Jen's Travel Gossip: Ho Chi Minh City...

Hello all and newby follower James Cox...

Alex and I have become lazy travellers! At the moment it's more like a holiday. The original plan was to go to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) for no more than 3 days...then spend some time in the Mekong Delta before heading to Phu Quoc Island. We ended up spending 6 nights in Saigon, before heading straight to Phu Quoc. When we first arrived in Saigon I decided it was about time we did some shopping...unfortunately everything I liked was either in the wrong size, or far too expensive. I was expecting to find loads of clothes for very little money...this did not happen. OK, I could shop on the market and buy beach wear, but considering most of my life is spent in cold England there didn't seem to be much point. I was shocked at some of the prices of party dresses, exceeding 100 pounds in some shops...Maybe I just have expensive taste. Day 1 shopping was therefore a disaster! However during my many shop visits Alex decided he would like to have a suit tailor-made.

Day 2 was therefore spent shopping as well! Alex had already found one of the most expensive suit tailors in Saigon to make his suits...He just had to decide which style he wanted. This led to one of the best things that has happened on our trip so far. Whilst we were in China we bought many DVDs. Seens as I have missed the whole of Gossip Girl season 4 so far I had to look elsewhere for my Chuck Bass fix. I bought Gossip Girl seasons 1-3 and somehow persuaded Alex to watch it! (Note to brothers and parents: Gossip Girl seasons 1-3 is still on my Christmas list, a fake version is not acceptable within my amazing DVD collection). I knew Alex would also love Chuck Bass! Finally in Saigon Alex decides that Chuck is his hero and would like a suit just like his! This was risky, for those of you who do watch Gossip Girl you will know that Chuck wears some pretty mental suits that clearly cost an absolute fortune...and not many people could pull them off...Either way Alex chose the tux he wore to the prom in season 2...See photos below! This suit was bright blue! The tailor didn't have the fancy fabric in such a bright colour so he had to use cotton! We were both so unsure about how it would turn out. Luckily Alex loves both his new suits, and so do I...Others may have a VERY different opinion (See below for photos, comments welcome!) Either way I'm happy for Alex to keep copying Chuck's style!

Once Alex had ordered his suits I was a bit jealous. On day 3 I decided I would have a tailor-made dress- more shopping. I went to a much cheaper shop considering I wear my dresses once or twice. The lady who made my dresses was very nice though. The shop didn't have the fabrics I wanted so she took me to the market to select some. I designed a dress to copy one that I had found in a shop which was way too expensive, and another I found in her book. New Years Eve outfit sorted! Buying the dresses and suits meant we had to hang around Saigon longer than we should have done for fittings etc. We hadn't done any of the recommended sites so we decided we should probably book a tour to somewhere in the Mekong Delta.

On Day 4 we went to Can Tho. The trip was good fun...but a very brief glimpse of the Delta. We were guided to a couple of Islands, drank some honey tea, held a massive snake, listened to some singers and watched some coconut things being made. We also had a couple of boat trips which I enjoyed and a bike ride around one Island (Alex consistently trying to over-take me made this part less enjoyable). Still it was a pleasant change to the squillions of motor bikes everywhere and the afternoon rain in Saigon.

That's it for Saigon...Mostly chilling out and shopping. I also persuaded Alex to buy a pink nipple bar which is another very exciting part of our trip and well worth a mention in my blog. We did intend to leave for Phu Quoc on day 5 but limited space on the bus meant we had to stay another night. Now we are in Phu Quoc where I have had the most awful 3 days ever! More to come in my next post!

xoxo