On leave; drove the girls to school dressed in red and white; finished packing and booked a hotel room while JD went to collect his visa; flight at 11.20 from BT. Arrived Ho Chi Minh at 1.40; the airport is even more efficient than Changi! By the time we cleared immigration -- and there was barely a queue -- our bags were already waiting for us at the carousel. Tried to change tomorrow's flight at the Pacific Airlines counter but a mixture of having no language and suspicion we were being taken for a ride put an end to that attempt. It turned out they were NOT having us on, but alas, too late. What an inauspicious start to our holiday. Got metered taxi into the backpacker district of Pham Ngu Lao, where our hotel is. Crazy streets full of motorbikes, everyone swerving to avoid each other and beeping the hell out of the world. Buildings higgledy-piggledy; power lines like black ropes in the sky. Drove past the Reunification Palace -- so this is where the south fell. Arrived at Saigon Comfort at 2.30, hungry as anything, but at least it's not overly hot with the slight drizzle. Checked into our room for USD22; decent enough if it does smell of kitty litter.... Along our street is Pho 24; went in search of sustenance and had our first meal in Vietnam: hearty, sustaining pho bo tai with fat brisket (for me) and flank steak (for JD). Walked from there to Pacific Airlines office in Dong Khoi to change our flight tomorrow (price has now gone up from US$26 at the airport to $32.30 but what the hell). Across the road is the Majestic, with a charming rooftop bar where we had a drink (diet coke for me) and a view of the very busy, teeming Saigon River. Excellent. From there we ventured northwards on posh Dong Khoi (stopping for a small spot of shopping) to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Spent a few minutes at the wonderful Main Post Office, like going back in time to the Victorian era. The cathedral was closed so we wandered to Quan An Ngon on ?? where we had a sumptuous dinner for US$10, and finished with a drink on the 23rd story of the Saigon Sheraton. Isabel called to say she loved us.