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Published: December 14th 2007
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On the mekong delta
the water really wasn't that great, it smelt bad too! Xin Chao,
The journey from HCMC to Phnom Pehn started fine. Once again we got on the tour bus and made our way to the port. From there we got taken along the Mekong river on a boat to the coconut candy factory on one of the 3 islnd called: Phoenix island, dragon island and turtle island. We bought some of the candy as it was lush, a mixture between toffee and caramel but with cocunut flavouring. Next to another island where they have bee hives and make honey, we got to sample some honey tea which was pretty good. They also bought out a massive snake that you could hold, but we both passed. Next we got on these little rowing boats where we were taken through the mangroves, it was amazing, it felt like you were in the middle of a jungle or something.
Next island is where we hd lunch which only consisted of a slither of pork and rice. You could buy extra of the expensive menu if you wanted, but the tour was already paid for so we didnt just out of principle. While we ate local people played traditional music and sung. After
local fisherman
the people live on surrounding islands that the mekong has carved out. lunch we got back on th boat and went to another island where we had a fruit tasting session, it was really nice and filled us up abit more than the rice and pork.
That was supposed to be the end of the day, so we got back to the port and back on the bus for another 10 minutes till our connection point. We get dropped at this bonzi garden, where we had to sort out which bus different people had to get on, as others were on doing a 1 day trip etc. The guide said to us to get on a bus that was across the car park, but it looked like a local bus and not a tour bus, our bags were even put on the roof. We asked if this was right and how long it would take, as there didnt look like there was any seats available-he said it would take 6 hours! I asked if there was air con- he said 'No, there is windows!'. That was it we all went mad at him, we had paid extra , we were'nt going to be palmed off on a local bus with no
on our boat trip
it was nicer in the smaller tributaries seats and air con for 6 hours. After about 10 mins of shouting at him, he knew we weren't having any of it, so we got on the coach for 3 hours till we dropped the others off and then get a nice, air con bus to takes us another 5 hours to reach our destination for the night that was near Chau Doc.
Once arriving at the bus station in Chau Doc at 9.30pm, we were greeted with a dark and eerie car park. We had been up since 6am and not eaten since 12.30pm, so we were all ready to go to the hotel and crash out. However when we got off there was no tour guide there liked promised, only moto drivers, who circled us and would not leave. 50 people in Vietnam die everyday on 'moto's', we weren't getting on one. We got to a office were we tried calling a taxi, but apparently no taxis run in Chau doc only motos, again we said 'NO MOTOS'. It was also mean splitting up which we werent prepared to do! Then out of nowhere this little woman turns up saying she is hear to pick us
making coconut candy
it was so nice, like coconut toffee. up and take us to the hotel, so we rexplained we weren't getting on moto so she called a taxi and got us to the hotel.
Hotel? hmm didn't look so good for us but we didn't care just wanted to go to bed. Then shes says that they are fully booked so in the group of 5 of us, 3 stayed in one hotel and we went and stayed in another. Rob and I followed her down the road to this scabby little hotel. The rooms weren't great with ants on the floor and immediately all in our bag, with just a fan in the room. Our room with a fan was 36 degrees. Lycra sheets and no water in the bathroom, we didn't care jut wanted sleep!
We got woken the next morning at 6am after getting to bed about 1am to come for breakfast, we left the hotel and went and met the others about 5 mins away. We were put in tuk-tuks and driven a few minutes away, where we boarded the fat boat to Cambodia. We couldn't believe the ordeal we had, paying $35 we got left on our own and no tour
on smaller boats going through the mekong
you really felt like you were in a jungle guide since the previous day. It was the worst tour ever, lack of organisation and being fobbed off. Unfortunatelt at the hotel in the morning, we met others who had been through similar situations, it sounds common on the Mekong trips. Also on the econd day we were meant to go to an Islamic village and floating fishing market but becaue we were going on the fastboat, we missed these things, but weren't told that!
Untill next time, Party on dudes
Rob and Han x x x x
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