Barrington Tops Getaway

I was lucky enough to be invited along with some friends on a 3 day getaway just north of Sydney in Barrington. I was excited to finally take a break from classes and relax for a few days with some of my favourite people. There will be a lot of additional anecdotes in this blog and will be also (lovely) photo heavy.

Day 1

The trip there took around 3 hours by car, including a detour to Newcastle. The accommodation we stayed at was the lovely Barrington River House, which is situated on a patch of farm land and surrounded by lush green pastures and cows. The house itself had 3 bedrooms and a granny flat. It was surprisingly well supplied in the kitchen with almost every utensil and appliance you’d need. We were fortunate to have had awesome weather and enjoyed an outdoor bbq and a swim in the pool on the first day.

10 ways to be a good couchsurfer

I've written about Couchsurfing before on this blog and it is something I feel is a very good platform for travelers to meet people and locals in different countries. In the end, the person hosting you is providing you a link to the local culture and free accommodation. Personally, I've found most of my couchsurfing hosts to be extremely welcoming and polite. I believe that it is like this in most cases. Therefore, it is important that as a couchsurfer, you should do your best to not take the generosity of your host for granted. Having consulted with one of my former, and my first, couchsurfing host, Stefan, he has helped come up with a list of things from his own hosting experience which CS hosts would appreciate from their couchsurfer.

 by DaveAustria.com 

Mui Ne - Vietnam's Southern Seaside Town

Mui Ne is a resort seaside town just 6.5hr from Ho Chi Minh City. It has only recently developed into a tourist destination since 2000 and is not as famous as Nha Trang for travellers. We spent 5 days in this lovely town and hope our friends and fellow travellers put Mui Ne on their next itinerary if they plan to travel to Vietnam.

Newbies Kitesurfing in Mui Ne

Mui Ne is a very popular windsurfing and kitesurfing destination in Asia due to its windy beaches. Although we hadn't initially planned to try out kitesurfing when we made the decision to head to Mui Ne, our guesthouse's owner, Ken had recommended we give it a go and introduced us to one of the instructors, Basti, from the Windchimes Kiting school. He was staying in the room next to ours and invited us to try out kiting the next morning. 

Gallery of kites

My In-Flight Essentials

I think the number one thing when flying is to fly as comfortable as possible. This includes dressing comfortably and taking things that will ensure my flight goes as smoothly as possible.

From the top of my head, these are the items I consider my in-flight essentials*, most of which could apply to both genders.

Clockwise: 1. Facial wipes, 2. Lucas papaw, 2. Roll-on deodorant, 4. Neck pillow, 5. Ipad, 6. Painkillers, 7. Earphones, 8. Pen, 9. Mobile charger, 10. Toothbrush, 11. Big scarf, 12. Small brush, 13. Cardigan

Be careful of what you eat in South East Asia

Holidays are meant to be full of fun memories. Sometimes, those memories include a less than desirable bout of food poisoning. In Australia, when I get sick it is often due to eating meat that was not handled properly. However, it seems the opposite is true in Asia from what I have experienced.

An innocuous plate of fried morning glory

  by  mmmyoso 

10 Things to try in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Part 2

This is a follow up on my previous post about things to try in Ho Chi Minh City. Again, 

there are thousands of awesome things to try and do in this amazing city.

this is just a short list of what I personally thought was a good experience on my most recent trip. 

You could meet a nice shark on one of your strolls

10 Things to try in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Part I

Being of Chinese Vietnamese background, I've luckily been able to travel to Vietnam on numerous occasions for family holidays. However, this time was the first time I traveled to Vietnam without my family and I got to rediscover the country through the eyes of an adult. For those who have not been to Vietnam or its Southern Capital, Ho Chi Minh City, I strongly urge you to see for your own eyes the wonderful food, sights and activities it has to offer. I've made a short and general list of my favourite things in Ho Chi Minh City from my most recent visit. For those who are of Vietnamese decent or have already been lucky enough to travel there, this list would come as no surprise to you. 

1. Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Ca phe sua da)

This one is for the many coffee lovers out there like me! Vietnam is currently the second biggest exporter of coffee in the world, only behind Brazil, so it's hardly surprising that coffee drinking is a popular pastime for the locals. The Vietnamese love having coffee that is sweetened with a layer of condensed milk over a tall glass of ice. The filtered coffee mixed with the condensed milk gives it a lovely caramelly flavour and, poured over ice, makes it the perfect beverage for summer. The way to drink this is first wait for the coffee from the filter pots to finish dripping into your small glass. After around 5 minutes, most of the coffee would've already been filtered through. You'll then need to lift the pot off (watch out, it's hot!) And, with a coffee spoon, mix the coffee with the layer of condensed milk at the bottom thoroughly. When you've mixed the coffee, finally pour the coffee over a tall glass of ice and enjoy! Of course, you can also drink this hot if you choose. 

You'll find many small coffee stands on street corners and all around the city. It is an enjoyable experience just to sit back on the little stools provided with an iced coffee as you observe the locals buzz around with their daily activities. One glass of iced coffee from street stands would cost usually 20,000VND.

2. Vietnamese Noodle Soups

I absolutely LOVE Vietnamese noodle soups. I truly think that Vietnamese noodles are the best in the world because of the amazing flavour in the soups paired with the lovely topping and servings of tender meat and fresh herbs. The soups are absolutely unbeatable. Every noodle dish  has its own distinctive soup it's served with and most soups take on average 3-6 hours to make. The mix of spices and slow cooked meat broth is an unbeatable combination. My top 3 favourite noodles are:

Pho bo

Vietnam's nation dish! When I say Pho, I specifically mean Pho bo tay which is pho rice noodles served with its signature rich beef broth, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and star anise, and topped with rare slices of beef. Best eaten with delicious Hoisin sauce as a dip for the beef. Absolutely delicious.

Bun bo Hue 

A spicy beef soup with slippery round noodles from the middle of Vietnam, Hue. The broth is flavoured with lot's of lemongrass, beef  and pork bones, and topped with beef shank and very tender pork knuckle. I love this dish especially topped with some fresh onions, raw cabbage and cooked papaya strips (yellow stuff in the corner). To be honest, I actually like the vegetarian version a litttttle bit more! Spicy or not spicy, this dish is a winner!

Bun Rieu

Thin rice vermicelli with a tomato, crab and meat soup topped with steamed pork sausage, pork and tofu. Best eaten with a side of shrimp paste! (seriously!)

You'll find these noodles available in most shops and street stalls and of course, if you see lot's of locals gathering there, you can trust their tastebuds! And always remember to squeeze a dash of lime/lemon juice on top before you eat!

3. Visit Ben Thanh Market

A visit to Saigon isn't complete unless you've seen the famous Ben Thanh Market (picture above). The site has become an iconic institution to the locals and tourists. Try your best at haggling with the stalls inside! You'll find everything from shirts, bags, watches to dried goods and sweets. There's even a big 'food court' inside if you need a break between your bargain hunting. Beware that sometimes some sellers might try to grab you to get your attention or try to direct you to their stall. Just ignore them or politely refuse what they're selling you. 

The most popular souvenir...rice hat!

Bargaining tip: Start at half price and negotiate upwards. If the seller isn't willing to accept the price, just walk away. If they call after you, YAY! You've won the bargain war! If they don't, don't worry, there's many other stalls you can still shop at. 

If bargaining isn't your thing, the stalls on the sides of the market near the entrances are government run and owned. All prices are fixed and quite reasonable. Some are cheaper than inside but some might not be. You'll find some lovely shirts and textiles on sale here. Hopefully you'll find something for yourself or souvenirs for back home at the market!

To the Russian Market with love

Alternatively, if you are interested in buying winter clothing such as snow coats or windproof jackets, head to the new Russian Markets, also in district 1. You'll find some incredibly cheap and authentic clothes from North Face, Jack Wolfskin and Kathmandu. This is due to Vietnam being a manufacturing hub for many western clothing brands. We grabbed a $300 North Face down jacket for $30 and a $120 North Face Gore-Tex summit jacket for $18. WHAT A STEAL! 

