Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City

Good morning Vietnam! Our last morning here was an early start for a 7am pickup to go visit the Cu Chi tunnels today.  Cu Chi is pronounced as Goh Chee not Coo Chee as I have always thought. We were on a group tour so met some other travellers today.

We had a high speed boat ride on the Saigon River to the tunnels. I did not enjoy that as it was about 1 hour 15 minutes and it was like going through a wind tunnel, your hair almost got blown off your head and it was too noisy to talk. It was also raining a little.

When we arrived we were shown the weapons and bombs used. The Viet Cong used AK47 guns supplied by the Russia, which Gavin was interested to see as he was familiar with them due to compulsory national service in SA where the the ‘enemy’ soldiers on the Angolan border also used them, as they were also supplied by Russia. People could try shooting with them which he did, I was not at all interested as I hate guns.

We saw the horrific traps used by the Viet Cong, hidden holes in the ground with large metal spikes that were sure to cause fatal injuries. I am not sure what I found more disturbing, the horrific traps used or our young guides total excitement and enthusiasm at how the GI’s would die. Let’s just say that this tour is obviously very pro Viet Cong and if I was an American tourist who knew someone who fought in that war I would find it very uncomfortable.

The tunnels are very small, built to fit smaller Vietnamese people and not the larger Americans. For tourists the tunnels have been made bigger, but despite that they are still a tight fit. Gavin went into the tunnels, he did the first 20m and then the next 20m of smaller tunnels. I decided not to go in as I was worried I would feel claustrophobic.

This is a collage of some of the traps, and some lifelike models showing how they cut open unexploded bombs to obtain the explosive powder within which they used to make land mines. The metal of the shell was also used as weapons and spikes for the traps.

We then had lunch at a nearby restaurant, it was a more tourist type of restaurant and the food was not great. Then the windy speed boat trip back into the city. 

We had just enough time to go around the War Museum - it was very interesting with fascinating photos taken by journalists back in the 60's. Some horrific images of people affected by Agent Orange and all the deformities it caused.

We have now packed up and are just about to leave the hotel for the airport. First stop Singapore where we have a very quick transfer then on to London, and home to Xena!

Thank you so much for sharing my travels with me, and sorry for the long narrative every day but I am using it as a travel record.