Busy day

Well ive just back into the hotel after a rather busy day. I started at 7.30 sitting in the lobby waiting for a tour bus or similar as I had booked a tour of teh Mekong Delta and the Cu Chi tunnels. Then a nicely dressed chap comes over and I get in a Toyota Camry and off we go. Then he tells me that Mekong is 70km one way and Cu Chi 70 the other way. Long day i reckon. But it is in air conditioned comfort and the bloke speaks great english and is telling me stuff the whole time.

Once more into the mental traffic, how we didnt run anyone over i dont know, (PS the road toll in Vietnam is about 8000 per year.) We go through the city and onto the 'highway'. Lane changing is a hobby her by the way. Then a long drive on always busy roads to the Mekong.

The Mekong is a huge river and we get into a junk to go over the river and across to one of the islands. Then into a little rowed junk to the island middle. It is a bit of eco tourist route then. They walk you through the village and see life as it is. Kind of nice and relaxing. Then into a cafe for rice wine and nibbles, more walking through mangrovey type areas and then to lunch. Now I was a little concerned over what I would get but it was lovely. A whole Elephant Ear fish, spring rolls, soup and rice and lamb. The fish was taken off the bone and wrapped in rice paper with cucumber. Then onto a large fruit selection. The biggest portions ever.

Now very full we walked back to the junk and the trip back down the river to the launching place. The river is Yarra brown and has hundreds of boats coming and going.

Back now into the car and off to the Snake Hospital. Now ive been to many zoo type places and well this was weird. It looked like a derilict construction site with a few cakes over the place. Not many snakes except for the cobra that hissed at me. Yes i was a little scared. Then a leopard in a small steel cage with concrete floor. A few monkeys, crocs etc in the same condition. Wasnt upset to leave that one.

Now a big drive to Cu Chi tunnels. The driver put some music on for me and the first song was Cliff Richard!!! Nice though and it put me to sleep for a bit. The drive through Cu Chi village was bumpy and showed a bitmore of teh rural life. It all looks like hard work to me.

Cu Chi was bombed into oblivion during the war and the villagers had long since started a tunnel system to avoid the French (well wouldnt we all) and then the Americans. The system went for 250 km at its peak. Into the centre and a video of life in the tunnels. It is obvious but interesting to see the other side and the impact on them. They werent very complimentary of the septics. No mention of Australia though. Just as we left to walk to the tunnels it bucketed down and we got rather wet. A long walk showing different tunnels and traps and then the chance to have a shot of a rifle/machine gun. Dad and Sam , they had a 30 cal there and I was going to have a go for you but it 1USD a round so i thought itmight cost a bit if i got carried away.

Now the tunnels. I sort of said i wouldnt go down before i left as i wasnt sure if i could stand it, but when i got there i didnt really have a choice. In we go, very cramped and hot and rather scary. Im not afraid to say it. How they lived and moved down there for weeks at a time i dont know.

Back at the hotel and a change and a bit of shopping. I got some good shirts for the boys. Felt like i'd been raped though. show a little interest and you get dragged into a corner, sat down and jumped on. Wouldnt stop touching me knee and saying 'handsome man" . She asked 2,500,000 dong for the shirts. They confuse you and i had to return to my idiots guide to exchange rates, written on my hand, to get her down to 600,000. They're good though but i feel dirty!!! Weird isnt it, i really dont like it, never mind. I have late check out at 1pm, the best they do. I will get up early then off to the market for more of the same. not long to go now.

PS Ill add photos later