Hi Chi Minh Saigon

Arriving late in Ho Chi Minh City (our time) turned out to be 9:30 Viet time, so not too bad, really. We were offered an upgrade to "Business Class" for $348 each. Unbelievably, the computer said, "Yes" and the cost came down to $298 each. Youse all know my attitude to BC, but hell, it's DJ's birthday after all. The experience turned out to be one of Premium Economy with a bit more leg space and food and refeeshments provided. Overall it was value for the relatively small amount we paid for the upgrade. I can safely be said to have stuck by my promise of not experiencing Business Class [Though my many critics will doubtless feel that I have copped out]. TOODLES!
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Rose Travel 2023

oh NO! Not anither travel blog from Groombles!?? Pu-lease! SPARE ME! OMG!!! I shall have to make supportive comments and actually READ what he writes so that he KNOWS I am paying attention! Poor bloke. Oh well, let's see how he goes. I wonder what he'll write first up ...?

Stopovers

​There is much to be said in favour of 8-hour stopovers. For a start, it gives one a heightened sense of appreciation for stopovers that span a reasonable time frame - say one hour and a half. Even more, one remembers with great fondness the direct flight from Perth to London not six weeks ago. Bliss!  So, in future, when we receive notification that our time in Dubai/Doha/Singapore has been extended to five hours, we’ll be able to whoop with delight, saying, ‘At least we won’t have to fill in eight hours like we did that dreadful time in Dubai!’

And, let’s face it, in twenty minutes we will only have another seven hours to go before we hop on the plane for our 13-hour flight to Melbourne. What a DODDLE!

And I haven’t even gone for a walk around the shops in the terminal yet. That should fill in a good 45 minutes or so, leaving only around 6 1/2 hours to fill in. 

… so all in all it’s a wonderful experience, this trip home to our loved ones. Don’t worry, it’ll be HUGE HUGS ALL ROUND when we finally at that intersection of time and space that we call HOME. 

See youse soon!

Toodles!

The End

​… and now, the end is near, and so we face the final flight-home. Our friends, we’ve made it clear, and state our case, of which we’re certain:  We’ve gone, along the way, we’ve climbed up hills, we’ve ate our dinns and had such fu-un. But now , as tears subside (from saying ‘bye to Ally), we done it OOOUUUR way!

Toodles!

Last Day in London

​Last day today, so DJ and I headed to the area where Ally used to live. Still in Hackney, but the other end - Stoke Newington.  An amazing place. Lots of Jewish people live here. 

Ally suggested we have a peep at the ancient cemetery and, by Jove, we did. All very crowded with bodies, it is. Dead-unds. Graves piled upon graves and people stuffed in between other graves. [The only other crowded cemetery I remember is the Jewish cemetery in Prague.]

A billboard out on the road summarised the history of the area. Look it up, because there’s no room for it here. 

Next we headed (at Ally’s suggestion) to the two ponds where she recreated. She used to swim in one of them:

Water temperature at 14 degrees, so we weren’t tempted. You are only allowed to swim if you tie a buoy to yourself and tow it behind you. Eek!

Near the ‘pond’ was this amazing castle, which we didn’t have time to explore. Next time …

Toodles!

London Marathon

​Gen Blanch was running in the London Marathon this year as she had scored an entry by ballot. This was very exciting for us and we headed into Limehouse to catch her run past at two points. Her previous marathon time was 3 hrs 40 minutes and she was hoping for 3 hrs 15. 

Massive crowds all along the route whistling, banging drums, chanting, and rattling those cow bells. We found the first stop and waited, cameras ready. I totally failed to see Gen run past st that spot, but Ally and DJ saw her with her blue cap and determined gaze. Looking good. 

Off we rushed to the second vantage point, where the view was much better. Here she is:

There was beautiful weather to be had and other marvelous things and people to see:

And celebrations at the finish:

Gen’s time was 3 hrs 10 minutes, which means she smashed her sim time of 3 hrs 15,  but also means she automatically qualifies for entry into the race in 2023. What an effort!  Well done Genevieve!

Toodles!

Seven Sisters Walk

​Ally led this walk. She had done it a couple of years ago. There’s a rail strike today, so we grabbed one of those Zip cars that is parked nearby to Al’s house. £120 for 24 hours - fuel and insurance included. A good deal. 

Off to Brighton and then a little to the left to Seaford for the start. The plan was to walk to Eastbourne and get the bus back at the end of the walk. 

The white chalk cliffs fell away to the right along the walkway. There were some stiff climbs and huge descents, but we were a trio of extremely tough, fit Australians determined not to let the nation down. We didn’t. 

There were mushrooms:

Half-way points:

Lunch stops (one):

Chums sharing a ramble:

And river crossings (again, one):

And finally a destination town:

Right at this point of time we are in the middle of a traffic snarl due to a) the train strike and b) the London Marathon, which has meant the closure of roads in central city. Never mind, it has been a great day. 

Toodles!