Part 3: Last day in Vietnam - Visiting Ho Chi Minh

We didnt spend too much time in HCM as our flight to Malaysia wd be the day after we arrived the city. Our bus from Phan Rang stopped at the HCM bus station at around 4.30 am,so we directly checked in at Kingston Hotel. For ur info.. the hotel is about 8min walking distance to Bent than market, and is also opposite to a Halal restaurant named Pandan restaurant, owned by a Malaysian.

Breakfast is also included in this hotel - and i noticed there were many Malaysians staying here too,mostly those who travelled in a large group. There was a variety of food served including noodles n pastries. So.. Just be careful to not take the non-halal dish. For the first day,we were so starving but lazy to go downstair. Glad that we had our very own brunch packed by Marim's mother.

Marinated fried beef  and rice packed by
Marim's mother before we left Phan Rang.
We ate these for breakfast & lunch on our 1s day
in HCM. Saved our day and pocket!

Our first day in HCM is not complete without visiting the popular market - Bent Than. We planned to window shopping but of course i couldt help myself buying 3pieces of Vietnamese silk,tshirts,bagpack, shoes and etc. Bargain is a MuST!! My husbnd was also able to purchase a Burberry London perfume for men (not ori) for a very reasonable price.

Beautiful Vietnamese silk

Emerald green: two sided colours

Then,we left Bent than and looked for 'telekung' shops at the streets. I was able to buy 10 pieces, with rm25 per 'telekung' to bring them back as souvenirs for my family. Before walking back to our hotel room, we suddenly noticed that we were broke! Thank God ATM was everywhere and you can easily withdraw your money in any ATM machines with a surcharge rm15 per withdrawal. However, good news for Maybank or HSBC card holders as these banks are available and u cn withdraw money  at the ATM without any surcharge.

Red coloured Lycra telekung. Rm25 per piece

After Maghrib, we continued walking to Saigon Square. Surprisingly, the clothes in Saigon Square are much cheaper than ben than but are sold in a fixed price. Only some shops could still tolerate with you if you bargain. We managed to buy some baby clothes for Fateh and his cousins.

Burberry London baby dress for Fateh's cousin

Next,we stopped for dinner at the Daun restaurant which is owned by a Singaporean. This place has been listed by the Trip Advisor as one of the best Halal restaurants in HCM. For dinner, I was craving for Vietnamese "Pho" with chicken soup.. so i thought i have ordered the chicken version but it was nothing similar. The food i ordered was actually "bihun sup Vietnam ayam" and i just gotta know "pho" is always associated with beef slices,not chicken. It was ok bcoz the food still tasted so good..!

The Daun Restaurant

Vietnamese coffee and Dilmah strawberry hot tea

Then,we continued shopping at Night Market. We were able to get souvenirs like keychains,earrings and baby girl traditional dress in a very low price. Thanks to my husbnd for always looking stern enough to 'scare' the salesgirl until she lowered down the price according to the price we wanted. This was the first time i saw my husbnd showing her hidden talent bargaining till we drop!

Yellow Vietnamese girl dress for Fateh's cousin

The next morning, we went for window shopping for the last time and bought lunch from 'Pandan'. After zuhur, we packed our luggages and left Kingston Hotel by a private car booked by the receiptionist. Booking was made earlier,so it was easier to manage our time to go to the airport.

Buying nuts and Halal coffee
 powder before leaving HCM

We boarded the plane from HCM to K.Lumpur at 4.30 pm by Malindo Air.  To sum up, the 6-day trip -- Dalat -Phan Rang- HCM was able to strengthen our relationship as husbnd and wife. Bringing a toddler to travel along with you is never easy without tolerance,patience and cooperation between both of us as parents. My husbnd has genuinely helped me to be a strong mother and wife, and i have encouraged him to be a positive father and leader.

Imam Shafi'e has once said, "Travel! You will find a replacement for what you have left"  and what my husband and I both found are really precious to be replaced with neither money nor gold. We have enthralled  love,faith and trust for each other and most of all, we have built closer relationship to Allah - the Creator of the universe.

The world is too much to be explored and always remember, if the lion doesn't leave his den, he cannot hunt.

Till then, hope 2see you in the next entry (if i travel again insyaallah).
With love.

Our mujahid