Saturday was spent on the beach with all the family swimming in the south pacific. Omaha is not a regular surf beach but today someone forgot to remind the ocean of this fact. It was a glorious day and the sea was blue and calm. Right upto the point that we got in it. The rollers came in snd sneaked up on us. Sploosh, caught off guard the waves hit the girls like a tsunami. There were legs, tits and bare arses everywhere as the girls were tumbled in the surf. The rest of the beach was calm yet our small area looked like a shipwreck. I wish I had the photos.
(Talking of which the eyepod is once again upto its old tricks and is refusing to publish photos on the blob.
That coupled with the fact that we are now in Viet Nam and the wifi is solar powered. As soon as I get good access to the interweb I will try and post the pics. Till then use your imagination.)
After the beach the rest of Locwoods family turned up and we spent a good few hours eating, playing games and getting to know each other better. The Snapper went down very well I am pleased to say and there was no more gut squeezing kina. James you know what I mean and I will say no more.....
As soon as the bbq was over the boys set to like an army and within ten minutes the house was spick and span. They can come to our parties anytime they like.
The next morning we set off back to Lynn's in preparation for our flights back to Singapore, Ho chi Min and finaly Phu Quoq.
We said our goodbyes and Lynn ran us to the airport. Its never sad as we know it wont be long before we meet up again.
The flight was due to leave Auckland at 0125 but due to a problem with the luggage loader the airport closed before we could take off. It seems Auckland international airport closes between 2 and 4am. As we were still on the runway they turned the airport lights off. Picked up their buttie boxes and went home. The captain turned off the engine put his feet on the dash and we all settled down for a three hour delay. It seems its a regular occurance. Auckland get your act together. Its 2019 and youre a busy international airport.
At 4am the lights came on and we set of for Singapore. The delay in itself wasn't a problem but we had a tight connecting flight to Ho Chi Min and another to Phu Quoc. If we missed the connection there was no other flight to the island for 24 hours. We would have to try to find accomodation in Ho Chi Min which would not have been the end of the world but not ideal after 15 hours traveling. As it stood we would have an 18 minute window at Singapore to get across 2 terminals and catch our planned flight to Ho Chi Min (I'm getting fed up of typing Ho Chi Min so from now on I shall refer to it by its old nsme, Saigon). I had a chat with Poon the cabin manager and he suggested that prior to landing we move to first class to fascilitate a quick getaway. It was very nice. Crispy loved it and looked the part in her private compartment. We even got champagne as it was her birthday. The posh people in first class looked miffed that the poor people from stowage were gate crashing their party.
As soon as the plane landed and pulled into the terminal we were off like the proverbial shit off a stick. A quick dash across the airport saw us safely esconsed on our connecting flight to Saigon. The airline had held the flight for us till we got there so hats off to Singapore airlines.
We arrived in Saigon with a couple of hours to spare which was great as we had no boarding cards plus the airport domestic terminal was manic. I have never seen so many people. It was like a match day at the reebok (macron, whatever it is called now) on a match day when they used to have fans. Onto the flight and 40 minutes later we were in Phu Quoq.
I had arranged for the place we are staying to pick us up from the airport as there is no public transport on the island and the place is hard to find.
As promised we were met outside the terminal by a guy with a placard.
He spoke no English but as none was needed we jumped into his little silver car and were off. The guy must have been a heavy smoker as there was a continual concert of coughing, snurtching and growling interspaced with enthusiastic and imaginative nose picking for the entire 30 minute ride.
He proceeded along a small road lined with small garages engine shops food stalls and shops before going off grid down small country roads.
The place we are staying is definitely backpacker standard. A collection of thatched cottages around a central pool area and gardens. Its by no means luxury but perfect for our needs. We are on the edge of jungle and the only sounds are various forms of wildlife. The little rooms are clean, comfy with an en suite outdoor bathroom. Crispy only has 2 stipulations when travelling and that is a clean toilet and clean bed. This has both so its a winner. There is no air con but a big ceiling fan and mosquito nets. Its like sleeping in a tent and works wonderfully well.
There is a communal area for food, which is really tasty, and alcohol which is Really cheap. Perfect.
