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Published: October 19th 2008
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Our last stop in Vietnam - Saigon Saigon!
First impressions were very much like Hanoi - mental crazy busy moped drivers, EVERYWHERE! eeeeeeeeeeeeek!
We got to the hotel, after our short flight from Hoi An, and once again noticed we were staying in the Red Light District........oh sorry, i mean "hairdressers district" - one word to describe our tour group Intrepid - CHEAP!!
It was pissing down with rain AGAIN when we arrived (boooo) - the tan will come soon guys, so first impressions were a bit bleak.
The rest of that day was an arranged cyclotour - its like a tuk tuk but for one person! Or a tuk tuk bucket! CRAZY!
We thought we were going to die for most of the journey - there are mopeds EVERYWHERE zooming in all directions, they even drive on the pavement!
We were stuck in these little rickety "bucket things" with motorbikes/cars/bikes all coming straight for you while the old silver fox pushes you at -5 mph! Needless to say we screamed the whole way round! There was this huge roundabout near ho-ville street which was the ultimate death trap! The poor old boys on the back pushing you into
head on traffic....cue eyes closed and screams that only dogs can here!!
Our first stop on the cyclo was at the Vietnam War Remnants Museum.
We were both rather ignorant to the Vietnam War and got a bit of a shock when we read the full extent to what actually happened.
The pictures they have displayed are pretty disturbing - especially the victims that were affected by the Agent Orange gas.
All these innocent children born with the most horrific deformities all because the Americans dropped toxic bombs all over the country and the parents had no choice but to breath in the toxins.
There was a sick newspaper article of these American soldiers holding up the heads of beheaded farmers and smiling - sick barstewards!!
The tiger cages where torture of prisoners took place ran a chill through your spine. Pictures throughout to show you just how horrific it was.
Not nice to see - but glad we got the opportunity to visit the museum.
2nd stop on the cyclo was the Notre Dam cathedral.......stunning architecture but we didnt get much time to explore as there was a service running.
3rd stop...the Post Office!?!!?!? whooooooopeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
The
next day we visited the tunnels where the Vietnamese hid during the war!
The tunnels were incredible.
The little secret entrances were sooooo small its hard to contemplate how hundreds of people lived down there for all that time!
We walked around the whole area and came across huge B52 bomb craters, got to see the weapons used (big scary ass guns) that you could fire. One of the guys, Jason, took a shot firing the gun from rambo or something, and we crapped it hearing how loud it was!!
We got to go into the bunkers and shown how they survived down there for all that time.
We even go to go down into one of the tunnels - we started to panic after about 20 metres and had to come out.
Its tiny, you are on your hands and knees crawling through and its pitch black. No no no!! It was so claustrophobic down there! eeek!
After the tunnels we made our way to the Mekong River - the minute we got off the smell hit the back of your throat we was wretching for the first wee while (nice!)
We jumped on a wee boat
and sailed to this tiny island off mainland Saigon. The island is called coconut island as this is where all the coconuts are grown.
We had to get into little canos that held 4 max and paddle into the entrance of the island - its surrounded by huge bamboo growing out of the water so you can only get on at one port.
Sailing happily in these canos and what happened! It started raining AGAIN!!!! (shock) but it added to the atmosphere and we got to wear our stylish Vietnamese hats! Woop Woop!
Arrived on the island and a local family made us our lunch - freshly caught fish, where the woman made up our spring rolls individually at the table! Gorgeous! Then we had some veg soup, more spring rolls, banana leaf thing (yummy), rice (shock), HUGE freshly caught shrimps, honey tea - all delicious! What a surreal lunch to have it all cooked by a local family and served to you!
After lunch we jumped on the back of these quadbike style trucks and got taken around the island!
Hilarious fun - we were given helmets and the next thing we are off!! zooooooooooooooooooom!
Literally going flying
around this island on the back of a quadbike with a seat attached - we had a ball of a time!
Went through all these small family fields growing rice, coconuts etc it was beautiful to see.
We ended up at this coconut factory where we saw them making sweeties, juice, etc from the coconuts! A few samples had, it was lovely!
Robyn tried a shot that contained scorpian and watersnake with rice wine!!! YUUUUUUUUUUCK! Yeh, she didnt like it! And then found out it is only ment for men as a testosterone boost!! EH?!?!
After the coconuts, we visited this fresh fruit part on the island and tried some exotic fruits - sooo yummy!
A local family came to sing to us and they sang their version old Auld Lang Sygn!! hehe!
Such a brilliant day and another highlight to the trip!
We were so glad to get out of the busy city, too many crazy maniacs for us!
The last night for the tour group we went to this bbq garden place where you order your dish, and then there is a huge bbq plate in the middle of the table where you all cook around!
Great fun and sooooo yummy!!
Had a lovely farewell dinner and said our goodbyes to all the peopel we have met!
Our tour group were all so lovely - had a lot of fun and was great to meet all these new people!
Next stop.........CAMBODIA!!!!
Lessons learned:
*Vietnamese drivers are CRAZY - close your eyes and hope for the best/
*We really dont suit the funky wee hats (boooo)
*Hairdressers = Ho
Photos to follow team...................................
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