About ralphnhatrang

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Male

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

Australia

Some Forum Posts:

Vietnam: Train vs Air:

I really depends if you are a train buff or not. If not, don't bother with long-haul journeys, such as Danang-Hanoi. Vietnam Railways run very slooooow trains.

Vietnam: Gardening:

Nope, I've never seen any of that stuff in Nha Trang. Plant nurseries mix their own potting mix and use ordinary plastic bags for plants. I doubt if they've even heard of hydroponics.

Vietnam: Dental Implant:

Many dental practices in Saigon offer dental implants at a small fraction of what they cost in Oz.

Vietnam: visa for australia:

I assume you are and Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia. I went through the process some years ago, firstly for my wife's migration visa, then to have my daughter born in VN registered as an Australian citizen. The entire process was designed to be slow and the locally employed VN staff succeeded in making it as hard as dealing with VN government departments. The cost of applying has recently gone up and is now astronomical. Price starts from AUD 6,865.00 for your wife. I didn't chase up the cost of registering your child as an Oz citizen, but the process is just as drawn out as applying for a migration visa. If you want your child to go to school in VN, I suggest you keep VN citizenship for him/her. Otherwise, you should register him/her as an Australian citizen while still in VN and lodge a migration sponsorship for your partner. If you and your partner have been together for over two years (this may increased to three years now [?]), you should apply for a Permanent Visa for your partner, which means permanent residence for her on arrival in Oz. See info http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Visa-1/309- If you do not live in or near either Saigon or Hanoi, I suggest you get some one in either of these two cities to represent you so that you do not have to pay travel and hotel bills whenever you need to lodge documents with the Consulate-General in Saigon or with the Embassy in Hanoi. You must lodge many documents in person and must pick up your visas in person, unless you have a representative. You still probably have to go for an interviews and medicals. In another twist, the Oz C-G or Oz Embassy no longer does the visa processing, but rather subcontracts it out. I don't have any feedback on what how efficient or otherwise the current contractor is. Immigration used to supply a list of the basic documentation you need to supply with your application. This may be on their website or may now be supplied by their processing agents. Good luck.

Vietnam: UXOs:

UXOs, meaning unexploded ordinance, litter the VN countryside and continue to main and kill 40 years after the war. For newbies wanting to go off-road, don't. Read this: http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/vietnam-to-publish-unexploded-ordnance-map-to-curb-casualties-63165.html

Vietnam: Help:

The big blue pill (trade name forbidden on this forum) and cialis are both sold at most pharmacies under those names, Another, probably cheaper alternative, is Rocket One Hour, a locally produced herbal drug which friends have said also makes them feel healthier. Sorry, I can't give you prices. Note: My doctor warned me against ALL of these drugs, because I take pills for hypertension.

Vietnam: Buying a good helmet in Nha Trang:

High quality? Remember, this is Vietnam. But acceptable quality helmet are available at a helmet shop on Thong Nhat Street west of Le Thanh Phuong Street. They may even have a full face helmet, though don't count on it.

Vietnam: Hanoi:

It is very easy to survive in VN without a car. Indeed, owning a car is LESS convenient than owning a bicycle or motorbike, because city roads are too busy. I suggest you come to VN and travel around to find a location that suits you. Most people like either Hanoi or Saigon, but not both. For myself I think Hanoi is a charming city to visit, but too busy to live there. There are many other cities you could consider as well. Such as Hue, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Can Tho, Dalat.

Vietnam: Coffee Mugs:

Check out any Western style supermarket like Metro, Big C. A less likely source is the local Vietnamese market.

Vietnam: Health:

All members of your family should have up to date tetanus and hepititis A injections, and polio vaccine, too. These diseases are prevalent in Vietnam. There are more vaccinations you should have as well, and you should contact your family doctor or travel health service about them.

Date Joined:

11/6/2013

Total Posts:

120

Posts/Day:

0.10