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Wino you know wrote:

creeky wrote:Probably not .. sorry it was not a good experience for ya ....

No problem. Overall, it was probably a good experience. On the plus side I did learn a lot, and on the minus side it forced me to to grow up faster than (I.M.O.) a 20 year old should have to, causing me to miss a period of my life I'd looked forward to for so long prior.
Apparently I came back none the worse for wear (so I'm told).

I don't dwell on it, however, because, among other things, a greater amount of time has now passed as did the end of W.W. II until the time I first went to Japan, where I met some of the greatest people ever and was truly treated to the experience of a lifetime. SO, in the end, I guess it's all good.

So if you have your heart set on going, I hope you have a great time and it's as rewarding for you as my 6.5 years in Japan was for me.

Wow! You were totally there (Vietnam) the same time my step-dad was. He served on the USS Racine. I don't know many details, because obviously it's not all pleasant memories. He also liked Japan and Hong Kong and spent considerable amounts of time in those places as well.

Is your step-father still around?
Ask him if the Racine was an LST (Tank landing ship) or an LSD (Amphibious transport dock). I seem to remember the Racine as being one or the other.
Hong Kong was my home for nearly a year too. It's tied for my favorite place outside the United States along with Australia and Nova Scotia.

Wino you know wrote:Is your step-father still around?
Ask him if the Racine was an LST (Tank landing ship) or an LSD (Amphibious transport dock). I seem to remember the Racine as being one or the other.
Hong Kong was my home for nearly a year too. It's tied for my favorite place outside the United States along with Australia and Nova Scotia.

Yep. He's still around. I'll ask. But also found this link... http://navysite.de/lst/lst1191.htm. Looks like it was a Tank Landing Ship.

It was docked in Hawaii for many years and finally became razor blades a few years back I believe.

Right you are. It is indeed a tank landing ship. (LST-1191)
Here's a photo of it.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/1016119103.jpg

Next time you talk to him, tell him I was on LST-1161 (Vernon County), a PG, (patrol gunboat), and a guided missle cruiser (U.S.S. Oklahoma City-7th Fleet's flagship-he'll know what you mean).

Wino you know wrote:Right you are. It is indeed a tank landing ship. (LST-1191)
Here's a photo of it.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/1016119103.jpg

Next time you talk to him, tell him I was on LST-1161 (Vernon County), a PG, (patrol gunboat), and a guided missle cruiser (U.S.S. Oklahoma City-7th Fleet's flagship-he'll know what you mean).

Will do Garry! And I'm glad he'll know what you're talking about because I sure don't.

He has that picture framed next to his service medals.

Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Anyway, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Quiet and Shy wrote:Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Actually, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Gulfbreeze wrote:

Quiet and Shy wrote:Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Actually, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Hmmmm....seems a pirate has been messing with my posts..... And I haven't been out of the country yet this year...getting a bit stir-crazy....

Quiet and Shy wrote:Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Anyway, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Can you please PM me the link to your pics? I have been to the travel agent now and have got some brochures - looks so pretty and interesting - so many places to go.

Did you feel safe in Cambodia? My family will flip if I tell them I want to go there

In Germany they get to lots of "off the beaten path" vacation sites. So one guy told me he was doing a motorcycle tour of Vietnam, and I thought I'd suggest that to you...

troy2k wrote:In Germany they get to lots of "off the beaten path" vacation sites. So one guy told me he was doing a motorcycle tour of Vietnam, and I thought I'd suggest that to you...

Thanks - that would be fun, but motorbikes and I would not get along - I have a very bad sense of balance ... I need 4 wheels to avoid further broken bones

You would really get in to the culture of it that way huh?

Germany? Loved Germany!

hey Creeky, yeah i went to Vietnam about 3 years ago during a study abroad program. i spent 4 days in Ho Chi Ming City. The place is a great time and u can get just about anything u want really cheap ect. dvd's, cd's, food, beer, knick-knacks u name it. if you have any questions feel free to ask me...my s/c is Chambo316....great time, just waatch urself when crossing teh streets alot of traffic.

creeky wrote:

Quiet and Shy wrote:Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Anyway, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Can you please PM me the link to your pics? I have been to the travel agent now and have got some brochures - looks so pretty and interesting - so many places to go.

