Síle & Bruce’s Travel Blog

Happy Easter All!

We’ve been in HCMC for just over a week now (the reason we stayed so long was Bruce’s football game - highly entertaining!)

This place is crazy - so different to anywhere else I been. In a way its very ”westernised” but so un-western in another way. It’s far richer than Laos or Cambodia, there are Gucci shops and massive shopping malls in one area with rich women ”lunching” about town. We felt like real scruffs!

We’ve met a lot of locals so far in Vietnam, they’re really friendly and always up for a chat, even if they can’t speak English and our Vietnamese isn’t any better.

We’ve been to a few museums, one of which was the War Remnants, really interesting. Lots of photos and military stuff from the Vietnam War, as well as a nasty video about the victims of the war.

Yesterday we spent the day at a local water park (trying to escape the heat) - it was massive and full of Vietnamese kids shouting and staring at us! It’s strange and difficult to get used to, but it’s only done in a friendly way so we just smile back!

We’re getting a Sleeper Bus this evening to Nha Trang. It leaves at 8pm and takes about 10hours. We’re planning on getting a bit more beach action!

We’re still really enjoying the novelty of not working and just taking it easy with minimal stress!

I hope all is well back home, it’s lovely to hear from you all.

Lots of love
xx

After days of negotiations and drunken ramblings with our saigon mates, juen and salvidor, I finally persuaded them to let me in the football team for easter sundays crunch match at the stadium near the airport. Playing full back for the dragons was a real challenge but after months away from the pitch in london playing for emap rocketeers, i was up for the game. With professional photographer S.Joyce on the sidelines all of the action was documented include the kit, which was abit of a snug fit. Unfortunately we lost 3-0, the first goal was a complete fluffage by there stand in goalkeeper and the 3 was a disputed penalty. Overall though it was a brillant experience playing 90 minutes with the locals, never thought for one minute it would happen so all good. Pics to follow.