4. Dinner Cruise

A fancy dinner boat (night)

This might sound a bit strange and tacky, but it was pretty fun having dinner while the boat sailed along the Saigon river. The prices are quite reasonable and there are usually after dinner entertainment on the main stage for you to enjoy. Most cruises sail for around 2hr and will serve you dinner right before they set sail. It's a good thing you can choose your meals a la carte rather than them forcing you to take set menus. Of course the best part of this is feeling the nice evening breeze as you lean over the railings to see Saigon by night from the water. Just don't drop your camera!

Next to one of the dinner boats (day)

5. Visit Pham Ngu Lao

Also known as the "backpacker street", this place is ideal for those looking for cheap hostels and guest houses which are close to city center. I'm lucky enough to have relatives who live in the city center, but Pham Ngu Lao, and its parallel street Bui Vien, is still quite exciting just to walk through especially at night. I can recommend a restaurant called Viet Restaurant (how original!) and their Banh Xeo and their papaya salad (gio du du) if you want to find a place to eat.

Green Papaya salad (gio du du)

Banh xeo (Vietnamese savoury crepe filled with pork belly, chives and lotus root)

 At night, we've been to GO 2 Bar a few times for the shisha. It has a great location on the corner for people watching, just across from the Crazy Buffalo bar. We went usually during happy hour so drinks were cheaper than usual. It was a pleasant place just to sit back and relax with some shisha and a buddy.

Cheers!

Strawberry shisha

If you are walking in Pham Ngu Lao, watch out in case there are any pickpockets. However, this is not such a big concern. You'd be more worried about being harassed by massage spruikers and their billions of flyers.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this post!

* * *

I'm sure some people will agree or disagree with my list. I just want to say that there are so many awesome things to do in Ho Chi Minh City that I haven't mentioned it. This is because this list refers to my most RECENT trip, not including activities I've done in my past 5 trips to Vietnam. I want this to be as relevant as possible to people who wish to see Vietnam now or in the future. Feel free to add to this list in the comment section :)

Couchsurfing - Experiences of a Solo Female Backpacker

Many fellow travelers would have either participated in or heard of Couchsurfing. For those who have not heard of CS, in its most simplistic form, it is an online community that helps travelers find hosts to stay with in different cities, without paying money for accommodation. I first found out about CS when I was researching how to travel on a budget. Of course, the idea of free accommodation sounded very alluring but once I became a part of the CS community I realised that it was much more than a platform for travelers to find a free hotel.

I have to say, I have made many great friends through CS who have either been my host or I have met at CS events or hang outs. For those who are still hesitant about meeting and staying with a stranger in another country, don't worry because many surfers and myself were in the same position as you when we first started. I just wanted to make a list of pros and cons from my own experiences to help those who are considering participating in CS.

The Good FANTASTIC

My first time ever surfing someone's couch was in Munich. It was my first time in Europe and obviously I was still a little nervous about staying in a stranger's house in a foreign country. I was essentially putting myself in my host's hands.  I relied almost exclusively on positive feedback from other CSers on my host's profile and the few conversations we had via Facebook or CS messages to understand the type of person they were.

Fortunately, my first experience couchsurfing was stellar. It could not have gone any better and my impression of couchsurfing was astronomically positive. My host was amazing and very generous for hosting me for longer than planned. Although he had to work, he still managed to show me around different spots in the city and was a good influence for me to continue couchsurfing. This positive experience followed on with my other hosts in different cities such as Salzburg, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Venice and London. I was grateful and amazed that my hosts could always be so hospitable and welcome a stranger like me into their home with open arms. I can definitely say couchsurfing had been a big part of my fun experiences during my trip.

Another great thing about CS is even if you can't surf or host, you can still meet some great people through organised events. You can participate in CS events while travelling or even in your own city. These could range from monthly or weekly drinks, movie nights, pub crawls and sports events. This still gives you a chance to get to know other couchsurfers whom you can network with and meet again in the future. I've found Russian bus mates in Brussels, Spanish and German amigos in Sydney, Finnish friends in London, and Belgian buddies in Salzburg all through CS events.

