Vinh Long to Can Tho - country roads, fruit gardens gallore, and the saviour of a family-run hotel

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The next morning we decided to drive the roundabout way to Can Tho, through Sa Dec by way of the ferry. It was just about the longest and slowest way to Can Tho, and it was lovely. We sanked around the islands, past fruit garden after fruit garden, the roads sleepy and barely wide enough for one car at a time. Endless bridges, markets and smiling faces along the way.

The ferry was not the scary ferry we had seen so many times before, but rather a larger one, with cars, thus slowing down the traffic, even though we were glad we had watched them the day before and knew not to be at the front of the line, as people drove on and off well before the ramp even got close to the pier...

It was a peaceful day, a rare one on which we could stop while driving, to take photos and look around, and not be in a mad rush to get to our destination.

We did end up getting into Can Tho pretty late, though, and getting to our hotel even later as we spent over two hours navigating the huge city. But we were saved, and the hotel we had booked was just what we needed. Right on the river, family-run and quiet, and the staff were fantastic. Even though it was late, they found us a boat so we could visit the floating market in the morning and fed us and even made us breakfast so we could eat it in our rooms before creeping out into the pre-dawn darkness...

Sadie had been looking forward to the floating markets for years, and unlike when we did Halong Bay (unexperienced and rushed and cultureshocked and afriad of scams), this time we did it right!

The boat picked us up at 5:30, and while we waited in the dark, we heard all the boats pass by on their way to market. No lights, no moonshine, just darkness and a lifetime of experience as their guide. Our guide/boat driver Yin turned out to be rather off his rocker, and this suited us just fine. The market was great to see, though the balance between beating the tourists and being there to see the market in full swing is rather a fine one. And of course by this time we had seen so much of rural life that the market was not the deep insight into everyday life in Vietnam that it may be for many. But it was lovely to be there all the same.

We sailed up more small canals and passed more fruit gardens, and also visited a noodle and rice paper factory. We were again very happy, as Yin took us places the bigger boats couldn't go, thus keeping us away from most other tourists. Besides being a crazy joker, he also made us a complete set of jewlery on our trip, from ratan and water coconuts and lotus flowers, while he steered the boat with his feet. We had another wonderful, personal and easygoing Mekong experience. It really was a treat to do it our own way.

Having experienced what 4:30 am wakeups do for our crankiness levels later on in the day, and having gotten an offer for our bikes in Ho Chi Minh City as long as we got there within 3 days, we decided to take it easy on ourselves and drive the 30 km to Vinh Long and stay at the same place we had last time.

And Sadie got another second wind and went running again, where she was stopped and interviewed for the camera by a group of Vietnamese English students. Really, even sweating profusely adn tomato-red, it is still possible to get celebrity treatment just for being Western...

- How you know what a boat is selling in a fruit market: They have a tall pole on which they hang the items for sale

- Daily Vietnamese coffee consumption record: Øyvind 7, Sadie 5

- DIfference between a ward and a district in Vietnamese cities: a ward is bigger? really, no idea...

- The trick to finding your way around in any Vietnamese metropolis: figure out where your destination is in relation to one of the following (found in every city) major streets: Hai Ba Trung, Trang Hun Dao, Tan Phu, Le Loi, Le lY Tuong. Then ask for that street. YOur chances of getting good directions just increased exponentially.

- Always, always try to avoid asking questions that warrant a yes or no answer. Remember the whole culture revolves around not losing face. They really don't want to say no to you, even though they should... 😉

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Photos

Photo shoot
We even had time to stop and take a few pictures on our way this day. A very nice change

Late arrival towards Can Tho
We took our time on our way and got in late - but we also got some beautiful views on or way

Towards the market
As we were waiting to be picked up, the boats came gliding pass us on their way to the market, as they probably have done thousand times before

The Floating market
Its early morning and the floating marked is just getting started for real. At this time it is a lot darker then it seems on the picture

Sunrise
We did also get to see the sunrise over the market

Making a deal?
As the sun is rising over the market, some vendors stay on their phone. A delayed customer? A missing delivery? Or just updating facebook?

Whats on sale
To be able to tell what each boat are offering, keep an eye on their poles with things hanging from them. Here you can get a lot of different greens and vegetables

Full speed
The goods that are soled are literary thrown after you when payed for

The queen
Sadie got all dressed up in hand made jewlery made by our guide

Rice paper factory
We also got to see some at the local handcraft when it comes to food being processed and sent out to other parts of the country. Rice paper is used all over and it is seemingly very easy to do

Our guide
Yin seemed to be full of energy and kept on entertaining us the whole way

out of my way
The average Vietnamese with a bit of stuff on his motorbike. This is hardly anything so he probably just picked something up on his way