G'day All.........
We're off on another tour with our guide Phuec (Mr Foo or he said we can call him Mr Happiness!) and this one is a full day down to the Mekong Delta and the river town of My Tho.
The Saigon traffic is its usual mayhem with flocks of bikes (both pedal and step-through), cars, taxis, trucks, tractors and pedestrians, all racing to get somewhere. Mr Foo said the population of South Vietnam is 60 million.. I reckon they are all here this morning on the road south!
The narrow highway is lined with small businesses, manufacturing, repair shops, junk yards, cafes... you name it and it's here and they are all trying to make a buck... god knows how! For those who have been to India it looks much the same... suburban roads and thousands of small shops with motorbikes parked outside and people everywhere.
After 2 hours of this insanity (fortunately we have air-con comfort) we arrive at the Mekong River town of My Tho. It's a thriving river port and from what I can deduce from the navigation markers, the sea is about 50-60 kilometres away. This is a BIG river and from the hundreds of boats of all sizes, right up to small coastal ships,it is the lifeblood of the whole delta region. Amazing to think that this water started up in the Himalayas.
Liz is abit concerned when Mr Foo guides us down a gangplank to what looks like one of those Indonesian fishing boats we see back home on the TV up near Christmas Island. How is she going to get on board but more to the point, how will I with my bad hip, walking stick and backpack! No problemo and soon enough we are chugging our way down-stream between the fishing fleet and other tourist boats. We have the whole boat to ourselves which is good because I am jumping all over the place taking photos... giving Liz heart-failure as I stand shooting from a rocking boat!
We finally head up a small narrow tributary and arrive at some rickety wooden steps which appear out of the dense mangrove palms. Another challenge getting off but all ok and before long we are on an island community tasting honey tea (my BGLs will go through the roof!) and sampling some local fruit.
Then it's into the back of a cart with what appears to be a very small horse eager to get going. We travel in the hot sun (Liz and I both wearing those Vietnamese hats) for a mile or so and end up at a touristy type thatch-roofed rest stop where we sample some more delicious fruits and are entertained by a group of local
Vietnamese musicians... it's all very touristy but interesting all the same.
Right next to this thatched long-house is a small and narrow waterway with lots of small wooden boats whizzing back and forth. Suddenly we realise that this is the next leg of the tour and I recall a photo Ben posted when he and Rohani were here last year. Liz is saying "No Way" she can get down the narrow steps and into the bobbing boat!
Meanwhile I am trying to make sure my backpack is on and secure and trying to put my camera strap over my head, while holding my walking stick... when the unthinkable happens!!! My Panasonic G2 slips out of my hands, bounces off the narrow concrete path and into the mud in the mangroves!!!!!
Liz almost faints, while I frantically try to grab the strap with the end of my stick to stop it sliding down the steep, wet and slippery mud bank and becoming another piece of Mekong River junk! I aim the end of the stick towards the loop of the sliding strap. to gasps from nearby people, and drive it into the mud. It holds and I am able to gently lift it where Mr Foo grabs it and we retire to the rest stop to assess the damage.
Almost the entire camera is covered in wet mud and we frantically use all the Wet-Ones in my pack plus a box of Kleenex to wipe it down. Nothing seems to be damaged and when I turn it on it springs to life like nothing ever happened!
Disaster averted... and thank goodness to those engineers at Panasonic. I saw the world pass before my eyes and had visions of a $1000 camera with all the photos, sinking into the Mekong.
The rest of the day is a bit of an anti-climax after rescuing the camera ... we cruise the backwaters of the Mekong in one of those flaky little boats and make it back to the town ok. Then lunch at the Mekong Rest Stop... and back to Saigon and our hotel. Altogether a very worthwhile tour... I'll just forget the camera incident!
What a day! I need a beer or two after that and tomorrow is gonna be an easy one before we head off to Hoi An on Saturday. We're trying to decide where to have dinner... and a beer... should it be Vietnamese, French or German? I'm becomming addicted to Pho... even had it for breakfast! Giddy Up!!!!!!!
Dave and Liz
P.S...Thanks for all the tips from those who have been here and are posting on facebook. We really appreciate your advice.
