Ho Chi Minh City (3-6 Apr)

Another business trip to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Very last minute. Was given clearance to attend the education fair on Tue 1 Apr morning and I was suppose to fly on 3 Apr (fair was 4-6 Apr). Scrambled through to get flights and accommodation. Flights were not a problem. It was the accommodation. I chose to stay downtown instead of the official hotel near the exhibition centre (which is near the airport). Tried to book Duxton (stayed there twice, very satisfied – value for money: Aug 2007 rate was S$178 per night including breakfast) but was quoted S$370 per night for Exec. Deluxe room as the lower-priced rooms were all full. Too ex, so travel agent suggested Rex Hotel, also a 4-star hotel in city centre – S$230 per night including breakfast. Submitted for approval but at the same time, I had to get the travel agent to confirm the booking. No choice, cannot wait lah… But thank God, this was approved on 2 Apr evening, the day before I fly. This was my first travel on such short notice!

Think I’ve become more independent since I joined NUS and traveled for business. Before this, I have never traveled for work, nor have I traveled without friends or hubby or worse, sleep in a hotel room on my own hahah!! I was afraid to stay out alone, and sleep alone, not to mention the idea of eating alone!! Eventually with business trips, think I’ve become used to it hehe… Well, I suppose it’s not a bad thing ;) Everybody learn, in different ways, be they the easy or hard way. And I thank God for giving me opportunities to “grow up” in this way ;)

My first business trip was in Aug 2007 (HCMC) when I traveled with my boss and colleagues from the other office and everyone stayed in the same hotel. So, I’ve got company – wasn’t that bad afterall. Just had to adjust to sleeping alone in the hotel room. But very glad I got through that. My second time was in Jan 2008 to KL Malaysia when I traveled there alone, but was joined by boss and colleague the next day (again, same hotel). Not too bad either – had company to eat and shop as well as return to Singapore. This time, I basically was alone – traveled there alone, transferred to hotel alone, go to-and-fro the exhibition centre alone and stayed in a different hotel from the other colleague. But, everything was ok! Yeah!!!

Rex Hotel:
Checked-in and was given room 173 (1st floor). Didn’t like the idea of staying on low floor so asked to change and was given 575 (5th floor). Rex is a 6-storey 4-star hotel. Went into 575 and didn’t like the room hahah!! I had higher expectation of the place especially since it’s been rated a 4-star hotel and so should be on par with Duxton right? Anyway, I called up the Reception and asked what was the difference between 173 and 575 and which was better. Was told 173 was better cos it was a Deluxe category whereas 575 was only a Superior category. Alamak! Haha!! See lah, who ask me itchy back****???!!! Hahah!! Of course I asked to change back to 173 loh hahaha!!!
Night view - very nice from outside right?

Breakfast venue

Bathroom

TV/ working desk

Beds. Notice the old air-con? Hah!

Overall, I didn’t think Rex is on par with Duxton Hotel. The furnishing at Rex looked old. Perhaps they like to retain it that way but I very much prefer modern look hehehee!! They had complimentary wireless internet but signal dropped occasionally. Though clean, every time when I enter the room, I could smell the “moist”. Comparatively, Duxton is much more value for money! One thing to note though – Rex is renovating its new wing so hopefully they’d truly be a 4-star, by my standard hahah!!

Lunches:
There was a Big C supermarket beside the Exhibition Centre. Had a Lotteria burger on the 1st day – 25,000VND…errr.. not nice and too salty for me! 2nd day – decided to be nice to myself hahah!! Had spaghetti and coffee at Highlands Coffee – 90,000VND. Think you might know that Vietnamese coffee is SO VERY SWEET hahhaa!! I had to add a lot of plain water into the half-cup coffee before I could finish it! Hahah!! But their coffee was good!

Dinner on 1st night:

How can I not go back to Pho24?? Haha!! Had a combo meal - bowl of beef noodle soup + spring roll + can of coke = VND67,000 (approx S$6)

Friendship forged at the fair:

Jolly on the right. The other is Nhung, Jolly's cousin.

Thank God for sending lovely angels – young Vietnamese ladies who were engaged as interpreters at the event. We got Jolly at our booth. Her Vietnamese name is Tran Thi Hoang Hang and Chinese name 陈氏方恒 . She said “氏” means female and if it’s for males, it will be “文”. She’s a very lovely young girl, doing her studies in local university, major in English. On the 2nd day of the fair, she handmade and gave me a bracelet. Aaawww.. so sweet of her!!

At the end of the 2nd day, the girls brought 2 participants (from a Malaysia college) and myself out for dinner. There were 6 of us on 3 motorbikes. You guys know how heavy traffic is in Vietnam right??? But it wasn’t scary cos they weren’t riding at high speed. In fact, it was quite an adventure and fun being part of the busy traffic! Only thing is you’d probably get a thick layer of dust on your face after that hahaha!!! Jolly even brought me to her house. I wanted to take pictures but paiseh lah.. hehe… Also, I had to change some money, so Jolly brought me to a gold store near her house and her mum helped me get good rate S$1 = 11,575 VND.

Gold store which does exchange

Local market

Maximark Supermarket - big department store

Thereafter, the girls brought us for seafood dinner at Ngoc Suong. Believe this was the place that was featured on Taiwanese host 曾国城’s food programme. Price was very reasonable – 7 dishes for 6 persons at 437,000VND which came to only S$38! Perhaps cos we didn’t order stuff like shellfish etc. We had 2 x fried rice, 2 x vegetables, fried prawn, bbq cuttlefish and spring rolls of course! Very nice! The fried rice tasted quite bland but that was because the locals could customize the saltiness by mixing it with their fish/soya sauce. Quite good after you’ve mixed it! You can check out the name and address of this place from the picture.

Outdoor dining

Display at the entrance

Live catch

Spring roll

BBQ cuttlefish

Fried prawn

Vege

Fried rice - oops.. almost finished!

Thereafter, the girls also took us to the night market beside Ben Thanh Market (which closes about 5/6pm). Though the night market doesn’t offer as wide a range as the famous Ben Thanh Market, one would still be able to get variety of t-shirts and souvenirs. And because we had the locals with us, we managed to get t-shirts at CHEAP prices, like only 25,000VND per piece (approx S$2.20). Well, heck with the quality (it says “100% cotton”) but it’s so CHEAP hahah!!

Also, one thing we were told by the girls was that they have curfews. They are supposed to be home by 10pm every day but they called their parents to extend their curfew hours that day because of us ;p Thanks girls!!

I exchanged contacts with Jolly and we’re on each other’s MSN haha!! Told her I’d gladly be her host if she comes to Singapore. Offered her to stay at my house too if she wants to save on accommodation ;)

Airport:

HCMC has a new airport - Tan Son Ngat International Airport. I think it just opened last year Sep. Errrr... small, and there really wasn't anything much in there. So, please do not think you can be there early to shop loh... one can finish walking around it within 10min hahah!! And do not attempt to even eat there hoh.. unless you have lots of USD or VND to "throw away" - one can of drink cost USD2 or USD3, and one muffin alone can already cost USD4-6! Imagine a meal?? Bleah!