A trip to Vietnam Embassy

[mogo51]

We are  off to Vietnam on Monday next week for 3 week holiday, HCMC and Vung Tau.  Need a Visa, not sure SO she is ASEAN, $85Au for the visa - ouch!!!

The cost of the return trip from Thailand.  Have all necessary documents, pay the money, see you on 28th March to collect, not before 4pm.  We are 2.5 hours from the Embassy.  Really, a stamp, maybe a computer check to see we are not persona non gratia.  Even in Thailand, the land of inefficiency it only takes 24 hours or on the spot depending on what you need (I will get a re entry on visa Thursday on the spot).

It seems this type of behaviour is endemic throughout Asia - Communism is obviously not the answer either!

[Jack Peterson]

2 minutes ago, mogo51 said:

The cost of the return trip from Thailand.  Have all necessary documents, pay the money, see you on 28th March to collect, not before 4pm.  We are 2.5 hours from the Embassy.

Ron, I hope it is all worth it! You and Pre have a great time we will be looking Forward to some Photos 

[mogo51]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

Ron, I hope it is all worth it! You and Pre have a great time we will be looking Forward to some Photos 

I am sure it will be Jack, we are looking forward to the trip.  

[frosty (chris)]

3 hours ago, mogo51 said:

We are  off to Vietnam on Monday next week for 3 week holiday, HCMC and Vung Tau.  Need a Visa, not sure SO she is ASEAN, $85Au for the visa - ouch!!!

The cost of the return trip from Thailand.  Have all necessary documents, pay the money, see you on 28th March to collect, not before 4pm.  We are 2.5 hours from the Embassy.  Really, a stamp, maybe a computer check to see we are not persona non gratia.  Even in Thailand, the land of inefficiency it only takes 24 hours or on the spot depending on what you need (I will get a re entry on visa Thursday on the spot).

It seems this type of behaviour is endemic throughout Asia - Communism is obviously not the answer either!

Did the Vietnamese visa a few years ago, still have in my passport, in Aus then had to send my passport to the Embassy in Canberra by priority mail, think it was around $60 then. I enjoyed Vietnam, people I met were good, lot's to do, good food and then was super cheap. Did the Vung Tau trip by road and fast cat, much preferred the boat trip, was about ten dollars one way then. Vung Tau is where all the rich and famous go when Saigon gets too hot. If you can go to the Rex Hotel, they have a rooftop bar, great place for a drink on a balmy night, when the war was on was told it was full of spooks and high ranking military. Anyway have fun, I would like to go back again someday.

[mogo51]

18 hours ago, frosty (chris) said:

Did the Vietnamese visa a few years ago, still have in my passport, in Aus then had to send my passport to the Embassy in Canberra by priority mail, think it was around $60 then. I enjoyed Vietnam, people I met were good, lot's to do, good food and then was super cheap. Did the Vung Tau trip by road and fast cat, much preferred the boat trip, was about ten dollars one way then. Vung Tau is where all the rich and famous go when Saigon gets too hot. If you can go to the Rex Hotel, they have a rooftop bar, great place for a drink on a balmy night, when the war was on was told it was full of spooks and high ranking military. Anyway have fun, I would like to go back again someday.

Morning Frosty,

I have been twice before, but the last time was about 15 years ago so am expecting things to be somewhat different.  We are going from HCMC by ferry, should be a nice trip down.  Love the food there last time, am wanting to experience as much street food as possible and maybe go out to Long Tan Memorial.

Just a shame they cannot get their act together with visa though.  Off today back to Embassy to pick up passport with visa (I hope). Another 1/2 day wasted. Then tomorrow down to Immigration in Pattaya to get re entry visa !000bht, but it will be my last one, leave on 27.7 for Phils, the day my retirement visa expires here.

I remember staying at the old French Hotel opposite the memorial park 'square' can't remember the name of the hotel, but it was the first one in HCMC and was a lovely hotel, such charm and history.  My SO has not been to Vietnam and she is looking forward to it also. 

[frosty (chris)]

4 minutes ago, mogo51 said:

Morning Frosty,

I have been twice before, but the last time was about 15 years ago so am expecting things to be somewhat different.  We are going from HCMC by ferry, should be a nice trip down.  Love the food there last time, am wanting to experience as much street food as possible and maybe go out to Long Tan Memorial.

Just a shame they cannot get their act together with visa though.  Off today back to Embassy to pick up passport with visa (I hope). Another 1/2 day wasted. Then tomorrow down to Immigration in Pattaya to get re entry visa !000bht, but it will be my last one, leave on 27.7 for Phils, the day my retirement visa expires here.

I remember staying at the old French Hotel opposite the memorial park 'square' can't remember the name of the hotel, but it was the first one in HCMC and was a lovely hotel, such charm and history.  My SO has not been to Vietnam and she is looking forward to it also. 

Certainly has changed, looked at You Tube and seems to be a lot more westernised with a lot more tourists.

I don't know if it's still there but the big building that serves as the main market near that enormous big roundabout in Saigon, at night the car park was turned into seafood heaven, lots of little resto/take aways, food was fantastic, all fresh and as cheap as chips.

Went to Long Tan last time, something quite eerie about the place, the monument is in a rubber plantation, you have to get permission from the locals to visit, or you did back when I last went. Wish I was going too now . Have a great trip I am sure your SO will enjoy it.

[mogo51]

18 minutes ago, frosty (chris) said:

Certainly has changed, looked at You Tube and seems to be a lot more westernised with a lot more tourists.

I don't know if it's still there but the big building that serves as the main market near that enormous big roundabout in Saigon, at night the car park was turned into seafood heaven, lots of little resto/take aways, food was fantastic, all fresh and as cheap as chips.

Went to Long Tan last time, something quite eerie about the place, the monument is in a rubber plantation, you have to get permission from the locals to visit, or you did back when I last went. Wish I was going too now . Have a great trip I am sure your SO will enjoy it.

I will give you a report when we get back, leave on 3rd, 4 days Saigon, 12 days Vung Tau, another 2 days Saigon then back Pattaya.  Funny you should talk about 'eerie' feeling, the same happened to me at Gallipoli  many years ago, Austwitz in Poland and 'Killing Fields' Phnom Phen.  All these places will never leave my memory, so very sad and deathly places.