Day 2: Thu 31 Oct - Brisbane to Ho Chi Minh City

- October 31, 2024

21(Bne) - 35 (Sin) - 37 (HCMC) deg C

Greg slept well, Wendy not as good. We were up just after 5am and left at 6:30am for Andrew’s Airport Parking. We were at the airport at 7am and then the fun began. They have automated all check-in counters except one. And every third kiosk is out of order so you can’t print your boarding pass nor baggage ticket, so you have to line up for assistance from the one and only check-in chick!!! Not sure if this is for all airlines, but QANTAS need to pick up their game and make sure all kiosks and baggage drop belts actually work.

We made our way through security and immigration and found the QC. This lounge has deteriorated somewhat over the years, despite being renovated not long ago. The four of us that were flying Business were able to get the other three in as guests, but we were still missing one; Gunther decided to fly Singapore Airlines.

We boarded 30 minutes late, and took off an hour late. A rather underwhelming flight really. Wendy watched the end of a movie she started when she came back from South Africa, and Greg watched some docos.

Arrived at Singapore about 30 minutes late and made our way from T1 to T3 via the driverless skytrain, found our departure gate then went in search of an airline lounge. Found that but couldn’t have any guests, so 4 of us were in. After a cool drink we went in search of the Vietnam Airlines transfer desk to get paper copies of our boarding passes. Job done, we waited for our gate to open, went through security and didn’t wait long before we boarded.

Up the pointy end of the aircraft again, and the staff certainly put many of the bigger named airlines to shame. They trotted out an all on one tray 3 course meal with minimum fuss. Once in the HCM City airport terminal building we made our way to passport control and waited a while, but not too long. We got a ‘bargain’ price for a ‘limo’ taxi for 700,000.00 VND = AUD46, who was not too bad.

We were checked in at Avanti Hotel about 11:30pm local time (2:30am, QLD time) so we unpacked a few things then went for a shower - we only had one towel, so Wendy went back down to reception to ask for another and was told that housekeeping was unavailable until tomorrow morning. This was despite booking and paying for a room with two occupants. So, we made do with the one towel and lights were out about 12:30am. We are supposed to have a room with a city view, however, we have a view of the old buildings behind the hotel and are one floor up from where all the air conditioner units are powerfully purring away, and with a window that does not close properly, together with a leaking toilet (drip, drip, drip), made for a restless sleep for both of us.