Time for another journey, this time it is Vietnam and Cambodia. 

Leaving LAX was a little nerve racking.  The San Francisco airport was experiencing bad weather.  Flight 930 which was supposed to leave at 9:55 AM had been delayed.  We boarded the plan and was told we may not take of until 2:30 PM, an hour after my San Francisco/Hong Kong flight.  As we sat on the runway, I kept reminding myself, it is about the journey and that things happen.

I was not the only one who sighed a sigh of relief when we were told we could take off at 10:30 AM.

I met my travel partner, Allan at the San Francisco airport and we boarded flight 869 to Hong Kong.  The flight lasted 13 hours but I sat "upstairs" in business class of a 747.

As I landed in Hong Kong, I was again struck on what a vertical city it is with it's tall narrow buildings reaching into the sky. 

I finally landed in Vietnam after 24 hours of travel.  I used to think Hong Kong was the best airport in the world but Ho Chi Minh City has built a new airport that makes Hong Kong look like it is aging a little. 

Our tour guide, Trung Nguyen Van, met us at the airport.  As we left, he siad it has opened on September 1, 2007. 

As I left the airport, I immediately noticed the swarm of motorbikes.  There are over 5 million motorbikes in Ho Chi Minh City and I think they were all out cruising the evening air.  These are the things along with sounds and smells that you cannot capture in a website.  The long trip was worth it.

As we headed to the May Hotel, we passed the Reunification Palace where the American war (as it is called here) ended along with the Notre Dame Cathedral and the famous Continental Hotel. All on the tour agenda for tomorrow.  With an 14 hour difference, I hoped I would get a good nights sleep to face the day! 

As I entered my nice hotel room, I noted that there was a large cockroach sitting on the floor.  I point it out to the bellman, he kicked it under the table.  I said it isn't a problem for you but I don't want to sleep in the same room as it.  He sent me back to the lobby and the housekeep would get it.  After an our later I returned, and it was still there.  Needless to say, we was given water burial.  I guess in humid climates, these things happen.

We will have a busy schedule and hoping to take picture to share with all as I go through my Journey.

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