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" Saigon... shit; I'm still only in Saigon... Every time I think I'm gonna wake up back in the jungle. When I was home after my first tour, it was worse. I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the jungle. I'm here a week now... waiting for a mission... getting softer; every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around, the walls moved in a little tighter. "Willard ,Apocalypse Now
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We rolled into Saigon last night at about 4 am to the sounds of a city just waking up. That was our last overnight train and it was the most basic, no western toilets , no rolling snack cart but we sat around and had deep conversation about life , love and politics .
In Nha Trang we enjoyed a free day which we spent at the mud baths. there is routine -shower in
mineral water, soak in mud, laugh and have your picture taken then sit in the sun for the mud to dry. Then shower the mud off, walk through high pressure water sprays, sit in a hot mineral bath then sit under a water fall and ending in a dip in a warm mineral pool. Whew that was a long time😉 but we felt smooth and rẹuvinated làter. Frank , Lauren and Rob tagged along, skipped the mud and sat by the pool and bảrely tôok a dip. They gladley accepted the lazy piece of shit title I gave them. Hence the photo caption. Later that night we had a lobster dinner and later to the Sailing club for music & dancing. Before we boarded the train we shopped and had a couple of connect four games with some local boys who spoke good english. They wanted to play for post cards, if I won I got a pack of postcards free if not I had to buy them. What a racket but it was alot of fun. Needless to say we all bought postcards.
Today we visited the War Museum another sobering experience. The Ameriucan artillery and aircraft are
still here and are on display. The museum has an entire room on the effects of Agent Orage. Such sad stories. Then we hit the markets! If I thought my bag was full before wait till Wed. when we travel to Cambodia 😉 But I wasn't leaving without a conical hat.
Saigon is a pleasant enough place to idle in for a few days… It is very agreeable to sit under the awning on the terrace of the Hotel Continental, an electric fan just above your head, and with an innocent drink before you to read in the local paper heated controversies upon the affairs of the Colony and the faits divers of the neighborhood.
-- W. Somerset Maugham, 1923
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Chris
non-member comment
Hey Guys
Well looks like you are having a great time, but you seem to love overnight trains :o) Same same, but different !