Cambodia, Vietnam & Laos: Jewels of Southeast Asia Meets Thread

[jenbear25]

My husband and I are booked on the Aug 3-14, 2015 trip. Super excited!

 

[sayhello]

My husband and I are booked on the Aug 3-14, 2015 trip. Super excited!

Congrats, jenbear! I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post of this Thread. You're traveling on the same departure as fellow DISer heart and her large group that includes friends they met on a previous ABD!

Sayhello

 

[heart]

We love company!

Just PM'd you jenbear.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

We just signed up for the January 11, 2016 trip! By then it will have been our 5th ABD trip but it will be our most exotic & farthest travel ever!! <3

 

[sayhello]

We just signed up for the January 11, 2016 trip! By then it will have been our 5th ABD trip but it will be our most exotic & farthest travel ever!! <3

Congrats! I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post of this Thread. If you let me know the makeup of your traveling party, I can update your entry.

Sayhello

 

[CrazyZeus1]

Congrats! I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post of this Thread. If you let me know the makeup of your traveling party, I can update your entry.

Sayhell

Thank you! It will be Me, Hubby, and our son will be 12yo at travel time. Thanks!!

 

[sayhello]

Thank you! It will be Me, Hubby, and our son will be 12yo at travel time. Thanks!!

Updated!

Sayhello

 

[heart]

100 days until leaving for ABD August. That makes it seem that much more real as the bill is soon due!

Always watching the boards for any news of Asia trip but it's been pretty quiet.

 

[acndis]

Visa Question--We are thinking of going through the consulate in Houston. If our return trip is Siem Reap to Saigon and then to Houston, do we still get a single entry visa? Any other advice about going through the consulate. We are on the December trip.

 

[Cousin Orville]

Visa Question--We are thinking of going through the consulate in Houston. If our return trip is Siem Reap to Saigon and then to Houston, do we still get a single entry visa? Any other advice about going through the consulate. We are on the December trip.

If you're not returning to Vietnam, you only need a single entry. We got our Visas at the Houston consulate as well. There's not much to say. It was pretty easy. I remember waiting around for a while while everyone took a smoke break during normal office hours. You can't beat communist bureaucracy.

 

[acndis]

If you're not returning to Vietnam, you only need a single entry. We got our Visas at the Houston consulate as well. There's not much to say. It was pretty easy. I remember waiting around for a while while everyone took a smoke break during normal office hours. You can't beat communist bureaucracy.

That's hilarious. Yes, I have to admit. The website just scares me. It looks like a complete scam and it's the consulate website! So basically, we just fill out that weird form online and show up at the consulate? It seems like you don't get any real information until you've done all the paperwork first. I just kind of want to know what the process is. We live in Austin so we'll have to make a day trip out of it!

 

[Cousin Orville]

That's hilarious. Yes, I have to admit. The website just scares me. It looks like a complete scam and it's the consulate website! So basically, we just fill out that weird form online and show up at the consulate? It seems like you don't get any real information until you've done all the paperwork first. I just kind of want to know what the process is. We live in Austin so we'll have to make a day trip out of it!

I did it 2 years ago, so I don't know if it's changed. It seems like there was a form that you downloaded but submitted in person. I guess I would print out the form just in case prior to submitting on line. You have to give up up your passports for a week or two. They'll ask you to return again to pick them up. I would recommend getting there early as well. Also note (unless they've moved) it's at the top floor of a small office building near the galleria. There's not a lot of signage other than the building address. You have to go to the 4th floor (I think) and catch another elevator up to the top floor to the consulate.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

Well, since ABD cancelled our January 2016 itenerary, we are now going December 23 2016!

 

[acndis]

I did it 2 years ago, so I don't know if it's changed. It seems like there was a form that you downloaded but submitted in person. I guess I would print out the form just in case prior to submitting on line. You have to give up up your passports for a week or two. They'll ask you to return again to pick them up. I would recommend getting there early as well. Also note (unless they've moved) it's at the top floor of a small office building near the galleria. There's not a lot of signage other than the building address. You have to go to the 4th floor (I think) and catch another elevator up to the top floor to the consulate.

