G'day mate!
An Australian custom officer greeted me like that with his strong and thick oz accent when I stepped out Melbourne airport.Organizing country! all the roads, working areas, public services are well - setting up. The Indian cap driver ( there are lot of cab drivers here come from India I think ) told me he had a short term of work in Australia and expected to get enough money to come back and get marriage in India. Conversation went so friendly while I noted that I am on the cab at 120km/h. My head started spinning around with speed, driver said this was quite normal speed for me and it just become a rule - Can't be slow ( I later found out that he was over speeding a bit ).
Hotels in Australia are expensive! I can see how much people can save up in Vietnam only for accommodation. I decided to book a room cost 100 AUD for 2 nights. Surprisingly, it turned out as small apartment that totally self - service. The tall girl at the reception desk showed me the way to the apartment with cold face and hurry, passed me a map. I got no ideas with mapping and stuff, intended to ask her to call me a cab but she was disappeared to the corner ( everyone was so busy on that day as their holiday of Melbourne Cup ). Anyway, I tried to work out on the map and get right direction to the room. After 15 minutes with quite heavy bags, I stopped trying so. Suddenly, There was a guy with bike cycle stopped by saying ''you look like getting lost or something, how may I help you? sir'' He thought I am Chinese and spoke a bit of Mandarin while I still stare at him as not sure what is going on. I said ''Oh, no I am Vietnamese, sorry, Could you please show me the way to Easy Stay Hotel please?''. He took me the corner and doing as most professional tour guide I have ever seen. Pick up his phone and started talking to the hotel I showed him on check in voucher. I had wondered how much he charges me for this 5 minutes phone call? Finally, He also got the direction of apartment I was looking for - Just about 150m ahead. I was going to ask how much for phone and stuff (good that I didn't), he turned his bike and said ''OK, bye mate, good luck to you, I like Ho Chi Minh'' and disappeared to the corner.
Everything here is different, house are bigger, my room can fit a village, road is large and people is busy. I took a walk along the Kinda beach after shower. Cold and windy but number of people still swimming and chatting away with groups and friend.
Dog! lot of dogs walking with people along footpath near the beach. I took a couple of photos then heading back to indoor restaurant as I was too cold.
The restaurant was recommended by cab driver I took from airport, packed of people. Kinda Street can be crowded like Bui Vien or De Tham street in Saigon. People walking, drink, singing, drunk, everything you can find on this street. Amazing to look out and see Australian having fun on Melbourne Cup day as I can vote Oz is one of the best in entertaining. So much fun around here. I ordered by recommending from a friendly waiter, A fish dish! Beautiful fish and source come along with side salad. The bill was not too beautiful, 35 AUD for 1 dish and 1 drink. I talked to myself ''Sorry Nghi, I will try to do better next time''
...continue...
Tuna
