Dec 2004

We got up early this morning and caught a taxi to our travel agents. From there it was on a bus to start the tour. It took us 2 and a half hours to get to our first stop - Cao Dai Temple - home of cadosim. It was impressive and we were lucky enough to see a prayer and chanting session.

It was then back on the bus for about 10 minutes til we stopped for lunch - i had the best mushrooms ever. After lunch it was back on the bus for another hour til we arrived at the Cu Chi tunnels. When we got there we watched a movie - very onesided, and you can guess which side, before heading into the tunnels. I was one of the group who could fit into the original hole so i was pretty proud of myself. We explored the tunnel system - i went down to the second level - it felt like a cardio workout - i dont know how they did it, plus it is pitch black - nothing like a bit of claustrophobia to make you move through the tunnels quicker.

Our guide then showed us some of the booby traps they used - it was so gruesome. We then headed off to the shooting range - i shot an AK47 - it really hurts your shoulders - i think it will be the only time in my life when i ever fire a gun.

We caught the bus back to Saigon then caught a taxi home. Went to bed without dinner because i was exhausted.

Had a restless night last night worrying about the dreaded results. I got up straigtaway and went to a local internet cafe by myself. Checked my results with slight dissapointment and headed off to the Post office to call home - slightly traumatic experience which involved lots of cyring and a panic attack.

I went back home but didn't discuss it with the others. When we were all ready we headed off to Ang Nam market - didn't have much fun because i was still a bit distracted. We had lunch - a terrible chicken curry - before heading back to Ben Thanh Market.

We took the bus back home when i was called by my parents who had orgainsed everything for me back home and put my mind back at ease. We went out for dinner at a local plaza before heading home for a well needed sleep

We got up early this morning - 6:30 am as we are visiting the Mekong Delta. We caught a taxi to the travel agents where we boarded a bus to start our toue. there are 17 people in the group and about half were Australian. We drove for about 2 and a half hours before arriving in My Tho in the delta. We spent 1/2 an hour exploring the markets before boarding our boat.

We toured the delta for a while before stopping at Tortoise Island for lunch - disspointed because there weren't any turtles. We learned new things on the island - graves and funerals were the main topic of conversation. It was then back onto the boat and then onto another smaller one where we visited a village that made coconut candy - yummy! We also tried snake wine - extremely strong - i think i burnt my insides.

It was then back on the boat to the next stop where we listended to traditional music and put our hands in bee hives - I was the only one brave enough to do it We took the boat to Unicorn Island where we paddled through the canals with local woman. It was then back on the boat for the last time back to the bus.

It took another 2 hours on the bus back to Saigon. We stopped at the travel agent and paid off the rest of our trip - we also decided while we were there to book a day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. We went back to Brenda's Grandma's to say hello and then her cousins took us out for dinner. It was then back on the bikes back home where we went to bed early waiting for D-Day tommorow (The release of VCE Results - a whole years work in one mark!)

This morning we slept in before catching a taxi to the bus station We caught a bus into saigon where we attempted to find a travel agent who sold rail and air tickets after no luck we caught a taxi to a well known backpackers area where we found such a place. However in the end after an hour of trying to communicate with the travel agent we ended up booking a bus journey where we could get on and off wherever we liked.

We then headed off to lunch at Lotteria - a local hamburger joint. We then headed off to Ben Thanh Market for a little while before heading home for a shower as we are being taken out for dinner. We caught a taxi to Rich Aunties house before hopping on the motorbikes to head off.

The restaurant was 1/2 an hour away but it was great fun. The restaurant is known as the flying rice restaurant- the waiters throw and catch your rice before serving it to you. The meal was fantastic. We rode back into Saigon and had coffee and ice-cream at a riverside restaurant. We got driven back to the other Aunty's house where we soon fell asleep as we have a big day tomorrow.

Today we got up and left for Dam Sen waterpark and arrived there at 11:30. It is similar to Waterbom Park in Bali with more rides but none as scary. We spent 2 hours on the rides before drying off for some lunch. We went swimming some more - the best ride is the Kamikaze and 19m drop straight down. We got pictures taken and sunbaked until it was time to leave at 3:30

The taxi driver took us to a street with shops but there was nothing we really wanted. We headed back home for a shower and a change of clothes. We are going to Brenda's rich aunties house tonight.

We went on our first motorbike ride - of course there were no helmets! We headed to Brenda's aunties house where we unpacked before heading out on the bikes again this time in peak our traffic in the city where we had a unique night time tour of Ho Chi Minh. We stopped for coffee at a restaurant on the river before hopping on the bikes again for another ride. We then stopped to get Pho with the locals - i decided not to have any but did manage to purchase lottery tickets from a midget and an extremely old woman.

It was then back on the bikes to get back home where we slept with sheets for the first time in Vietnam.