GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!!

New job - actually I started a couple of weeks ago, but as I sent my computer and everything else air cargo from Saudi, I am only today fixed up properly.

Down in the very South - Ca Mau - completing a couple of medium-sized power stations. Tutsi knows 'em.

Had to pay just on 3 million dong to clear my cargo. Sounds a lot but it's only 6,000 baht or a hundred quid, so not too bad really.

The great thing here is the internet shops - paid 1,500 dong one time, 1,000 dong the next. That's 3 baht, then 2 baht. Can;t be bad.

But living conditions are no better than Nakhon Nowhere, out in Issaan. In the provincial capital and I live up a dirt track where they are laying storm drains - hopefully complete before the wet season in a couple of weeks.

But the gains on Saudi are definite - pork to eat - beer to drink. (And there are many good-looking girls ). So even though I am naturally a whingeing Pom, I'm not complaining yet.

Six months left to close this project, then move on to another .....

Good luck Humf! Would be great to see some pics of what it looks like where you are.

Including some of (And there are many good-looking girls tongue.gif )

Good luck Humf! Would be great to see some pics of what it looks like where you are.

Yes

Including some of (And there are many good-looking girls tongue.gif )

And yes

And yes!

Good luck HB I know exactly what you are going through. I am also living in a provincial capital and whilst most roads are paved the conditions are not exactly what you would call comfortable. How's the traffic down there? If this palce is anything to go by it's a laugh a minute (either that or a scream of terror).

Good luck HB I know exactly what you are going through. I am also living in a provincial capital and whilst most roads are paved the conditions are not exactly what you would call comfortable. How's the traffic down there? If this palce is anything to go by it's a laugh a minute (either that or a scream of terror).

All 'Lady Bikes' or small-capacity mo'bikes. The only cars I see are the three that carry us Westerners to our places of toil.

But - unlike Thailand - all riders (drivers and adult pillioneers) wear fair quality crash helmets. 'Coz if they don't yhey'll lose their licence. Yes - they have driving licences as well!! This is not LOS.

But the test must be damned easy 'coz the driving is suicidal. Slow, but all over the road.

I'll put a few pix on the board in a day or two.

I'll be interested to see how you get-on, what you think of the place. I ummed-and-ahhed about settling there instead of here. Met my wife-to-be on one of my reccies and that sort-of settled it. Still wonder about Vietnam sometimes though.

Good luck, Humph!

I'll be interested to see how you get-on, what you think of the place. I ummed-and-ahhed about settling there instead of here. Met my wife-to-be on one of my reccies and that sort-of settled it. Still wonder about Vietnam sometimes though.

Good luck, Humph!

I worked in HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City)(SaiGon) earlier this decade, so had some idea. But out in the provinces it is still very primitive, although evidently improving fast, according to the guys who have been here a couple of years.

You can get some European foods in one shop in Ca Mau that I've been shown, otherwise it's all market-stall stuff.

Quality of clothes and linens is poor, footwear for me (size 44) is virtually non-existent. Cutlery (had to buy my own) can be bent by a five-year-old. Bread is good, and one or two restaurants try for European / International menus. But only half-succeed.

I will later today be travrlling the only asphalted road in the province, outside of those in Ca Mau City. I'll take pix.

All 'Lady Bikes' or small-capacity mo'bikes. The only cars I see are the three that carry us Westerners to our places of toil.

But - unlike Thailand - all riders (drivers and adult pillioneers) wear fair quality crash helmets. 'Coz if they don't yhey'll lose their licence. Yes - they have driving licences as well!! This is not LOS.

But the test must be damned easy 'coz the driving is suicidal. Slow, but all over the road.

I'll put a few pix on the board in a day or two.

There's the big difference. Quang Ngai straddles the main north-south, HCMC to Ha Noi, highway so in addition to many cars we get a lot of trucks and long haul busses and those guys don't give a <deleted> for any other road user. They steam along the highway, horn blaring, lights flashing on the wrong side of the road passing other slower traffic. Folks coming the other way have a simple choice, get off the road or die. Night time, in addition to the constant horn blasts, they drive with headlights on main beam and fog lights as back up, traffic coming the other way is driving into a wall of light and noise. The company changed our working hours so that we can get back to QN before nightfall.

The crash helmet law came in last December and is being fairly strictly enforced. One thing that needs to be borne in mind is that for any transgression unless you can pay the spot fine they confiscate your bike. Recovery of the machine can take months during which time, if it's a genuine Honda, most of the genuine parts will be replaced by Chinese copies. So what you get back is a semblance of your bike. It may not be Thailand but the police attended the same academy of artistic corruption.

I look forward to the pics.

"artistic corruption" I like that!

OK - some pix.

I may have to send three or four postings to get a dozen pix up, so bear with me.

Ca Mau is down in the very South, Mekong Delta country and is very flat with many rivers and streams.

The road between Ca Mau city and the power station is reputedly the only asphalted road in the area. It was built alongside a small river and most of the houses are on the other bank. So .....

The road is 3 1/2m wide, with a soft shoulder. But the bridges along the road, rather than the ones beside the road, are capable of taking a vehicle.

It's rather like rural Thailand forty years ago - but they are trying to catch up

That's my first set. More to come.

Second set is more varied

The first is still with the river, because they are the fall-back transportation system here. All our heavy plant was river-borne.