We're off on another tour with our guide Phuec (Mr Foo or he said we can call him Mr Happiness!) and this one is a full day down to the Mekong Delta and the river town of My Tho.
The Saigon traffic is its usual mayhem with flocks of bikes (both pedal and step-through), cars, taxis, trucks, tractors and pedestrians, all racing to get somewhere. Mr Foo said the population of South Vietnam is 60 million.. I reckon they are all here this morning on the road south!
The narrow highway is lined with small businesses, manufacturing, repair shops, junk yards, cafes... you name it and it's here and they are all trying to make a buck... god knows how! For those who have been to India it looks much the same... suburban roads and thousands of small shops with motorbikes parked outside and people everywhere.
After 2 hours of this insanity (fortunately we have air-con comfort) we arrive at the Mekong River town of My Tho. It's a thriving river port and from what I can deduce from the navigation markers, the sea is about 50-60 kilometres away. This is a BIG river and from the hundreds of boats of all sizes, right up to small coastal ships,it is the lifeblood of the whole delta region. Amazing to think that this water started up in the Himalayas.
Liz is abit concerned when Mr Foo guides us down a gangplank to what looks like one of those Indonesian fishing boats we see back home on the TV up near Christmas Island. How is she going to get on board but more to the point, how will I with my bad hip, walking stick and backpack! No problemo and soon enough we are chugging our way down-stream between the fishing fleet and other tourist boats. We have the whole boat to ourselves which is good because I am jumping all over the place taking photos... giving Liz heart-failure as I stand shooting from a rocking boat!
We finally head up a small narrow tributary and arrive at some rickety wooden steps which appear out of the dense mangrove palms. Another challenge getting off but all ok and before long we are on an island community tasting honey tea (my BGLs will go through the roof!) and sampling some local fruit.
Then it's into the back of a cart with what appears to be a very small horse eager to get going. We travel in the hot sun (Liz and I both wearing those Vietnamese hats) for a mile or so and end up at a touristy type thatch-roofed rest stop where we sample some more delicious fruits and are entertained by a group of local
Vietnamese musicians... it's all very touristy but interesting all the same.
Right next to this thatched long-house is a small and narrow waterway with lots of small wooden boats whizzing back and forth. Suddenly we realise that this is the next leg of the tour and I recall a photo Ben posted when he and Rohani were here last year. Liz is saying "No Way" she can get down the narrow steps and into the bobbing boat!
Meanwhile I am trying to make sure my backpack is on and secure and trying to put my camera strap over my head, while holding my walking stick... when the unthinkable happens!!! My Panasonic G2 slips out of my hands, bounces off the narrow concrete path and into the mud in the mangroves!!!!!
Liz almost faints, while I frantically try to grab the strap with the end of my stick to stop it sliding down the steep, wet and slippery mud bank and becoming another piece of Mekong River junk! I aim the end of the stick towards the loop of the sliding strap. to gasps from nearby people, and drive it into the mud. It holds and I am able to gently lift it where Mr Foo grabs it and we retire to the rest stop to assess the damage.
Almost the entire camera is covered in wet mud and we frantically use all the Wet-Ones in my pack plus a box of Kleenex to wipe it down. Nothing seems to be damaged and when I turn it on it springs to life like nothing ever happened!
Disaster averted... and thank goodness to those engineers at Panasonic. I saw the world pass before my eyes and had visions of a $1000 camera with all the photos, sinking into the Mekong.
The rest of the day is a bit of an anti-climax after rescuing the camera ... we cruise the backwaters of the Mekong in one of those flaky little boats and make it back to the town ok. Then lunch at the Mekong Rest Stop... and back to Saigon and our hotel. Altogether a very worthwhile tour... I'll just forget the camera incident!
What a day! I need a beer or two after that and tomorrow is gonna be an easy one before we head off to Hoi An on Saturday. We're trying to decide where to have dinner... and a beer... should it be Vietnamese, French or German? I'm becomming addicted to Pho... even had it for breakfast! Giddy Up!!!!!!!
Dave and Liz
P.S...Thanks for all the tips from those who have been here and are posting on facebook. We really appreciate your advice.
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