Did you feel safe in Cambodia? My family will flip if I tell them I want to go there

Here's a link to a bunch of my Vietnam and Cambodia photos...what an amazing place. Yes, I felt safe in Cambodia. And Chambo316 is right...the toughest part is crossing the streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alk3917/a ... /my_photos

Chambo316 wrote:hey Creeky, yeah i went to Vietnam about 3 years ago during a study abroad program. i spent 4 days in Ho Chi Ming City. The place is a great time and u can get just about anything u want really cheap ect. dvd's, cd's, food, beer, knick-knacks u name it. if you have any questions feel free to ask me...my s/c is Chambo316....great time, just waatch urself when crossing teh streets alot of traffic.

Thanks! I have assumed it is probably the same as Bali for buying things - ie, the trick is to take just the clothes you need for first few days and leave loads of room for purchases!

Quiet and Shy wrote:

creeky wrote:

Quiet and Shy wrote:Well, I was off traveling again...to the Northeast (US) and then to Cincy, so I missed this thread....

Anyway, I was in Vietnam (North, Central, and South) and Cambodia (Angkor) this past November and it was an incredible trip!! I'd recommend it to anyone who has an adventurous spirit who enjoys learning more about this world where we live. Vietnam is indeed beautiful and Angkor is beyond magical. I took a ton of pics and may try to post an album link (along with more details around the travel) in the next day or so. I would go back to both places in a heartbeat.

Can you please PM me the link to your pics? I have been to the travel agent now and have got some brochures - looks so pretty and interesting - so many places to go.

Did you feel safe in Cambodia? My family will flip if I tell them I want to go there

Here's a link to a bunch of my Vietnam and Cambodia photos...what an amazing place. Yes, I felt safe in Cambodia. And Chambo316 is right...the toughest part is crossing the streets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/alk3917/a ... /my_photos

GREAT photos!!! Thanks for sharing them - the place looks as beautiful as I imagined! I cant wait to get plans finalised and look forward to learning about a new culture!

not trying to scare u or anything Creeky, but when i was there, we would pay these people on motorcycles to take us back to where we were staying, so we would give the guy like 2 or 3 dollars and jump on the back of his motorcylce to take us somewhere rather then in a cab. (cabs are fun and easy, but if u wanna expeirence Vietnam, jump on the back of a motorcycle and let one of those crazy drivers take u somewhere, trust me u will be clinching ur teeths together in fear!) but some of my friends taht were in Vietnam w/ us, jump on backs of motorcyles and took ride w./ these guys and the people driving the motorcyle would take them off course to some back road and try to rob them. i know of atleast 3 people this happened to while we were there, nobody was hurt, except the vietnam guys jaw was sore for a day, but just be careful and pay attention to where the guy is driving u.

2 friedns and myself went to a place at ate one night in Vietnam we each had a full size meal and 3 or 4 beers and only cost us 12.00 dollars. real cheap.

on the street you can get 2 beers for about 1 dollar

couple other things to do:
1. get a suit made there, only cost me 70.00 dollars to get a 3 peice taylor made suit.
2. get a massage. the woman there are HOT HOT HOT and will massage your body for like 20 dollars and they will give u a happy ending also (if u know what i mean)
3. Cu Chi Tunnels. do them, if your a history buff and likehearing at the vietnam war, travel to these tunnels and walk though them. All of the tunnels, the 1st tunnell any one can get though, the next 2 or 3 levels only skinny people can get though, very tight spaces and dark but worth it.
4. OPEN YOUR EYES AND EXPLORE. Beautifal country, so enjoy, the people are awesome, friendly and are willing to do anything for u.

Chambo316 wrote:2. get a massage. the woman there are HOT HOT HOT and will massage your body for like 20 dollars and they will give u a happy ending also (if u know what i mean)

Well Creeky.. Looks like you're all set!

Psst. Chambo.. Creeky's a woman!

okay my bad creeky, dont worry about the happy ending in the message, but still get a message!

Well I am always open to happy endings ... provide it is a male on the other side

Thanks for the info .. looks like I will only going be down the first tunnel tho

And crossing the road sounds a lot like Hong Kong or Indonesia .. Just close my eyes and run

creeky wrote:Well I am always open to happy endings ... provide it is a male on the other side

Thanks for the info .. looks like I will only going be down the first tunnel tho

And crossing the road sounds a lot like Hong Kong or Indonesia .. Just close my eyes and run

Yeah, but in Hong Kong they generally have traffic signals....

And Chambo316 sure made me laugh!!!