TAS - My new lab

My new computer lab at The American School of Vietnam, (TAS), which I was lucky enough to design, is awesome. On the ground floor of one of our 5 villas that comprise the secondary campus, it has over 30 computers. The room is huge, bright and airy, with a view out to the swimming pool and football pitch at the back of the school. Not as beautiful as the views from the primary campus of the Saigon River, but still not bad...it feels like a home rather than a classroom. Quiet, peaceful and sunny. Wait until I start decorating! Notice boards and posters are going up next week.




For the rest of the school, the finishing touches are being applied.

Possibly the best place in Saigon for kids

Possibly the best location in Saigon for kids is the swimming pool in Phu My Hung by the 9 hole golf course. It has a large sandy area where the water is only a couple of inches deep and another shallow area for the kids to play. In a city where options for the small kids are severely limited this place is an absolute god send.






It's way pricier than other swimming pools in the city at 45,000 dong for adults and 30,000 dong for kids about 0.8 meters high, free for those below. Food and drink is available but again - 30,000 for a cafe su da or a bottle of water. Take your own supplies!


To get there, as you come into Phu My Hung from the FV hospital side there is a turn off just before the Toyota garage signposted 'Golf' which takes you down behind Nguyen Van Linh and to the golf course, swimming pool and tennis courts there. Enjoy!

Dancing in the Park

We see all sorts in the park on our Sunday morning walks, me and Lou. We've seen dramas and soaps being shot, adverts, models posing for magazine photos and of course plenty of wedding couples - tripping over each other in fact. On this particular occasion it was the filming of a music video. I was amused by the fact that two guys were acting as a counter balance for the camera thingy..not sure if that is industry standard practice!

At the bottom...


At the top...



The song was one of those ballards that is so slow it takes about 45 seconds to rock from one shoulder to the other and every arm movement is in slow motion. Enjoy.

End of an Era

Connections Vietnam is coming to the end of an era - three of our greatest student guides ever who have been with us since the beginning are all graduating (or already graduated) and moving on to bigger things. They are: on the left, Bao Anh. Next to him is Thuy Van and at the back left is Minh Giang.



Center right is Ms Nghia, one of our most popular chefs, it is also her house where a lot of cooking classes have taken place over the last three years.



Our friends Bao Anh, Van and Giang told us how Connections had really helped them develop their skills, their confidence and their English. Problem solving comes into as well, having to think on their feet during some of those Dine and Meet tours...! Bao Anh recently was hired as a management trainee for Johnson and Johnson, after presenting to the board of directors. Van is off to Thailand for a months voluntary work and hasn't decided yet whether to do a Masters next year...Giang is also working in her new job after graduating from University. I was extremely proud to hear how our small company had benefited these wonderful young people, and they all swore that even when they all have full time jobs they still want to do tours...so it's not really the end. Thanks for all your hard work guys!

Jungle Beach June 2010

After finishing my current job for the summer (and for good before changing schools) Chi, Louisa and I took an overnight train to Nha Trang. Presenting the Shinkansen of Vietnam.


Nice cosy compartments with only two bunks, decent enough mattresses, curtains, small reading lights and wall paneling. Still slow but comfortable. Tickets cost between 400,000 - 500,000 dong. With the hours of slow rocking and trundling Lou certainly had no problems getting a good sleep.


Where were we heading? Jungle Beach to be exact. I have written about it before. Around 60km north of Nha Trang - that's 40km down the Highway and then turning at the Hyundai sign which leads down past the shipyard and onto a relatively untouched peninsula where JB sits on probably the best beach in Vietnam (definitely the best that I've been to). Upon arrival we chose our accommodation, a bamboo house with en suite for $35pp (all food inclusive). Most of the rooms use a shared toilet block and cost $25pp.




The beach is perfect, especially at this time of year where during the summer months the sea is like a millpond. At all times of day the water is shallow for a good 50 meters making it perfect for kids, and late afternoon the tide goes out leaving an expanse of wet sand and inch high waves lapping the beach.

Bamboo shades to protect from the hot summer sun.


Looking back at JB




Late afternoon






Lou loves the sand!

We then went to Diamond Bay for a night. Still clinging on to its hosting of Miss Universe as a claim to fame, we found this place a poor 4 Star compared to the 'no star' qualities of JB. JB is basic, no air-con, simple bamboo rooms and furniture, communal mealtimes, free lemon juice, a few steps from an amazing beach and swimming. Diamond Bay is small 'Garden Superior' rooms for rack rate of $160++, bathrooms with a hole drilled in the floor because the drain doesn't drain, a buffet breakfast that was tasteless. It is one of those resorts where everything is miles away and guest are whisked around by golf buggies. By far my biggest gripe though has to be the pool area - great if you are a couple, the pool is huge, one of the biggest I've seen probably bar VinPearland. But no kids pool. Just a vast pool for swimming but nowhere for kids (toddlers at least) to safely splash around. After having spent 4 days at JB with Lou running and splashing around on the beach it was tiresome.



Diamond Bay has it's own private bay, with name of the resort in big tacky letters painted on a concrete wall.


One of the private beaches, the other you need to go to in a golf buggy.

The comparison is symbolic and for myself as a traveller I am always looking for value balanced with authenticity. JB has both, the beach is isolated and remote, quiet and exotic. It's the kind of place that reminds me I am in South East Asia and floods me with nostalgia remembering similar such experiences when I was backpacking many years ago. Diamond Bay is overpriced, thoughtlessly designed and reeks of artificiality.

My choice will always be the 'Jungle Beach' of resorts when on the road - if lucky enough to find it.