The Gayest Hostel Owner in the City

Good day to you al!

Welcome readers to te latest edition of our blog. This is our last few days in Vietnam, which is sad, but then we're in Cambodia, which is good. Cracking.

After arriving in HCMC on our sleeper bus, we fought through the crowd of tuk tuk drivers and walked the short distance to our hostel - MyMy Arthouse. The hostel owner was quite brilliantly camp and often giggled like a school girl. Once we had completed our shower and nap ritual, we had a reviving cold drink in Georgia May's coffee shop. We were ready to visit the war museum.

The museum was a slightly one-sided but very moving insight into the Vietnam War, and Agent Orange. I think we were all very moved by what we learnt here.

That evening, we walked through the night market and ate dinner in one of the side street restaurants near our hostel. We returned back to MyMy and climbed the million flights of stairs to our rooms, Lucy banging her head multiple times on the way.

The next day was Cu Chi Tunnels day. Before the tunnels, we visited a Vietnamese monastery, and watched the ceremony for the midday prayer. The building was built in the shape of a unicorn - not our idea of a unicorn, in Asia it means a mix between a dragon and a horse. For lunch, we were taken to a nearby restaurant for sweet and sour chicken and rice. Under our table were some horrendously cute puppies and on the other side of the restaurant was a small mongoose like creature. We thoroughly enjoyed our zoo lunch. Our hilariously brilliant tour guide (who's knowledge tended to centre around Lady Gaga) ushered us out, and on to the tunnels.

Our time at the Cu Chi Tunnels generally consisted of each us squeezing into different holes. Our guide told us about all the different booby traps including one which apparently made him a lesbian. We still don't understand that joke. We were allowed to crawl through a section of the tunnels as well. Luca, Emma and Alice went in together, but Lucy and Louise were a little bit scared. They soon plucked up the courage and ran through them in a crouched position. It was then time to head home.

That evening, we tried to find a restaurant similar to a place we ate at in Hanoi. It wasn't quite the same - no random waiter made our food for us at the table - but it was still good.

The next day, we sat in our favourite nearby bakery for a few hours planning the rest of our trip. Afterwards, armed with sandwiches, we strolled around the city - by the river, through a shopping area and stopping at an 'eco' cafe for smoothies. The smoothies were atrocious, tasting of either fish, ham or cheese, not papaya, jackfruit or avocado. Luca enjoyed his brown rice ice cream though.

For dinner, we had our last Vietnamese pho, and some of the group indulged in some more fro-yo. We sadly waved goodbye to two of our favourite foods of the trip. Last night in Vietnam, but on our way to Cambodia tomorrow!

To get to Cambodia, we got a boat through the Mekong Delta, stopping at the floating market, and finishing in Phnom Penh.

At the floating market, we saw people making rice papar, popcorn from rice, and coconut sweets. We had some rice wine, which was truly vile. We sailed down a very shallow river, and walked through a village to a place where we had our lunch. We didn't notice til we left that a massive python was casually residing in a cage nearby.

Then we boarded a bus which took us to Chau Doc where we stayed in a floating hotel. With no air conditioning, and ridiculous hear, it was an interesting night. Especially for Alice, who screamed and ran out the room after a small bird flew in on her. After a walk and a snack, we watched Scrubs and went to bed.

The next day, it was back on the bus to take us to the boat to take us to the boarder, and then on to Phnom Penh. On the way, we stopped at a fish farm, which was mildly interesting. The boarder crossing was long and dull as usual, but we got upgraded to the fast boat for a fraction of the normal price.

And so to Phnom Penh! Stories from there coming soon

love The Mascots x