The land is flat - all flat - I am told that Vietnam is expanding Southwaed at 100m per year, with the silt brought down by the Mekong.

And a couple od roadside diners for those who need to rest on the way.

There are a few more pix coming - sorry about the large size of each - I didn't check before posting.

Final few for now -

Firstly the street in Ca Mau city where I lay my weary head (well, not exactly in the street)

This guy is not jumping - just trying to avoid getting himself knocked down

Several of the journey to the office and to site. Notice that all mo'bike riders have at least half-decent crash hats - aspecially as no-one drives over 40 kph (25 mph for those who live in older times)

The other day the Deputy Prime Minister came to open the power stations - so there are welcoming banners like this all along the road.

Sorry, chaps - that's it for now. Lady pix may follow later, but the locals have to get used to me first.

Cheers for the effort Humf, really interesting stuff.

What is striking compared to Thailand is the lack of decorations and colour. Maybe this being the dry season makes it look more grey than it is otherwise though.

That must be my lack of photography skills!

It is dry(ish) at the moment, nut out of town there is a lot of greenery - alyhough agricultural land is either just ploughed or looking a bit dusty.

In town is grey - and smelly.

Over the past three days there have also been half a dozen or more power cuts - from five minutes to twelve hours duration.

Excellent snaps, Humph - thanks.

The snaps remind me of Thailand.

Very rural indeed. Makes Quang Ngai seem like the teeming metropolis and this is supposed to be one of the poorer provinces hence the location of the Economic Zone.

Started raining yesterday - let's see what the next week brings.

It reminds me of rural Thailand thirty years ago, rather than now.

Mo'bikes rule the roads - virtually no trucks or cars in this provibce, even in HCMC (SaiGon) there are fifty mo'bikes to every car. Pattaya I reckon as even - same number of bikes as cars.

Started raining yesterday - let's see what the next week brings.

It reminds me of rural Thailand thirty years ago, rather than now.

Mo'bikes rule the roads - virtually no trucks or cars in this provibce, even in HCMC (SaiGon) there are fifty mo'bikes to every car. Pattaya I reckon as even - same number of bikes as cars.

Perhaps you should start a tuk-tuk company

Or a rickshaw company!

Quang Ngai nightime for every 100 vehicles about 30 are cars/trucks/busses, 60 motorbikes and 10 bicycles.

Daytime it's around 15 cars/trucks/busses, 40 motorbikes and 45 bicycles. If it's late afternoon when the high school turns out many of the bicyles bear young teenage girls resplendant in their tight fitting Ao Yai's showing off their perfect bodies and with the semi translucent tops...............................

........................'allo Gary, what's the grub like in 'ere then?

I'm glad you stopped when you did!

Quang Ngai nightime for every 100 vehicles about 30 are cars/trucks/busses, 60 motorbikes and 10 bicycles.

Daytime it's around 15 cars/trucks/busses, 40 motorbikes and 45 bicycles. If it's late afternoon when the high school turns out many of the bicyles bear young teenage girls resplendant in their tight fitting Ao Yai's showing off their perfect bodies and with the semi translucent tops...............................

........................'allo Gary, what's the grub like in 'ere then?

Glittering!

There are moto'cy taxis - in fact there are three or four proper taxis around. But I've had too many scrapes and bumps in Thailand to risk the m/c guys - even though traffic here is all travelling at about 30-35 kmh. The cars need my address to come and pick me up - so I would need a Viet translator to give directions. The local high school teaches English ......

What an adventure...........Once in a lifetime stuff, I'm actually jealous.

I'm sure you'll get over it, Limpy.

E:T

I'm sure you'll get over it, Limpy.

E:T

With a bit of luck, a prevailing wind and the help of three policemen!

Quang Ngai nightime for every 100 vehicles about 30 are cars/trucks/busses, 60 motorbikes and 10 bicycles.

Daytime it's around 15 cars/trucks/busses, 40 motorbikes and 45 bicycles. If it's late afternoon when the high school turns out many of the bicyles bear young teenage girls resplendant in their tight fitting Ao Yai's showing off their perfect bodies and with the semi translucent tops...............................

........................'allo Gary, what's the grub like in 'ere then?

Saturday was power-cut day, for most of Ca Mau, including the restaurants near-by. And few enterprising enough to have generators. One did, but wouldn't put it on because it was noisy, his friend was asleep and he didn't want to disturb him. So I had sandwiches.

Sunday we had power but the TV station did not - so I missaed all the AFL and Aussie Rugby League matches.

Went out to eat in the evening and watched the mo'bikes going by. One truck - three hundred mo'bikes - one car - about thirty-five mo'bikes - one car - at least 300 mo'bikes (I'd given up counting) and a truck.

So 700 mo'bikes to four four-wheeled (or more) vehicles. It was a Sunday, but it's about typical.

And roughly 150 bicycles in that time as well, but as none carries lights I may have missed some.

Also I toured the ATMs - one booth had no machine in it, three others would not give me cash (although showing Visa and MasterCard symbols) and two more were 'undergoing maintenance'. Eventually found one in a hotel that would give me 2 million Dong (4,000 Thai Baht) on each withdrawal. That's enough for a week or more, as I am working most of the time and I reckon on spending less that 500 Thai Baht per day out here. Couldn't do that if I was touring, but it's OK for a poor hard-working civil engineer.

HB, sounds like you're having an 'interesting' time out there...

Keep us posted.