Making our way to the Mekong...

---

We opted to cross the border into Cambodia by boat. Started this leg of our trip by all going to Danang airport where we said our goodbyes to Juliet as she headed back up to Hanoi and we boarded our flight to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). Our taxi dropped us off at the HCM bus station to take us to Chau Doc - everything appeared to be going so well.....A Vietnemese/American guy befriended us (thank God) and helped us buy our ticket from one of the many vendors. After spending some time being the centre of attraction in the waiting room (the bus was already 30 mins late) we were told that the bus could't make it into the station and we would have to be taken to meet it. We were then loaded onto the back of mopeds (with 20kg packs on our backs) and were driven out into traffic and across the 6 lane highway (eyes shut all the way). Our "drivers" took us to a petrol station where we waited for our bus. It arrived, already full of locals and the driver then demanded that we pay more money as our luggage would take up a seat!! Our new friend said that we didn't have much choice as in Vietnam the driver is the law!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a scam as at our first stop they rearranged the luggage and low and behold our bags no longer took up a seat!!! Strangely enough not even I could not get a refund!!! Many hours were spent bouncing round on this minibus with four people to a three person seat!!. To continue the journey we had to board a car ferry which we did before our luggage and our bus crossed two boats behind. Whilst waiting apprehensively for the bus to turn up word had got round town that two farangs (foreigners) had landed!! Yet again the talk of the town for the next while. Finally we arrived in Chau Doc and in order to reach our hotel we were back onto mopeds - this time we were a little less fazed by the experience!! The Victoria Hotel was like an oasis and we didn't step back outside until the following morning when we boarded the boat for our trip across the border.

---