Saionara Saigon!
A few days to acustomize to Vietnam and we're ready to get on the road, courtesy of the same company we toured with yesterday we're up at 6:30 for an 8am departure. We're heading off with a coach load of fellow travellers. We're exploring the Mekong Delta for three days partly by road, partly by boat. Our first stop is 2 hours in, at a petrol station, I wish I'd had my camera at the ready to snapshot the belligerent twat who was sparking up a cigarette right next to the no smoking sign - on the forecourt. Lucy took the lead and asked him not to but it quickly became clear he was drunk and didn't give a toss!
On with the tour and we're taken by boat to a Vietnamese market, it's clear it's not authentic and clearly targeting tourists. Various wares are thrust upon us and we repeatedly decline, it's bit of a pattern here. However lunch is a slightly more enjoyable affair, we stop at an island on the river, the food is mediocre but I h
Slightly deflated we're back on the boat and then back to the coach, I nod off only to awake an hour later and find we haven't moved at all, we promptly instructed to get off the coach and march to the ferry terminal "it's only a few kilometres", in the mid day sun I think to myself.
The terminal, is clearly Vietnam at it's finest, practically third world, it's a hub that everyone uses regularly to cross the various tributaries of the delta region, it's hot, smelly and wearing. We promptly have to wait on the other side another hour for our coach to come across (passengers are not allowed to cross on the vehicles) to take us to the hotel, which we then discover is 500 yards up the road. Meanwhile a few other travellers jump on the back of mopeds to be taken to homestays, I can't quite help but think they're taking their lives in their hands!
The hotel is 1 star and I'm becoming increasingly aware of how lucky I am as a westerner to have such luxuries in my life as hot running water and even electricity, yet despite myself I'm not comfortable. We head out to find food and then we're off to bed, we have to be up at 5:45 am for the next leg.
On with the tour and we're taken by boat to a Vietnamese market, it's clear it's not authentic and clearly targeting tourists. Various wares are thrust upon us and we repeatedly decline, it's bit of a pattern here. However lunch is a slightly more enjoyable affair, we stop at an island on the river, the food is mediocre but I h
Slightly deflated we're back on the boat and then back to the coach, I nod off only to awake an hour later and find we haven't moved at all, we promptly instructed to get off the coach and march to the ferry terminal "it's only a few kilometres", in the mid day sun I think to myself.
The terminal, is clearly Vietnam at it's finest, practically third world, it's a hub that everyone uses regularly to cross the various tributaries of the delta region, it's hot, smelly and wearing. We promptly have to wait on the other side another hour for our coach to come across (passengers are not allowed to cross on the vehicles) to take us to the hotel, which we then discover is 500 yards up the road. Meanwhile a few other travellers jump on the back of mopeds to be taken to homestays, I can't quite help but think they're taking their lives in their hands!
The hotel is 1 star and I'm becoming increasingly aware of how lucky I am as a westerner to have such luxuries in my life as hot running water and even electricity, yet despite myself I'm not comfortable. We head out to find food and then we're off to bed, we have to be up at 5:45 am for the next leg.
posted by searleyeditor @ 3:31 pm
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