CELTYL, ILA Vietnam

I’m back at work but next weekend I’m going on a two week course called the CELTYL. Previously I’ve done the CELTA (Cambridge English Language Teaching to Adults) but this one, the CETLYL (Cambridge English Language Teaching to Young Learners) is, as the name suggests, tailored to children.

I’m doing the course through ILA, my current school, who offer staff a discount on the price. This will be a good CV booster and I’ll ttake lots away from it. A lot of the teachers that I’m close to are doing it so it will be good to spend time with them and watch each other teach. It starts on 14^th April.

Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island

Just finished our 2 nights and 3 day tour of Ha Long Bay. It was great. The limestone rocks are amazing. There is over 1000 of them in a big area. On the first day we cruised on our boat through the rocks to an amazing cave, which had a great view of part of the bay. We went Kayaking in some Lagoons to watch some monkeys that live on one of the rocks.

Me in Halong Bay

On the first night we slept on the boat in a nice room. The food throughout our time on the boat was really good too. In the morning we went up a big hill on one of the rocks to a Pagoda which gave a great view of the bay. We then made our way towards one of the big Islands called Cat Ba, where we went bicycling and hiking.

View from Pagoda on a hill

Sadly I only took my flip flops with me on the hike which meant I was slipping everywhere and did end up falling over and getting quite muddy, I was ok though. In the afternoon we went Kayaking again and then staying in a cracking hotel on the Island which was quite developed but still quiet, clean and had great food.

Halong Bay

The last day we spent travelling back to Hanoi. We have one final day in Hanoi before we go back to Ho Chi Minh City on Friday. I’m working on Saturday but my friends James and Sarah are continuing to go down the country before flying back to England on 14^th April.

This was a great trip and the best thing I’ve seen in Vietnam!

Hanoi, Vietnam

We arrived in Hanoi on Sunday morning, the flight was at 6:20 in the morning which meant getting to the airport at silly o’clock. Fortunately I only live about 20 minutes from the airport so it wasn’t too bad.

Pagoda on the lake

We got a taxi from the airport to the hotel and settled in then when on a walking tour of the old town area of Hanoi. The first thing I noticed was that the weather was noticeably cooler than HCMC which was nice at it’s been hot recently. The second was the streets are much smaller and it feels more like a big town than city. The third thing was there was no sugar cane man.

Resting place of Ho Chi Minh

We all took in the sites of Hanoi which included the old town, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (sadly we didn’t get to see him) an old prison and an old University (The temple of literature) we also took in several Pagodas.

Lady carrying stuff

We’re off to Ha Long Bay tomorrow on a 2 nights and 3 day tour. I’m looking forward to it!

City tour and Cu Chi Tunnels (again)

For the past two days I've taken my friends around the city. Yesterday we did a lot of walking around the city and today we went to see the Cu Chi Tunnels.

James and Sarah taking in the sights

Yesterday we visited the war museum, the reunification palace, the opera house, the financial district, ate lots of different local food and saw lots of other smaller things. The weather has been hot but they have coped very well and most of the time better than me!

James and Sarah with some Vietcon

Today we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels which is about a 90 minute drive north off Ho Chi Minh City. Last time I only crawled through 20 metres of tunnel as some of it was shut but today we all did the full 100 metres, it was very tiring but good fun.

Me in a Cu Chi Tunnel

Tomorrow morning we fly to Hanoi to start a 5 day trip to the capital city and Ha Long Bay. I'm looking forward to this because although I've been in Vietnam for 18 months, I've still not been to the north. Our flight is at 6am which I'm not looking forward to as it means I have to get up at 3:30am.

Friends have arrived

Their flight details

So earlier this evening I picked up my friends, James and Sarah from the airport. I only had to wait an hour which wasn't too bad.

Beanie and Sarah arriving at the airport

I managed to get them home safely and due to my small knowledge of the city and with help from the little Vietnamese I know without the taxi driver taking too much of a detour. They're staying at mine for the next few days before we fly to Hanoi. Tonight we have been for a meal (which they loved) and played darts but now its bed time before a big day of sightseeing tomorrow.

My favourite munchies

Some more good news is that they bought me a lot of my favourite munchies from England - see the picture above... Its beautiful! I told Beanie I'd give him my run down on the local munchies here at some point over the next few days. I have become a bit of a connoisseur of the Vietnamese munchies.

Friends from England

Good news! today two of my friends from England are coming to Vietnam for three weeks. James and Sarah are arriving at 6:30 tonight. I will pick them up at the airport.



My chum James (aka Beanie) with a snowman

More good news is that I have 7 days off work which I will be spending with them. The first two days I will show them the sights of the city and visit Cu Chi Tunnels. On Sunday morning we are flying to Hanoi for a few days before visiting Ha Long Bay. I will then fly back to Ho Chi Minh City whilst they will make there way over the following two weeks down Vietnam before flying back to England. It will be great to show some of my England chums around Vietnam and spend quality time with them.



Random city photo



Before James left he said he was looking forward to getting some hot weather due to the cold in England. Today its about 38 degrees and ridiculously humid, I'm giving him about 2 hours before he starts complaining and wishing for the cold again.

View from my school of the city

I'm looking forward to taking them to the local eateries that I've got used to and seeing if its a culture shock to them, like it was for me. I will also look forward to getting some new photos because, as you can see from the pics on this blog, I'm getting pretty desperate for some new ones.

Working hard and hospital visit

It been a month since I updated the blog. I seem to be getting a bit slack with the updates compaired to last year but I will try harder in the next few months to update things.

So whats been happening? Not too much. I had to visit the hospital about my knee I hurt when playing football back in January. It was a private place and a little journey outside the centre but it was good on the bike. I saw a knee specialist and had an MRI. The good news it that it should heal without surgery but I will have to rest it for a couple of months.

Lady selling stuff to tourists

A couple of my mates are coming to visit me at the end of next week and then we're going to Hanoi and Ha Long bay for a week. I'm looking forward to this as it will be good to see the north of the country. I can only take a week off work which means I'll have to do another trip as some point as theres not enough time to see it all in one week.

The weather is starting to get hotter now. Its pretty much in the late 30s every day and very humid.

Notre Dam catherdral in HCMC

Not much else to report but I'll blog before my trip next week.