As the birth of our universe has left an afterglow in deep space, the events of the mid 20th Century have left a pervasive resonance in the contemporary Vietnamese and Cambodian society. Let me give you an example. During one excursion our guide gave us an absolution: "We have forgiven you. You are free to spend your money here" There was a grin on his face but he was not altogether jesting. He was proud of his parents' victories over the French and Americans. Tank No.843 parked in the grounds of the old presidential palace, for all to see, underlines this feeling.

There was pride also in the guides' commentaries in the Viet Cong tunnels, the underground facilities and on the booby traps that were made up of simple materials. They said: "We could smell the Americans coming a mile away, with their soaps and after shave lotions.

The cityscapes of Da Nang, Hue and Saigon exhibit American influences. In Vietnam and Cambodia we were able to use American dollars as currency. French legacy breathes in architecture, French wines head up the beverage lists and the pastries are excellent. At the hotels we were greeted with a 'Bon jour Monsieur, Madame.'

Reference to the Chinese being outflanked by the Vietnamese during the latter's incursion into Pol Pot's Cambodia was frequent. In Cambodia there are stupas built to commemorate the victims of the 'killing fields' filled with the bones of the murdered, Cambodian guides were at a loss to explain Khmer politics; being caught up in the jostling between Russia and China.

We passed through sites of murderous battles and I kept thinking how could these people that fought so fiercely against us a generation ago manage to be so welcoming.

Tony Kulakauskas
October 2011

Map and Itinerary

Where to go? How long a trip? We had downsized from our house in Highton to a unit in Geelong West. So, less property maintenance and more travel - lock up and go was our motto.

Since the shift we have toured up the east coast as far as Townsville, stayed for extensive periods in Sydney, Northern NSW and the Gold Coast. We have covered Northern Victoria with Rotary Conferences and Bowls' trips. We loved taking the Ghan train to Alice Springs, Uluru, Darwin, the Kimberleys and Kakadu. We have covered Tasmania with annual two week drives during autumn. A highlight was a cruise on the Dawn Princess ex Melbourne, around New Zealand.

Ruth, poring over travel supplements in the newspapers, was tempted by travel to China or somewhere in Asia. This sounds pretentious but Old Europe made us feel tired all over - we had spent extended times there and then there was the punishing long flight.

We had spent seven day breaks in Singapore, Bangkok and Phuket several times as stopovers on flights to Europe. Asia was comfortable and our eyes turned towards our Near North (known as the Far East not that long ago). Still nothing firm settled into our brains. We needed a catalyst to get us over the line, to make a decision.

The catalyst materialised in the form of Peter and Kay our old friends from The Corio Ski Club and the Glenmona Wine Estate days. While having a coffee with them, Kay said: "We are going to Vietnam". We said, just like that: "We will come with you". So there you are, all travel wonderings were over.

Our itinerary : starting 2011-08-01 was to fly from Melbourne via Singapore to Hanoi. A couple of days there then a night train to Sapa to visit hill tribes. Then back to Ha Noi. A couple more days there then two days on a "junk" on Ha Long bay.

From Ha Noi, fly to Hue for two days then a bus trip over the mountains to Da Nang then Hoi An for two days. Fly to Saigon from Da Nang, a week in Saigon then board a boat for a seven day trip up the Mekong to Siem Reap (to visit Angkor Wat)

On the 25th of August return from Siem Reip via Singapore to Melbourne.

Rise late to spend the day lounging around and resting for the night flight to Vietnam. After some discussion we had reached a decision to catch the 7.00pm Gull Air Bus to Tullamarine. "Might as wall kill time at the airport as at home" says Kaye.

Around five in the afternoon we are hungry. A Thai meal would be an ideal lead- in to an Asian trip. 'OPEN AT 5.OOpm' says a sign on "Panni Thai" but it is shut. There's a woman in there that gives us a look and walks off into the kitchen. Stuff her. We walk a few doors down to The Pizza Bar and have a great meal with wine.

Our bags are packed and we throw them into a taxi and take it to the Gull Bus Depot. Peter and Kaye arrive and soon we are on the Western Bypass to Tullamarine Airport.

At the check-in counter Kaye is leaning over, saying something to the ground hostess and pointing at Peter and me. Having checked our luggage in, Kaye says "Come on, we're going to the Singapore Airlines lounge" (where the 1st and business people wait for their flight) "How did we get in there?" "I pointed out that we have two old codgers with us who need to rest up before the long flight to Singapore"

Ah the lounge!!. Away from the riff-raff. There are generous club chairs in cosy groupings. There is a bar. It is stocked with quality wines, Black Label scotch and cognac, a tray of warm dumplings that is constantly refreshed. Help yourself. A feeling of ease comes over me and stays for a couple of hours.

The downside of all this is that we have been elevated to another level of expectation and will never be happy again to pay $9 for a glass of dubious shiraz at any airport.

At 11.40pm an announcement on the PA drags us away from this cosy nook to board the Boeing 777 for the 00.05 Singapore Flight SQ218 to Singapore.