Back to Saigon

Our return journey by bus included another stop at the lovely garden restaurant for a late set lunch where we tried different foods again including a large inflated ball made out of rice. Some of liked it, some didn't finding it very sweet tasting. Back on the bus our journey was once again slow due to the heavy traffic and the low speed limit of buses in particular. It was late afternoon when we checked in to room 1001, a suite which impressed Sue and Audrey when they called to use our computer to check in for their flight home.

In the evening we went walk about with Ken and Liz and finally stopped at May's Cafe for our meal. None of us were very hungry and it wouldn't have hurt if we hadn't eaten anything!

Next morning it was another early start to visit Cu Chi and the tunnels built by the Viet Com in the war. Chao wanted to be early before all the tour buses arrived as the space is very confined. We hadn't known what to expect so we were somewhat surprised that most of the tour was through the forest. This was newly planted a year after the end of the war. The bombs had destroyed the soil and the only thing the local people could grow was peanut. This was unedible and the entire crop for the year had to be burnt. After that they began planting cashew, fruit and forest trees. We followed Chao around the paths stopping now and again as one of the security guards demonstrated booby traps and hidden hiding holes. When a volunteer was needed I was told my boobs would get in the way and so Wen, one of the Liverpool trio, was nominated. Those of us who didn't suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, claustrophobia, etc. were invited to go down some of the tunnels whilst the rest of us waited by another for the small group to emerge. They did but out of the hospital tent - someone took a wrong turning! We spent a while around each site whilst Chao gave us very interesting information whereas other tourists received no feed back from their tour guide other than the name of the site. There are 126 miles of tunneling but only a small section has been widened for the European tourist.

We had a free afternoon so Chao arranged for us to take the local bus, which amused the passengers, into the city centre. Some of us wanted to visit the war museum, some the Presidential Palace, whilst some wanted to do more shopping.

Keith and I chose the Palace on a day when the lift had broken down. We lost sight of the signs leading to the various floors and made our own way to the roof where a replica of the helicopter used by the President at the end of the war was on display. Trying to find our way down one staircase was blocked by the workmen carrying the lift engine down the narrow space.

The highlight for us was a visit to the basement where we walked along tunnels and various operational war rooms from the Vietnam War. We laughed at the mobile phone room when you look at today's mobile phones! It was now time to return to our hotel to get ready for 7pm when we were returning to the city for our farewell meal.

It was a very busy restaurant ande full but Chao had reserved 2 tables so we walked past the queues and up the stairs. Service was slow and once we had ordered our drinks we then ordered our food by which time we wanted more drinks. Kate had ordered a gin and tonic but it took 9 people, 5 staff and the 4 of us, for her to get the same again! It appeared they did not know what Gin was. Back at the hotel most of us piled into the small bar for yet more farewell drinks so it was well after midnight before we went to bed. We had to be up for 7 again!