Again I have to give props to Adventure Life and Khiri Travel for their wise decisions on when to get to the airports or get picked up for excursions. We avoided most traffic and long lines at the airport. Today was one of the primary reasons for our trip... on this day we visited Kien Giang Orphanage in the Mekong Delta. Our nephew was adopted from here and it was finally time to go visit where he got his start!
**One thing about visiting an orphanage is you need permission first.
***Often they will ask for a gift.
In our case we asked for the gift to arrive when we did and part of it was personal gifts to be given to each of the kids there.
*** Thanks again to Ly (Khiri Travel) for choosing and individually wrapping all personal gifts that were to be given out, for driving the 5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Kien Giang with the rice, diapers, and the other items purchased so that it would arrive when we did, and most especially THANK YOU to Adventure Life for awarding a grant to help us with our gift to the orphanage!!!! We are incredibly impressed, honored and inspired by your generosity and what you do helping the world. You helped us make a difference for our family, for the orphanage that housed and raised our nephew and for the people there who need so much to help these kids and adults. My Sister-In-Law I'm sure has some things to add. Still, a HUGE thanks Adventure Life. We are very grateful. I have included some pictures.
After our visit to the Orphanage we were driven back to Ho Chi Minh City in a very comfortable 12 passenger van with (OMG. hallelulah!!!) air conditioning!!!
** remember I said there were lots of motorbikes? Over a million in Ho Chi Minh City I believe...maybe more. I am so thankful I did not have to drive!! Our driver was safe, amazing and efficient. Our guide Mr Dat was informative, cheerful and
The Mekong Delta has rich, fertile soil and therefore is farmed. There are also dense mangrove swamps and tropical forests home to a multitude of fruits (mangoes and papayas along with bananas) as well as rice farms. Animals and birds are more abundant here than in other places we traveled. It apparently is in a migratory path. (Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary in here in the Mekong Delta about 3 miles or 5km south of the village of Bac Lieu...an FYI for bird lovers)
Orchids seem to be abundant all over the country.
The drive back to HCM (Ho Chi Minh) City was about 5 hours with a quick lunch stop (so as to avoid rush hour traffic when we got in to HCM). Scenery was awesome and different with all the canals and waterways. We saw stilt houses, floating houses, thatched roofs and all sorts of shops along the roadway. Lunch was incredible Pho (like soup) in an open restaurant that had menus in English, many options and attentive staff. I have included a page from the menu just for fun.
My hubby and I missed dinner falling asleep at 4pm. But the next morning was early rise again so it all worked out.
Next chapter in our trip? Early morning flight to Da Nang and a few days to visit Hoi An.
**One thing about visiting an orphanage is you need permission first.
***Often they will ask for a gift.
In our case we asked for the gift to arrive when we did and part of it was personal gifts to be given to each of the kids there.
*** Thanks again to Ly (Khiri Travel) for choosing and individually wrapping all personal gifts that were to be given out, for driving the 5 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Kien Giang with the rice, diapers, and the other items purchased so that it would arrive when we did, and most especially THANK YOU to Adventure Life for awarding a grant to help us with our gift to the orphanage!!!! We are incredibly impressed, honored and inspired by your generosity and what you do helping the world. You helped us make a difference for our family, for the orphanage that housed and raised our nephew and for the people there who need so much to help these kids and adults. My Sister-In-Law I'm sure has some things to add. Still, a HUGE thanks Adventure Life. We are very grateful. I have included some pictures.
After our visit to the Orphanage we were driven back to Ho Chi Minh City in a very comfortable 12 passenger van with (OMG. hallelulah!!!) air conditioning!!!
** remember I said there were lots of motorbikes? Over a million in Ho Chi Minh City I believe...maybe more. I am so thankful I did not have to drive!! Our driver was safe, amazing and efficient. Our guide Mr Dat was informative, cheerful and
The Mekong Delta has rich, fertile soil and therefore is farmed. There are also dense mangrove swamps and tropical forests home to a multitude of fruits (mangoes and papayas along with bananas) as well as rice farms. Animals and birds are more abundant here than in other places we traveled. It apparently is in a migratory path. (Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary in here in the Mekong Delta about 3 miles or 5km south of the village of Bac Lieu...an FYI for bird lovers)
Orchids seem to be abundant all over the country.
The drive back to HCM (Ho Chi Minh) City was about 5 hours with a quick lunch stop (so as to avoid rush hour traffic when we got in to HCM). Scenery was awesome and different with all the canals and waterways. We saw stilt houses, floating houses, thatched roofs and all sorts of shops along the roadway. Lunch was incredible Pho (like soup) in an open restaurant that had menus in English, many options and attentive staff. I have included a page from the menu just for fun.
My hubby and I missed dinner falling asleep at 4pm. But the next morning was early rise again so it all worked out.
Next chapter in our trip? Early morning flight to Da Nang and a few days to visit Hoi An.
Non-seafood lover does Vietnam and survives!
- Day 1 West coasters go so far west they land East!
- Day #2 Motorbike street food tour
- Visit to the Kien Giang Orphanage in the Mekong Delta