About the money. At present a beer costs 20000 Viet Dong. A meal aroud 60000 Viet Dong. The exchange rate is 29798.00 VD to the pound.
So its cheap as chips except they dont know what chips are.
Tomorrow we are going to the beach
(Talking of which the eyepod is once again upto its old tricks and is refusing to publish photos on the blob.
That coupled with the fact that we are now in Viet Nam and the wifi is solar powered. As soon as I get good access to the interweb I will try and post the pics. Till then use your imagination.)
After the beach the rest of Locwoods family turned up and we spent a good few hours eating, playing games and getting to know each other better. The Snapper went down very well I am pleased to say and there was no more gut squeezing kina. James you know what I mean and I will say no more.....
As soon as the bbq was over the boys set to like an army and within ten minutes the house was spick and span. They can come to our parties anytime they like.
The next morning we set off back to Lynn's in preparation for our flights back to Singapore, Ho chi Min and finaly Phu Quoq.
We said our goodbyes and Lynn ran us to the airport. Its never sad as we know it wont be long before we meet up again.
The flight was due to leave Auckland at 0125 but due to a problem with the luggage loader the airport closed before we could take off. It seems Auckland international airport closes between 2 and 4am. As we were still on the runway they turned the airport lights off. Picked up their buttie boxes and went home. The captain turned off the engine put his feet on the dash and we all settled down for a three hour delay. It seems its a regular occurance. Auckland get your act together. Its 2019 and youre a busy international airport.
At 4am the lights came on and we set of for Singapore. The delay in itself wasn't a problem but we had a tight connecting flight to Ho Chi Min and another to Phu Quoc. If we missed the connection there was no other flight to the island for 24 hours. We would have to try to find accomodation in Ho Chi Min which would not have been the end of the world but not ideal after 15 hours traveling. As it stood we would have an 18 minute window at Singapore to get across 2 terminals and catch our planned flight to Ho Chi Min (I'm getting fed up of typing Ho Chi Min so from now on I shall refer to it by its old nsme, Saigon). I had a chat with Poon the cabin manager and he suggested that prior to landing we move to first class to fascilitate a quick getaway. It was very nice. Crispy loved it and looked the part in her private compartment. We even got champagne as it was her birthday. The posh people in first class looked miffed that the poor people from stowage were gate crashing their party.
As soon as the plane landed and pulled into the terminal we were off like the proverbial shit off a stick. A quick dash across the airport saw us safely esconsed on our connecting flight to Saigon. The airline had held the flight for us till we got there so hats off to Singapore airlines.
We arrived in Saigon with a couple of hours to spare which was great as we had no boarding cards plus the airport domestic terminal was manic. I have never seen so many people. It was like a match day at the reebok (macron, whatever it is called now) on a match day when they used to have fans. Onto the flight and 40 minutes later we were in Phu Quoq.
I had arranged for the place we are staying to pick us up from the airport as there is no public transport on the island and the place is hard to find.
As promised we were met outside the terminal by a guy with a placard.
He spoke no English but as none was needed we jumped into his little silver car and were off. The guy must have been a heavy smoker as there was a continual concert of coughing, snurtching and growling interspaced with enthusiastic and imaginative nose picking for the entire 30 minute ride.
He proceeded along a small road lined with small garages engine shops food stalls and shops before going off grid down small country roads.
The place we are staying is definitely backpacker standard. A collection of thatched cottages around a central pool area and gardens. Its by no means luxury but perfect for our needs. We are on the edge of jungle and the only sounds are various forms of wildlife. The little rooms are clean, comfy with an en suite outdoor bathroom. Crispy only has 2 stipulations when travelling and that is a clean toilet and clean bed. This has both so its a winner. There is no air con but a big ceiling fan and mosquito nets. Its like sleeping in a tent and works wonderfully well.
There is a communal area for food, which is really tasty, and alcohol which is Really cheap. Perfect.
About the money. At present a beer costs 20000 Viet Dong. A meal aroud 60000 Viet Dong. The exchange rate is 29798.00 VD to the pound.
So its cheap as chips except they dont know what chips are.
Tomorrow we are going to the beach
Bare and Crispy signing off, a fruit farm in Phu Quoc
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