Where I’m At: Ho Chi Minh City
[Uncle Ho in Ho Chi Minh City]
Greetings from Ho Chi Minh City (also still called Saigon by many here.) I haven’t been here since 2005 and I was only here for a few days on that trip, but the word on the street is that Ho Chi Minh City is developing into a hotspot for online startups, so naturally I had to come and have a look for myself. I am getting back into slow travel as well, so I decided to spend a month here.
So far getting established in HCMC has been fairly straightforward. I found an apartment room to rent on my first day via Craigslist. For $250USD I get a simple room with wifi and a maid that cleans my room and does my washing. A maid! There is a kitchen which I have no intention of using while there is so much good food to be had outside. If you are looking for a place to stay easiest thing to do is to stay at a hotel in District 1 for a few days and look when you get here.
[First order of business upon arrival – a bowl of Pho]
My plan is to spend a month here, work like crazy and explore as many neighbourhoods as I can. I’ve been fortunate to have met up with some friends who I know online and from Chiang Mai. I’ve already found some great cafes that wouldn’t be out of place in New York or Melbourne. With good coffee and fast wifi this is a great city to work in.
[Working at L’Usine Cafe with Jon Myers]
While I like my fancy cafes, I prefer my eats on street level: preferably sitting on a little plastic seat. On my wanders I’ve found so many good places to eat I feel happy with myself that I picked to spend a month here.
[Street eats in Ho Chi Minh City – the smaller the chair the better.]