Through CS I was able to see cities with locals and learn more about their culture, make great new friends, and it obviously helped my budget. The latter became a less important point to me when the benefits of meeting interesting and awesome people from around the world far outweighed the idea of me saving a few dollars.

The Not So Good

Unfortunately, not every CS experience I've had were so peachy. I had maybe the most irresponsible host whilst CSing in Milan. What was surprising was he had stellar feedback from both male and female CSers on his profile, was vouched for and was verified. However, my experience surfing with him was anything but positive. It was the first and only time I had felt very uncomfortable with a host.

To keep the story short, it involved:

• Not replying to my messages to confirm a meeting point and time until the last minute and "forgetting" to give me their number
• Leaving me to wait, with all my luggage, at the train station he told me to meet at for more than 45 minutes after the time HE told me to be there by. He finally calls me and tells me he won't be there until 2 hours later, at 9pm, because he was eating dinner.
• Assuming I wasn't surfing with them anymore simply because I did not reply "OK" to their message telling me where to meet them. Even though they had my number and could've called me for confirmation at any time.
• Hosted 2 CSers at once when he hardly had time or room for one. (This wasn't so bad because I still managed to make friends and hang out with the other surfer)
• He was moving houses during this period and failed to mention this in his CS invite. This meant he was too busy MANUALLY MOVING HOUSE VIA BACKPACK AND TRAIN to do anything or even give us information about the surrounding area.*
• Didn't let us stay in the flat if he was out, even though the other CSer was sick and should've had more rest during the day. I didn't mind since I had my own plans but I thought it was very inconsiderate for the other CSer.
• Essentially kicking both CSers out before the planned date with one day's warning. He was suddenly going out of town,  for reasons unknown.
• Didn't bother trying to have proper conversations with me or just gave short and simple answers. This wasn't due to a language barrier because his English was quite fluent. It was more because he wasn't interested in talking to me. (Maybe he thought I was boring :( )
• And what ALL female CSers fear -  He got touchy

This is the abbreviated version of my experience with this host, who on paper was the model host, but in reality was just irresponsible and borderline creepy. I only stayed with him for 2 nights, originally meant to be 3 but before getting to Milan I decided I would leave a day early for Florence. I couldn't find an alternative last minute couch or a hostel because he had no wifi and unluckily, on Sunday the internet cafe closeby was closed. Additionally, my fellow CSer had stayed with him for 3 days before I arrived. She told me she had similar negative experiences with him. The day she got to Milan was the day he moved into his new house. There was essentially nothing in the house, save for some furniture, and she ended up buying the groceries. She also had no warning about him moving houses during this period. Shamefully, this was the only time I had used CS just to benefit from free accommodation. I'm trying not to paint myself as someone who demands or expects my host to be a personal guide and chaperon, but I was just a bit shocked that he wouldn't mention any information to us before hosting us. I would've been fine with it if I knew in advance that he had other commitments and would've made plans for myself. With him, there was simply no connection, he didn't have the time for us, and he had no intention of staying friends with us afterwards.

However

I am glad to say that my negative experience was just one isolated incident and I would still continue to participate in CS in the future. I hope it didn't discourage anyone but I couldn't just tell you one side of the story. There will be some people you may not like very much but don't let that ruin other potential good experiences you could have with CS. Most of my CS experiences have been amazing and unforgettable. I will putting up some tips for CS first timers in a later post which I hope can be somewhat useful for those who are interested in CS.

For those who have done CS, what have been some good and bad experiences you've had with hosts or surfers? Leave a comment below :)

*This host had sent me a CS invite on his own accord. It had stated he wanted to exchange travel stories, teach me how to cook Italian food and show me around his favourite parts of the city. This invite was only 1 week before I got to Milan. He omitted vital details like him moving, which he would've obviously knew about at that time, and possibly being too busy to do any of what he proposed in his original invite in subsequent messages. With this information I could've weighed up to see if there were other hosts that would've been better for me to stay with. He also ignored many of my other messages before I asked him about where to meet.