My World, My Life, Myself

Ok, some updates about my work trip in Vietnam. I am falling behind my updates, so better do it more quickly, else i would not be able to get to the present time.. haha

My work trip to vietnam (3rd June to 13th June) was quite interesting, coz its been the first time i went to Vietnam. This trip brings me to 2 places in Vietnam, Vung Tau and Hanoi. Me and my Norway colleague, Ole, landed in Ho Chi Minh City and then was transferred to Vung Tau via a 1.5hr ferry ride. My first impression of Vietnam was, the traffic is kind of scary. Traffic rules and traffic lights are almost non-exsistance. Horns are everywhere, whether it is needed or not, and crossing the street required some bravery and skills.

At Vung Tau, things are a little slower, maybe becoz there is lesser people. There is a beach there which has alot of people playing around there. Took some photos there and also some photos of the buildings there.

Stayed at a hotel for one night and next day, was on the helicopter to the rig to conduct the survey job. Supposed to be a quick survey, but we ended helping them to troubleshoot some problems. But we were out of the rig on sat morning (7th June). We travelled from Vung Tau via the ferry back to Ho Chi Minh. But the ferry breakdown about 30mins into the journey and it had to turn back and we are transferred onto another ferry. When we reach Ho Chi Minh, we are send to a clinic for a medical checkup that is required by the oil company, Petronas, which the next rig is drilling for. Then we went to the rig company office for a meeting. After that, we went to the airport and took a flight to Hanoi.

At Hanoi, we are stayed at a 4 start hotel, M Hotel while waiting for Petronas to issue us out boarding pass, which will only happen on Monday. So on Sunday, me and Ole decide to venture out on the streets of Hanoi around the hotel. We went to the Old Market, and then in the evening, we walk to 2 major shopping centres there. Didn’t bought anything, except some mineral waters and tibits when we saw a supermart. When we are back in the hotel, we received info that the helicopter schedule is on Tuesday, so that means we had another day in Hanoi.

Monday morning, we went to the Ho Chi Minh muesuem. Back in the hotel in the afternoon, we received a call from the clinic and was told that Ole’s medical checkup had some problems with the ECG and they need him to do some checkup with a specialist at Hanoi. We are suprised to find that they send an ambulance to take us there. This is the first time i sit in an ambulance. The specialist was at the Hanoi French Hospital. After the checkup by the specialist, Ole was told that his Stress ECG was not normal and becoz of his family history, they would want to put him on futher medical checkup (whch is injection of contrast fluid into his blood veins). Funny thing was, the French doctor had to speck french to the Vietnamese doctor, who translate it into vietnamese to the nurse, who then translate it into english for us. Anyway, we went back to the hotel and i check with my manager for further instruction. Also, we was told that the helicopter is scheduled on wednesday instead of tuesday.

After 1 day of communication here and there, it is finally decided that i will travel to the next rig alone and Ole will fly back to Singapore for a meeting with the rig company and my manager. So on wednesday, i went to the rig myself and conduct the survey. There was some mis-communication and i nearly can’t get back on Friday. But luckily, after some waiting, i was able to return to Singapore on Friday, else, i would have missed the PC Show. But of course, if i were to get stuck on the rig for the weekend, i would have got more offshore allowance. But it would dread me to miss PC Show. haha.

Anyway, my trip back to Singapore from Vietnam is kind of tiring also.. As it was quite last minute that i was able to get off the rig, the rig company was only to get my flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City at a late timing. Taking that flight to Ho Chi Minh City will only gives me about 15-20mins to rush from the domestic terminal to the international terminal to check in before the check-in closed. I tried to see if i was able to get onto a earlier flight, but it was not possible and also the staff at the counter is not really efficient and there was no proper system in place for recording such request. In the end, i took the original flight and really rush myself to the International terminal to catch my flight back to Singapore.

Will post the photos of both Vung Tau and Hanoi when i get back to Singapore. Coz the internet connection here is not that good, and i can’t get the url link from my photo gallery to post the pics here.

Lifes Goes On