Finally got down to making some pancakes after a long while of working...
A bite taken out of the pancake :P
Hopefully I will be able to find time to make my favorite muffins ^^
Till then.
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On the second day at Nha Trang, I accepted an invitation from Hai's father to join their family on an island trip. Waking up early in the morning, Hai brought me to a shop behind his house for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of interesting looking pancake like cakes with egg, and was ate with fish sauce. Thank you Hai's mum for trying to teach me how to pronounce the cake's name^^ Must try to learn the spelling too :P After breakfast, we prepared to take a taxi to the Nha Trang port.
Images of the Nha Trang port; Me, Giao and Hai's family and relatives on the boat; Hai trying to take a photo of himself :P
After a long ride on the boat, we alighted on an island for a short while. On the island, we took a small tub like boat to watch coral reefs, and dear Giao had terrible sea sickness. Poor her, throwing up while the others are enjoying the reefs. On the island, I got to snorkel for the first time... Took a bit of effort to regulate the way to breathe and drank some sea water, but the views were really worthwhile ^^.
Next we were ferried to another island which became ours for the whole day ^^. On the island, I had my 1st experience of washing the vegetables by the sea. Tent was set up, drift wood collected and fire started for cooking lunch. While lunch was cooking, we went to do a bit of snorkeling around the island. Giao really seemed to have phobia of the sea though. Throughout the day, we had lots of beer, fish, food etc... Just ate non stop :D Sun was really strong, and poor me and Giao had to help a "handsome" guy apply sunblock... How come it is the reverse from TV movies?
Images of our island for the day; Hai's mum cooking; "Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the most handsome of them all?" :P
The day ended with a huge downpour, forcing us to break camp and return to Nha Trang Port. This is definitely a million dollar experience which no tour can give:) Many thanks to Hai's brother who brought us out for beef steak for dinner... its really gud! ^^ Thanks to Giao too, who suggested that we should eat ice-cream after dinner, but wasn't able to join us in the end. I really had fun seating on the swing and eating the custard pudding and ice-cream.On the fourth day in Vietnam, I had a real taste of Vietnamese culture of coffee. First thing in the morning, I had coffee with fresh milk. The coffee lady sells lots of different drinks, e.g. peanut, soya bean milk etc.
After drinking coffee with milk, we were invited by anh Hai for another round of coffee drinking. As it is a holiday, hippie Huy came out for a walk too ^^. After round two of coffee drinking, we were invited to another coffee session with Giao's friends.

With our stomaches shaking, we went back to Hai's house for lunch. It's the first time ever that I learnt to cut up green mango... simple as it might look, it really took some strength to do it :"> Besides being forced to finish a whole plate of mango, as part of my training, I had to sweep the floor too :P Believe me, it's never a good choice to nap after a heavy meal (cos u will get noonmares ^^).Taking advantage of the non raining day, the three of us went to visit the Chong rocks. Scenery was beautiful, and three of us took lots of crazy photos ^^.
After visiting the Chong rocks, we went back home to rest. On getting off the motorbike at Hai's house, I was invited to a 4th coffee session by Hai's dad O_O. Even though I had too much coffee that day, it was an enjoyable talk with Hai's dad ^^. P.S.: Don't think your dad forgot his English, Hai :P
In the evening, I had the good fortune to bring picky Huy out for a walk at the beach. This picky little boy is so obedient at the seaside, allowing me to hold him, carry him, and he even gave me a kiss! :P What a lucky day ^^. For dinner, we had a hotpot feast, where I had the honor to explain the Chinese words on the induction cooker... I really had my fill of food :P Giao came to sleep with us, and we had Dalat wine and talked late into the night.
