The Itinerary

This was our itinerary for 2003. There were several members of our group who arrived and departed earlier/later depending on commitments back in “Oz”.

Tues 12th Aug 03 Depart Melbourne at 1000 – Vietnam Airlines. Arrive Saigon 1550 local time. Check into the Continental Hotel, then familiarization walk around area and group meal.

Wed 13 Tours around Saigon. Visit Notre Dame Cathedral, Re-unification Palace, Museums.

Thu 14  Trip to Tay Ninh Province visit Cao Dai temple.

Fri 15    Catch up day.

Sat 16   Depart Saigon travel to Vung Tau by Hydrofoil (approx 1 hour 15 min trip). This year’s accommodation was at the Palace Hotel. At the time the hotel was being refurbished but a very good deal had been arranged. After lunch, tour around the town, including 1 ALSG area. Visit Harold Holt swimming pool.

Sun 17 Catch up day.

Mon 18 Early rise for trip to Long Tan for a 1000 hrs ceremony. Lunch at the Long Phuc tunnels then on to Baria Markets before visiting the Hoa Long Freedom Fighter’s Cemetery and the Hoa Long Orphanage. Evening BBQ at the Ettamogah Hotel

Tue 19  Phuc Loi, Dat Do, lunch at Xuyen Moc, Long Dien, Baria.

Wed 20 Catch up day.

Thu 21  Nui Dat. (Lunch).

Fri 22    Long Hai Hills. (Lunch)

Sat 23   Catch up day.

Sun 24 Aug 03 Leave Vung Tau by road through Baria, Nui Dat, Binh Ba, Courtney Rubber, Bien Hoa, visiting the Dong Nai War Museum where the original Long Tan Cross is on display. Check back into the Continental Hotel. Suggest evening meal is the Gourmet BBQ at the Underground Restaurant.

Mon 25 CuChi Tunnels and Temple.

Tue 26  Travel by road and boat to My Tho. Seafood lunch

Wed 27 Cholon and “American” markets

Thu 28 Depart Saigon 2040 hrs on Vietnam Airlines.

Fri 29    Arrive Sydney 0825 hrs. Connect with Adelaide flight.

N.B. Catch up days allow for shopping, R & C, re-visiting areas and also checking out new areas.

While we are gallivanting around the countryside, you might see or remember something from your first “All Expenses Paid Trip” to Vietnam that you want to share with the rest of the group, and then we stop and / or go there.

Next years itinerary is changing slightly instead of traveling to Long Phuc tunnels for lunch, David Limpis has arranged and negotiated the service at the Long Tan Cross at 1600 hrs followed by a BBQ at Kanga Pad, Nui Dat.  We will also dine with local Nui Dat Villagers who are very responsive to Uc Dai Loi company. Over the years our group has been making the trip they have developed many friendships in Saigon and Vung Tau. The contacts they have are invaluable and considerable savings are made. For example there are two former ARVN soldiers, Mr Bah and Mr Kim. They make themselves available at the tours disposal for just about 24 hours a day. They accompany us on all the tours, assist the group with shopping, albeit they will stand away to a position where you can see by their body language that you could be paying too much during a sale. If any of the group wish to travel away from the group i.e. partners shopping etc. One of the duo will accompany them to ensure their safety and welfare. Another hint for those that feel inclined to talk to the locals you can also purchase the Vietnamese Phrasebook with Two Way Dictionary. These can be bought on the streets from hawkers for a few Dollars. A handy bit of kit which helps with communications.

One of the oddities you may encounter when dealing with tour guides is dealing with the exaggeration factor. Like good fishermen tales, since the end of the Vietnam conflict, battles have become bigger and better than they ever were. Of course they were always won by the Northern Forces. A good example of this at Khe San. Near the airfield there are two Chinese Light Battle Tanks. Our local guide informed us of their very brave exploits and damage they inflicted on the Americans. We were later informed by our tour leader that the tanks were bought from the North into the DMZ some years after the conflict and placed there as a memorial.

Another case is in and around Saigon is the “captured American equipment” i.e. Helicopters, Tanks, Weapons and other aircraft. As we were told by one of our Saigon Guides. “It was left in all places around Saigon”.

In Vung Tau the same arrangement exists. Our hosts down there, Anh and Alan Davis own the Ettamogah Hotel which we use as our base. It is hassle free, the food is superb and every evening there is always something happening (well, when we are there, that is). Anh is a local who has all the contacts you need and there isn’t too much happening around Vung Tau that she isn’t aware of. If you wish to contact any old friends from your first visit (bar-girls excepted) there is a very discreet list of locals who worked within the ALSG, many years before.

Now I mentioned that in my other article, Profile of an MIA, some stories of my great mate A.B. Pearce had surfaced. I also stated that like a good end of year footy trip some stories should stay on the bus but sorry A.B. I can’t let this one slip by. Well it’s not a story really perhaps the photos will reveal all.

The Trip Home

The return journey home from Vietnam is not unlike most returning International flights with a subtle difference. As usual you are expected to complete the mandatory Customs and Quarantine Forms. If you are traveling with a large amount of Vietnamese Nationals on your flight you can expect some delays at the Customs and Quarantine Counters. This can be caused by travelers not having filled out the appropriate returning immigration documents, passengers carrying food and other items which are strictly banned from entry into Australia.

Of course with all this happening you can notice the Customs and Quarantine Officers becoming irritable and things tend to slow down. One thing which is very noticeable with the Vietnamese is the angrier you get with them the less they understand English.

We have found the following tips useful for the return journey:

On boarding, don’t dilly-dally around, get on board promptly. You will see that other passengers tend to bring their entire luggage on board; most times it is not supervised. The over head lockers fill up very quickly. On our last trip home, one portly type Aussie who sat in front of us came on board about last. When he tried to open the overhead locker it was bursting, so he proceeded to commenced to empty the luggage into the aisle way. The passengers who owned that luggage became a little irate causing the cabin crew to reluctantly moderate between the parties and eventually some of the suitcases etc, went down to the cabin crew’s area. Whilst on the subject of overhead lockers, be careful what you stow up there. The year before, one of our party had a bottle of duty free spirits removed. Think security.

Complete all immigration and quarantine documents accurately, as soon as the Flight Crew hand them out on the aircraft. Then have them stowed handy with your passport. If those little Cocker Spaniel sniffer dogs turn their nose up at your luggage you can bet your going to be held up for sometime;

Prior to leaving Vietnam, scrub the soles of all footwear and place the footwear towards the top of your luggage (easy to locate) make sure there is absolutely no soil anywhere;

Have any items you wish to declare in the hand, ready to go, along with the passport and documents.

Summary

Recently in the Sunday Adelaide Mail Newspaper a travel writer described Vietnam as:

A spectacular mix of an ancient culture, tumultuous history, natural sights, delicious food and interesting people. Its shopping is some of the best in Asia. This is probably the best and most accurate description of Vietnam to date.

In this article I have tried to relate the more noticeable travel tips. Fellow Vampire travelers will no doubt be able to relate many more. If you are seriously considering a return. Do it. You will be guaranteed a very good holiday, good times and probably a more important factor to us Vietnam Veterans, family and loved ones; Closure.

Footnote:

The Harold Holt Pool is no more. After this article was written a Multi-International Construction Company including Australia, commenced construction of a Resort cum Shopping Complex on the site of the old R & C Centre. We can only hope the project is completed.