GOOD MORNING VIETNAM!

So, I arrived on Wednesday night. A bit late due to the delay in Sydney and then was picked up by the company driver and taken to my lush new apartment. The real estate met us there and was seriously useless. She gave me 20 keys to the actual apartment but no key to the building (a swipey key thing). She furiously tried to figure out how to turn the air con on but then I realised there were no batteries in the remotes, same for the tv etc. Once she left I had a look around and the apartment itself is just gorgeous... but also completely empty. There was not even any toilet paper! Don't get me wrong, it has furniture - lovely furniture, but no plates, glasses, sheets... nothing.

It was quite ironic actually given how things ended in Sydney. Yes... this is normal to move into an apartment and it be completely empty. So it was already 8pm and I had a little adventure and walked around my new suburb called "Phu My Hung" and pronounced "Foo Me Hoong" to try and find the 'Co.Op' which is kind of like a supermarket. I bought the bare basics - Coathangers, an Iron, Powerboards (so i could get internet), water and loo paper! I will get the rest later.

I started work the next morning (hence the Iron was a bare basic!) and it went well. There was only the local staff around as my yanky boss (who is based in Cambodia) wasn't flying in until that afternoon. I got a lovely desk - made of glass which is a bit disconcerting, and nice laptop and was taken to lunch by a friendly Filipino couple that work there.

Of course, being Vietnam there were a few kind of odd things that I stumbled across during the day that I really can't explain. For example, there is a lady that lives in the bathroom. Seriously - I think she is like the coffee lady but she just hangs out in the girls bathroom all day. It's really odd. Sometimes she sits on the floor in the little kitchenette and eats noodles. In the afternoon we have fruit - well - more like weird melon - but it's dipped in a kind of spicy salt. It's actually really delicious, but fruit and salt - can't say I've tried that before.

I've been out the last couple of nights with work folks so haven't gotten home to really late. As my house is still completely empty I am sleeping on a mattress protector - but thanking the lord that I brought my doona with me. I couldn't get into my buidling the first night (as I didn't have the swipey thing) but that's all sorted now.

My Vietnamese is improving, out of necessity! I am getting better at the taxi thing. I still can't seem to call one but the kids at Gloria Jeans under my apartment building have been helping me with that. I'm glad I did some basic lessons before I arrived - but I will need to learn from the staff to really get it down pat.

Phu My Hung is just GORGEOUS. I will take some photos over the next few days to show you. My apartment looks over a little Japanese type garden and there are lovely restaurants everywhere. It feels safe and lush. I am on the 11th floor so I can see a road that is one street over that looks very Vietnam. Seriously - 10 metres and it goes from 1st World to 3rd.

To get to work I have to get a taxi from Expatville (Phu My Hung) to the CBD (District 1). I work in the Saigon equivalent of Rodeo Drive. To get there however, we have to go through District 4. It amazes me the difference in the 3 worlds. If Phu My Hung is modern and clean and lush, then you hit the bridge and you are in true Vietnam, real Vietnam with no gloss on it, then you arrive in District 1 and it's Tourist Vietnam, like a story book. I work just up form the Continental Hotel for example.

Today I am off to by housey essentials. My lovely Vietnamese boss lady just texted me some shop names so I am heading into District 1 to give my credit card a beating! How fun!