Cu Chi Tunnels

Built by the Viet Cong in the 1940s as protection from French air raids during the Indochina conflict, the Cu Chi Tunnels extend underground for more than 250km in the vicinity of Saigon alone. This network of passageways later provided vital access to the rural areas surrounding the city during the Vietnam War, when the tunnels housed living quarters, hospitals, booby traps, and storage facilities for the Viet Cong.













The tunnels, and complex, are definitely a tourist attraction, and its one of those things you do so that you've seen/done it. But because of where I've come from and what my family has been through, it's difficult for me to "admire" them - although, of course, I can totally appreciate the hard work that went into creating the network.















Half way through the tour we stopped and were able to purchase some ammunition to fire some some riffles at the range. Kien was so disappointed he wasn't able to fire a weapon or go down to the shooting area. He's just too little, but I've promised him that when he is big enough we can go shooting. Jef got to fire a machine gun and it was fun!





There was also a demo of how rice paper is made. I love eating rice paper so it was great seeing her do it.

Over the last school holidays...

We've been back for over a week now. Settling back to routines hasn't been easy...not sure why. I've not been able to shift my sleep back to this timezone, so surviving on a few hours a night (well, early hours of the morning) means my brain is not firing on all cylinders. This week I'm determined to get this sorted.

We flew over to Saigon on Tuesday 2 October in the first week of the school holidays.



We stayed in an apartment in District 1, in an area that is relatively new. It's quite different to where we've stayed in the past where we step out the door and in amongst the action. At this apartment its quiet and pristine.











We were in Saigon for 4 days, and it wasn't until Saturday that we had a chance to take a walk across the bridge and see what's over there.









Sat Kien down to a bowl of Pho - so great he loves to eat beef noodle soup!





Such an interesting area, and we didn't get a chance to explore it all that much.









When it rains, it rains! We were walking around and could feel the raindrops getting fatter and heavier. We took shelter at a roadside store/dairy type, and after a few beers we decided to just purchase some ponchos and get back to the apartment. Best decision ever! It was so much fun in the warm rain. Kien and I had such a good time jumping in puddles all the way home.

At our Mangawhai ngahere in October

With all our good intentions of getting up north more often kind of went by the wayside as our lives got busier and busier the closer we got to the end of the year. The last time we were up at the property was mid October...which seems like so long ago now. It was a significant visit for us because we had our Ferguson tractor there waiting for us. It got delivered right before we went to Vietnam, so it was something we were looking forward to on our return.











I've got a bunch of snippet videos of us driving around on the thing, and Jef pulling logs down the hill. When I get a chance to edit I'll post them.

We had such amazing weather that weekend. It was sunny and hot, just the way the start of summer should be. We went to the local butcher and got some lovely things to stick on the BBQ. Kien practiced his campfire making skills.







We went to the beach and hung out there for a while. There was hardly anyone around. It was still very chilly but that didn't stop Kien from going in.



















So many good times to be had up there. Really looking forward to heading up there again.

The War Memorial exhibition, the Winter Gardens and the haircut

The Winter Gardens

We've not been for a while, so on Sunday, after the haircut, Kien and I chose to visit this place first. Always a good time, always beautiful, but never this busy when we've visited! We only walked around half of one of the glasshouses, bumping into people and dodging cellphones and tripods. Kien and I looked at each other, and he said, "Yeah, way too crowded. Lets get out of here."





I know from the pictures it looks empty of people, but that's because its the first strip near the entrance way, and I basically stood in the middle of the isle, blocking the way for the photo op.

The War Memorial

From the Winter Gardens we ran up to the museum, stopping for a rest in a tree.



Truth be told we were actually racing each other, and I would have won but the cunning Kien choose to call a rest break. I told him he was a cheater. The denial was palpable.

There's a fantastic kids exhibition happening at the moment called "Secret World of Butterflies". Kien enjoyed colouring in his digital butterflies and seeing it fly on screen.





Also in the WWII section is this new interactive table where you fly the plane around to collect photo images for HQ intelligence. Kien loved it so much. We went back a couple of times after seeing other exhibitions just to have another go.



One of my most favourite parts of the museum are the stairwells. I used to imagine myself living here and running up and down the stairs in my ball gowns.

The haircut

We went to the Warehouse in Newmarket on the hunt for a new bay blade. Kien wanted to buy one with his own money - from birthdays and Christmas presents that we deposit into his bank account. Afterward we walked up the street on Broadway to a shop called Tip Top Haircut. The hairdresser was eccentric, and we waited for quite a while because the dude just talked and talked. He was so nice, and listened to Kien describe the haircut he wanted. Kien and I had done a google search beforehand and found a "something like this" picture. So we showed the hairdresser.



The hairdresser commented a few times how it was good Kien had his own sense of style. Ha, does he ever! Red and blue Crocs? Why not.



Yeah, Kien was in desperate need of a haircut. Oh, and in the pic above it captured a winged seed Kien had found and was trying to fly it high to catch the wind.