Karaoke Queen

Miss Saigon turned out to be an insufferable attitude queen, so I ditched her after about a week, and went over to James. Somewhat less pretty, but with a singing voice to die for (what a tenor!), and finally a man strong enough to slake several months of pent up lust, he deservedly wins the award for best lover of this trip. Our first evenings in Saigon were spent at a gay karaoke club, where he would bring the house down, and I, after a couple of beers, would take the microphone, and with luck would not have tomatoes thrown at me.

As I wanted to see a bit more of Vietnam, but a trip to the north was ruled out due to cold January weather, we decided to hit the beach at Nha Trang (photos here). Admittedly, after the Andamans, Pattaya, Kovalam, Bali and Pulau Weh, I’m kind of beached out. But hey, it was beautiful, with fine white sand and set against a backdrop of green mountains jutting out of the calm bay. We went by first class train, and after suffering through the rolling stock of Indian Railways, it was a veritable pleasure in comparison.

One fine day we hired a boat and went on a tour of the neighboring islands. For lunch, we went to a fish farm plus restaurant, where we chose our own tiger prawns and fish, and they cooked it up. Overpriced as it was, it must be said that it was truly delicious, and although there was enough food for four, we managed to finish it ourselves. Overeating is a constant risk in Vietnam. The food is just so amazing that you can’t help but gorge yourself at every sitting. And Saigon must rank as the best city in the world for eating, if you are rating local fare. Another memorable meal was at the Lac Canh restaurant, where we ordered raw beef, pork and goat and barbequed it ourselves at the table on the portable hibachi they so graciously provided.

Another day trip was to Vinpearl Park, which promised to be something like Sentosa à la vietnamienne. Well, same same, but different. There were a few amusement park rides, a game arcade that was kind of fun, and a water park. Beside the water park was a perfectly coiffed beach, where I sat down and enjoyed myself, although it was rather windy and the water was cold, so I had to be contented with the chaise longue.

Throughout, I have kept up my job search in Silicon Valley, which is now in full swing. Round One didn’t net me the post I wanted, but only on a technicality, so all in all, it is going well, even from so far. I suspect Round Two will actually net me a real job. For all those who are envious of all my comings and goings and adventures, I have to say that I really want to get back into a normal routine and life. At the beginning of this trip, I was ambivalent about San Francisco. It was more of a default option, if none of my fantasies worked out. Of course they didn’t, but shattering all those myths was actually a liberating experience, as I was also able to throw off any number of other addictions and compulsions in the process. Now I am quite ready to face the big corporate world on my terms and win at the game, about which I find myself far more sanguine than when I last left that fast-paced lifestyle. And instead of being rich in a poor country, how about being rich in a rich country?!

And soon it is off to Cambodia, the last real country on my itinerary. I haven’t even bought the Lonely Planet. I’m just going to chill in Phnom Penh and play it by ear. Of course I have to see the Killing Fields and Angkor Wat, but beyond that, I’m really just biding my time.