To quickly sum up the last of my jan. vacation, after laying on the beach in Sikhanoukville, Cambodia, for two days, enduring cries of "Hey lady, you want manicure?" we headed to Vietnam. The border crossing was a little intimidating, as our van stopped several yards away from the first checkpoint and made everyone get out. We then had to wait in the scorching sun for the second van, that had our guide inside. We collected our bags and walked to the checkpoint, then walked through the no-man's land that lies between Cambodia and Vietnam. At the Vietnam side, we had to get inspected again, and our visas checked and stamped. And, to welcome us to Vietnam, there was a giant bust of Ho Chi Minh presiding over the waiting area...After the gruff formality of the border guards, though, I found Vietnamese people to be quite friendly and easy going. Because of a malicious stomach bug I caught somewhere in Cambodia, there is really only one more event to impart, and that is a motorcycle ride up a small mountain to watch the sun set on the Mekong River. The ride was amazing; riding on the back of a motorcycle taxi in the land of motorbikes is a must. Especially when you have a competetive Austrailian woman in your group, who engages your motorcycle driver in a race...through Vietnamese traffic, then up a sometimes steep and winding mountain road. Which I won, by the way...We then travelled to Ho Chi Minh City (which the locals still call Saigon), and I made friends with the hotel room's bathroom.
There! Winter vacation successfully retold, only three months later! Just in time to start thinking about Summer vacation!
*And, Hanna, Dul, Set is 1, 2, 3, in Korean
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