We got our passports back today from the Houston consulate. We just overcame our fear and sent them in. It ended up to be a pretty painless process. However, I have not seen the passports yet (my husband opened to FedEx envelope) and let's just say he's not detail oriented! I will breathe a sigh of relief after I look them over. Hopefully all is in good shape but I am happy to answer any questions about the process for our fellow SE Asian travelers.

I loved Cousin Orville's trip report. I hope there will be another this summer!

 

[Cousin Orville]

We got our passports back today from the Houston consulate. We just overcame our fear and sent them in. It ended up to be a pretty painless process. However, I have not seen the passports yet (my husband opened to FedEx envelope) and let's just say he's not detail oriented! I will breathe a sigh of relief after I look them over. Hopefully all is in good shape but I am happy to answer any questions about the process for our fellow SE Asian travelers.

I loved Cousin Orville's trip report. I hope there will be another this summer!

Glad to hear it went well. The Vietnam visa is actually kind of cool looking. You'll get 2 more full page visas for Laos and Cambodia during the trip at the airports. Cambodia's is my favorite of any of the stamps/visas in my passport.

 

[heart]

We leave two weeks from tomorrow---eeek!

Question for those who have been. I've researched, but still...

I know I don't need a power converter, as my devices are happy with whatever juice. Will I need plug adaptors?

Thanks!

 

[CrazyZeus1]

We leave two weeks from tomorrow---eeek!

Question for those who have been. I've researched, but still...

I know I don't need a power converter, as my devices are happy with whatever juice. Will I need plug adaptors?

Thanks!

I would say yes....I would get a universal adapter (get two)...that's what we use for our international travel! Then we use a travel power strip with 4 outlets so we can charge more than 1 thing at a time!

 

[jenbear25]

We're bringing the Apple adapter kit for our iPhones.

Excitement is building; our journey starts next Fri with a stop at Disneyland before heading to Saigon.

 

[heart]

Re adapter decided on multi kit as it appears Vietnam uses ~3 plug types. Just trying to cut down on my packing--THAT'S not going well!

Look forward to meeting you jenbear25!

When do you arrive in Ho Chi Minh?

Have fun in Disneyland!

Feel free to PM me.

 

[CrazyZeus1]

Please post here if you would like to talk with anyone else who has signed up to travel to Southeast Asia with ABD.

You can also share information/ask questions about the Cambodia, Vietnam & Laos Jewels of Southeast Asia ABD.

Please try and keep this thread on topic to discussion and questions about the Southeast Asia ABD. Off topic posts will be deleted or moved.

Thanks!
Sayhello

Roll Call:

Current

• Aug 3 - 14, 2015
  • - heart, DH, DD(24), DS(21), DS(16) & 4 DFs (dear friends)
  • - jenbear25 & husband
• Dec 19 - 30, 2015 - goofy5000, 2nd adult & daughter (10)
• Dec 23, 2015 - Jan 3, 2016 - acndis, DH, DS (8) & acndis' Dad
• Jan 11 - 22, 2016 - CrazyZeus1, Hubby & son (12)

Previous:

• Jun 10 - 21, 2013 - Cousin Orville, his son (8) & his Dad
• Jun 24 - Jul 5, 2013
  • - deckes
  • - ABD Whovians, ?? & daughters (14 & 10)
  • - abbyjt, DH?, & 3 kids (19, 16, 15)
• Jul 8 - 19, 2013
  • - smep013 & husband
  • - disneyphx, husband & daughter (8)
  • - lrweaver & daughter (14)
  • - sjlsk8r & ??
• Jul 22 - Aug 2, 2013 - figmentfan2009, DH, DD & DS
• Apr 14 - 25, 2014 - austraveler & ?? & boys (10, 12 & 14)
• Jul 21 - Aug 1, 2014
  • - DebMA, husband, her parents & MIL (ages 71 - 73), older son (16) & younger son (13)
  • - mamclaug, ?? & child (11)
• Aug 4 - 15, 2014 - travelbugmom, DH, son (11), son (8) and another family husband, wife, son(11) & son (13)
• Nov 12 - 24, 2014 - Benhungto &friends.
• Dec 22, 2014 - Jan 2, 2015
  • - AddictedtoTravel & ??
  • - Kez250, DH, DS (13) & DD (11)
  • - canter2U & husband
• Jan 12 - 24, 2015 - chats9195 & friend

Hi!! Can we update our family travel date info? We'll be going December 13- 2015- January 3 2016 Thanks!