quan, grilled eggplant and pork lemongrass skewers at Secret Garden, beef la lot and banh xeo at Quan 138 and Sally also went on pho tour with Saigon Street Eats! 

Wow - all those tasty delights in four days and we also managed to visit my favourite places to partake in a cocktail - the rooftop ChillBar and the riverside, Deck.

Who else is up for a Saigon experience, Meredith style??

A trip to Dalat and Nha Trang

It was with much relief, that at the end of March we had an end of term holiday – just one week, but it was enough to recharge the batteries and have some interesting local experiences.

I took at short 40 minute flight to the Central Highlands city of Dalat, a place I thoroughly enjoyed visiting 20 years ago, and I was not disappointed. Many of the old French and art deco villas still remain, and it was terrific to enjoy the cooler mornings and evenings – even a cardi and long pants were needed – as well the fresher air and all the greenery.

Dalat is one of the main produce growing areas of the country and from certain viewpoints, as far as they eye can see, there are plastic ‘greenhouses’ as well as open vegetable patches. Luckily, there are still areas of pine forest remaining and it was a treat to walk amongst them and inhale their distinct aroma. I was also amazed at the number of bottlebrush trees, agapanthus and rose bushes lining the streets. I felt like I was in Adelaide! Photos from Dalat

I then took a bus to the seaside location of Nha Trang, only I had forgotten what a steep and rugged mountain range this trip entailed. So, sitting at the front of the bus was probably not the best option.  There was a little too much blind overtaking and the driver was far too casual with the brakes. At least he only answered two short phone calls!! 

I thoroughly enjoyed Nha Trang, as even though it is a mini Gold Coast and is full of Russians, it was lovely to be by the beach and watch the locals enjoy the cool of the sunrise and sunset. At these times, the beach and the promenade were a hive of activity: walking, chatting, swimming, playing cards, flying kites, playing soccer and eating.

My mornings were spent on the beach, but as I walked the streets in the afternoons, the people were happy to engage in partial conversations and have their photos taken. The Vietnamese really do have a good sense of humour, so we had quite a few laughs.

         

 The highlight was my early morning excursion with a local photographer to the salt harvesting, in Ninh Hoa, 40km north of Nha Trang. This trip involved a 4.20am pickup and I now well and truly know why the locals, have a nap in the middle of the day … there were people playing badminton by street light at this time as well as plenty of others walking and zooming past on their motorbikes!

Apart from the task of raking out the salt, women complete the break-breaking work! This involves scooping the salt into their baskets, carrying it and unloading it onto the pile, then filling the 30kg bags and lifting these on to the truck – all for $8 a day. It was fascinating to see and I have so much respect for these women. We also visited a fishing port and witnessed the hive of activity as the ships were unloading their evening catch. Photos from Nha Trang

The final part of the adventure was an 8 hour train trip back to Saigon. This was far from the highlight of the trip but it did only cost $15!

Now for Term 4 ... it is flying by!

It's hot out there ..

Yes, it is true, the weather really has taken a turn over the past week. If you are out and about in the middle of the day, the sweat factor will well and truly kick in! I have even returned to sleeping with the air conditioner on at night.

Otherwise, life continues as normal; school, gym, walks, meals in, meals out and further exploration of this city.

There were quite a few discussions at school this past week about the fact that all we seem to do is work, and how tired we are  … but I have been wondering how is this different to anywhere else I have been!

Teaching is a very time consuming and energy sapping job and I will always be the person who takes on more and wants to create interesting lessons for the kids. So,  it really is situation normal but, having a full teaching load is the main difference. Teaching 29 lessons in a 35 period a week timetable is big .. especially when it is basically all new material!

Let’s hope I am teaching some of the same classes next year!

Recently, I have taken on the goal of going somewhere to trying something new every week.

As a result, I have found some lovely little cafes and restaurants and walked the alleyways of District 10, as opposed to my usual 1, 2 or 3. This was particularly interesting as it was predominately a Catholic area and there was a surprising open air chapel and numerous statues.

I also initiated a 'Blue Chair’ dinner club. This involves a monthly dinner in a Vietnamese restaurant - eating on the street with the locals. Our first night was a great success with pigs brains and wild boar being tried as well as some delicious scallops, prawns and a couple of beers! Such fun!!

A quick trip to Hanoi for a weekend Technology conference was a great couple of days. I learned a lot, mostly centred around how to use Google more in a school setting. And, it was also nice to feel cold for a change. 5 - 10 degrees and fog plus pollution made me appreciate Saigon so much more. 

I have also joined a book club and skim read the first book - The Chrysalids. Sci-Fi is really not my style at all! Birds with Wings by Louis de Bernieres is the second book and I have just realised that I have read this already - but it is just nice to be reading for pleasure rather than school.

And what else have I done; well, I have watched both seasons of The Newsroom - loved it, plus the 2nd season of Borgen - brilliant. I have also enjoyed the movies Philomena, Blue Jasmine, 12 Years a Slave and Non Stop, which is rather topical considering one recent Malaysian airlines flight!!

So, all is good and I hope it is with you too!

New Year # 2 in Malaysia

Malaysia - another very different Asian experience, and most enjoyable of course.

I began my trip in Penang and had a good look around the island - enjoying the historic Georgetown, the hills and the beach. I loved the vibe of Georgetown with its historic homes and amazing street art. Photos of the Street Art

However, the location may not have been the best at this time of year due to its large Chinese population. Like Saigon, many of the shops and restaurants/hawker stalls were closed due to Chinese New Year. So, thank goodness for the Indian population and their amazing tandoori chicken and naan bread. 

The hawker centres that were open were amazing - if only I knew a little more about what to order.

And, there were so many food options and so little time. 

Kuala Lumpur is a curious place. It really didn’t grab me at first as it is such a hotchpotch of old and new, freeways and flyovers. It is also not a very walking friendly city and I must admit I was not always sure of my exact location!  Luckily, there are plenty of public transport options - train, light rail, monorail and bus and it was a delight to use a modern, efficient system.

The highlight of my stay was a heritage/food walking tour. The guide was so passionate about her city and also concerned about the changes that are occurring, all in the name of modernisation. As she stated, the country is developing due to oil and gas - not tourism. We enjoyed many sugary delights and it is no wonder the population has a large number of diabetics.

As well as the hawker/street food options, I have never seen so many fast food options.

I also enjoyed a trip to a Forestry Research Institute and did a lovely walk in the jungle, including an elevated canopy section. Back in town there is also some great parks and I enjoyed the butterfly park and orchid garden.

It must also be said I enjoyed the shopping and was very brave in venturing to MidValley MegaMall. My suitcase on the return journey had an interesting mix of goods - new shoes, mac products and supermarket items that are not available here in Saigon.

So, a great mix of relaxation, sightseeing and shopping!

Photos of Penang and KL

Chuc Mung Nam Moi - Happy New Year

One of the joys of living in Asia, is the opportunity to experience
two new year's - and particularly the holidays associated with the celebrations!

My post is a little belated, as this is the 9th day of the New Year, but the celebrations and the holidays continue.


It was interesting to note that in the lead up to Tet, that the roads were much emptier and those who were on the roads, had their motorbikes packed and were on their way to their family home - a tradition across Asia.

Before I jetted off to Malaysia, I did get a brief glimpse of one of the flower markets in the city and it really was a spectacular display. As far as the eye could see there were flowers in full bloom and my mind boggled at how they were all cultivated and transported ready for this major celebration.

Let's hope it is a good year for this Horse!