Author: fcreak

After a smooth flight from Hanoi we are at our gate ready to depart Ho Chi Minh City and board our final flight to Melbourne.

See you all tomorrow.

On our final morning for the trip the group headed to the Ho Chi Minh complex. We were very lucky today because the mausoleum containing his resting body of Ho Chi Minh was open for viewing. When we arrived, we walked slowly and in an orderly fashion into the large stone structure to see his body which was surrounded by security guards. The complex was very conservative and it was required that we were very respectful and stayed silent while seeing Ho Chi Minh’s body. After seeing his body the group walked to see Ho Chi Minh’s house which included his garage, kitchen, and home. After seeing the beautiful memorial we hopped back on the bus and travelled to the hotel to pack up and check out for the last time in Vietnam. 

 
On this amazing trip we were lucky enough to have an incredible tour guide, Hai. He connected to everyone in the group and made our time in Vietnam so enjoyable. He was very funny most of the time but serious when needed. Here are some personal thoughts on this amazing man, from the group.

 
 “Hai was an absolute legend and it will be hard to say goodbye. His bubbly personality, made the trip even funnier and more enjoyable”

 
“The trip would not have been the same without him.”

 
“I hope he enjoyed being with us as much as we did with him.”

 
“Hai was the funniest, most interesting, and most relatable guide we could’ve asked for. His openness and willingness to talk about his personal life has been much appreciated by myself, as well as the rest of the group. It will be impossible not to miss him back in Melbourne.”

 

We are now at Hanoi airport waiting for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City where we will connect to Melbourne. See you tomorrow!

Brock and Ben

   
    
    
    
   

This morning we leisurely awoke from our slumber, ready to receive our last full day of our paramount adventure. Once our steady fast was once again broken we dusted the sleep out of our eyes and boarded the bus of four wheels to Hoa Lo Prison. Here we heard tales of how the prison was used and stories about the prisoners that were incarcerated there. We saw how the political prisoners were treated and what their lives were like during both the French rule and the Vietnam War. 
After this we drove back to the hotel and then set off on foot for the nearby market where were given free time to have a peek around the various stalls. We covered our noses and dove into the sea that was an abundance of shops, where we were given the chance to purchase an item or two. The market here was interesting compared to the other major one in Ho Chi Minh City and was much more organised. We walked back to the centre of Hanoi by the lake, and had some more free time to enjoy some lunch and look around the city. 
In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Australian Embassy in Vietnam which gave us a tiny sense of home. It was interesting to see how an Australian embassy functions within a country of such a different culture. We learnt a lot about the relationship between Vietnam and Australia. We visited the embassy with the Vietnam Orange group, so we were able to say hello to our friends and share a laugh and catch up quickly. During our time at the embassy, we learnt about a day in the life of the staff that work there, their jobs and how they deal with certain issues and/or situations between the countries, such as human rights, education and development. We discussed Vietnam’s political system and how it compares to our own. Following the visit, we bussed back to our central meeting spot in Hanoi where we awaited our cyclos. We then set off for a relaxing cyclo tour of the old quarter of Hanoi. At this time of day the streets were bustling and it was good to rest our legs while watching the world of Hanoi go by. Luckily there was a little more free time after this for some more free time and shopping. We spent about 45 minutes picking up any last minute items before heading out for our last evening meal together on the trip.
Be home soon families,

Juliette, Lewis and Tom.

   
    
    
  

    
 

After a night of barely sleeping (for some) we rolled into Hanoi at 5:30am. After dropping the bags off at the hotel we managed to walk fairly sleepily to the Old Quarter via Hoàn Kiém Lake. On the way we watched and joined in on the morning exercises done by the local People of Hanoi. Finally we were able to sit down and enjoy a bowl of ‘pho’ before stopping to get a coffee to make sure we could last the day. While visiting the Temple of Literature we witnessed many Vietnamese graduates’ photo shoots and were interviewed by young school students that were practising their English with us by asking us to fill in a survey. With a thousand years of history,The Temple of Literature was the first sight of a university in Hanoi. For many after graduating from university they then go to the Temple of Literature to take pictures. We travelled back to the old quarter where we got our first bit of free time to enjoy the shopping of Hanoi. The group was the lucky enough to have Bun Cha, a meal Hanoi is famous for, at one of the most popular restaurants of that category. After a short rest at Vietnam Red’s Hotel the group continued to have free time to shop in Hanoi. We then regrouped to watch the spectacular Water Puppet Show where lights, water, puppets and music come together to tell stories of the traditional Vietnamese times. We finished the night with a fantastic dinner, a delicious way to end a superb day!!
Lots of Love,

Oliver, Theo, Alessia and Jorja xxx

P.S. we are missing you all!!! But we will be home soon

   
  

 
   
 

Vietnam Red started their day with their final ‘Romance’ breakfast, then headed off to see the Imperial Citadel in the heart of Hue. A short walk led us to the gate of the impressive complex and our guide Hai informed us of the history of the outer perimeter as well as the areas within. Once finishing there we returned to the hotel and checked out and continued on to have a free lunch. We then continued on to a local supermarket where we purchased our dinner and snacks for the train that night. Everybody was excited and the trip was greatly anticipated by all. After waiting an hour or so, we boarded the Reunification Express, ready for the long night ahead. Many students ended up bundling into one compartment, eating their delicious noodle cups. For some it took a long time to fall asleep, listening to the clacking of the train on the tracks, whilst others nodded off quickly. It was overall a good night, full of memorable moments!   
 
   
   
 
 

Just a quick note to say that we have had a great morning checking out the Imperial Palace in Hue. This afternoon we will board the Reunification Express train to Hanoi. We will bring you a full account of day 14 plus the train journey after we arrive in Hanoi tomorrow.