Early next morning, we had to prepare for the bus travel back to Saigon. It's the last time I got to see Huy's dance to the duck song... "cap cap cap cap cap"... em chao co.... gosh... I will miss u so much my dear :((
The bus back to HCMC was an interesting bed bus, where every passenger got a bed to themselves. At first it was really comfortable where I got to sleep non stop on the bus, but after some time, passengers on the bus started to visit the toilet beside our beds non stop :| Don't remind me of the smell, it totally spoils the experience :P Traveling from day till night, we finally reached HCMC. Relieved to get off the bus, we had korean food for dinner.. Korean mushroom hotpot, sliced beef, noodles, fried rice... SOOO full and satisfying ^^
After a night in a hotel room with air-con and hot water bath, it's the day I have to leave for HCMC to return to Singapore. Having some time before flying, we went to take a look at Chinatown in HCMC, and did some shopping at Coop Mark. Bought lots of instant noodles, saw lots of makeup and lingerie, compared prices and eventually bought a medium sized "Me to you" bear for S$10... Unforgettable experiences of iced hard yogurt and singing karaoke in an arcade :PFor the whole six days, I had lots of fun with my dearest friends, Giao and Hai. Million thanks to Giao and Hai for being so hospitable during the period I was there. Thank you Hai's family for being so warm and welcoming. Really love all of you ^^. Do come to Singapore for a visit soon, and I will be most eager to welcome you all. Till then, take care. :)
Once again, I flown to Vietnam for a short vacation. It all started with my dear friend Giao suggesting that I visit her and her hometown during their short holiday from 30th April till 3rd May just 2 weeks before the actual flight date. Leave taken, projects rushed just to ensure I get to travel... and finally, its the 28th :)
Waking up at 3am, I managed to drag myself to the budget terminal at Changi Airport some how, got checked in and loiter around the departure hall until its time to board the plane.Sleeping non stop on the plane, I finally touched down in HCMC at 0815. Next comes the 1st experience of changing luggage bag on the spot at the arrival hall into my new 70L travellers bagpack ^^.
After depositing my luggage at Hai's house, we went to visit Giao at her university where I had a short meeting with Caroline and Tham. Really missed u guys :)
For lunch, I had my first experience at Lotteria, a restaurant which sells korean styled fastfoods. Beef hamburger was especially gud after a plane trip, but points for the restaurant started dropping when I saw a rat running ard the restaurant. Seems like pests like to follow me ard, even in Vietnam T_T.
After the short stay in Lotteria, we went on to visit the Reunification Palace. A place where the North and South Vietnam was reunified on 30th April 1975. There were many interesting tunnels, luxurious rooms, gambling room and even dance room in the Palace. Glad that I finally managed to see the Reunification Palace on this third trip to HCMC ^^.
In the evening, Hai showed me his close friends, Khanh and Thao and we had a good chat. Its really nice to meet you guys and learn abt different cultures, differences between guys and gals ;) First time i ever tasted Bun in the rain, with the floor ard the tables flooded and risking the possibility of getting splashed when motorbikes drive past. Thanks Khanh for the ride to the bus station. Its definitely an unforgettable experience. Hope to see u again in Singapore in July :D
The cold and wet 10 hours bus ride to Nha Trang was definitely uncomfortable, with a bus driver snoring on my left, and Hai eating into my space on the right. Watching the sunrise, we finally reached Nha Trang tired and worn out. On arriving at Hai's house comes my next greatest difficulty... To greet the elders in Vietnamese O_O I tried hard, but i guessed the words didn't come out too clearly :P Short introduction tour was given ard the house, and I was lead to the room on the 3rd floor which will be mine for the next 3 days. Next, I was brought to a shop selling Pho, where I got to taste Pho for the 1st time. Its really good, clear soup with beef and soft smooth Pho... Till now I still crave for it :D
After a good breakfast, me, Hai, Giao and her friend Anh went to the famous mud baths at Nha Trang.
Lunch was settled at Giao's home, where we had a wonderful sumptuous meal, and not to forget, lots of beer. Continuous flow of beer and lack of rest really tired me out. It was the sweetest "nun nun" I can ever remember having for such a long time :P
Dinner was a huge seafood feast at Hai's house... Lots of Hai's relatives, lots of "you talk yours, I talk mine" with lots of crabs, prawns, squids, shells, fish, chicken wings, beer etc. Thank you so much, Hai's granny, for shelling seafood and feeding me non stop. The day ended with a Vietnamese style coffee with milk and lots of mosquitoes bites.
That's all for now ^^ will carry on for the rest of the 4 days when I have time... Have a gud day!
