Vietnam

April 1 - 6:
Vietnam is conveniently located at China's south border, so you can travel through China, pick up a wide range of illnesses at no cost, then visit neighboring Vietnam as a medical tourist.  The best facility for such a tourist is the FV Hospital in Saigon.  They offer modern, high-quality care at very low cost.  So after not feeling well for nearly a week, on the advice of the ship's doctor I go to the hospital in Saigon.  There I spend 6 hours in a private room, get an IV, blood test, urine test, EKG, ultrasound and CT scan.  I'm examined by a clinical doctor and a surgeon.  I get a total of five medications.  All staff speak passable English and are professional and polite.  The facility is clean and modern and as far as I can tell, they use modern equipment and techniques.  Total cost is $700.  After a few days their prescribed medications seem to be working.  I'm a satisfied customer.

I've seen hospitals now in both Thailand and Vietnam, and must say I expect these businesses to grow as more westerners learn about their availability, quality and low cost.  This growing medical tourism market is one result of the high costs of care in the U.S., and long waiting lists or lack of quality care in socialistic care systems such as Canada.

Because I was not feeling well, I remained aboard the ship when we docked in the ports of Ha Long Bay and Da Nang.  All that I see of Vietnam, other than my view from the ship, is the above-mentioned hospital, and a bit of Saigon as viewed lying on my back in the ambulance.  One curious thing that Brigit notices from the ambulance is that while its siren blares for the entire 35 minute ride, it makes no difference.  Other drivers ignore it and no one gets out of the way.

Even though our experience in Vietnam is dominated by my medical adventure, we do manage to get a few impressions.  At the first port of Ha Long Bay, Brigit went on tour and enjoyed a kayak trip through that beautiful bay.  She saw fishing communities living on boats, saw some of their ingenuity and some of their poverty.  She shopped a bit at some roadside stands - Vietnam has some great bargains.  And she took plenty of great photos that she shares at her blog http://anchorsawaygrandworldcruise.blogspot.com.

We do get a few second-hand impressions from other passengers.  The sixty mile stretch of white sand near Da Nang that Americans know as China Beach, is being heavily developed by foreign investors - many large resorts being built.  Seeing the growth of medical tourism, the growing tourist infrastructure, the many apartment buildings going up in Saigon, we get an impression of a country actively pursuing modern development and economic growth.  Still a lot of poverty and undeveloped areas though.  We've met travelers who have returned here for longer land tours because they found it so fascinating.  Like so many countries, there are layers of military history, ancient and not so ancient sagas of tragedy and heroism.  But for this tour, our experience is more limited.  We leave Vietnam barely getting to know it.  Some medicine and copies of my CT scan are my only souvenirs.

Next stops: Cambodia & Thailand.