Tomorrow, Cambodia!

Today is our last day here in Vietnam, we leave for Phnom Penh in Cambodia. We were thinking about visiting the Mekong Delta though having been told by several people that whilst it’s cool, the floating markets and villages in Cambodia are so much spectacular – given we’re travelling with few plans we opted to jump on the bus and skip that final part of Vietnam.

So that’s it really, we took the Minsk back to Saigon Minsk – unfortunately Danh the owner wasn’t there though we got to have a quick chat with his mechanic – well we got to grin at each other and shake hands as my Vietnamese and his English are at about the same level. The Minsk was a great experience though I’m not sure I’d want to ride one the length of the country, though if you’re inclined, Danh will sell you a bike and buy it off once you arrive in Hanoi!

We also went for a final lunch at our favourite food stall in Ben Thanh market, again ordering too much of their excellent seafood though whilst it’s so cheap (and so fresh) is silly not too. Shelley and I both agreed that this was our favourite place in Ho Chi Minh City so if you get the chance then check them out. Head along to the food ‘hall’ they’re at stall 1114 – the only one with fresh seafood on show!

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Here there and everywhere…

Following breakfast, we decided to take a tour of the city, hiring four bike taxis for the morning – though the two guys stuck with Jamie and I were sorely disappointed and the other two, stuck with the girls were over the moon! However, Jamie tried to make amends by hugging his moped pilot for the whole duration – much to the amusement of us, the other pilots (who kept shouting ‘I love you’ and bizarrely, ‘Michael Jackson..?’ and the rest of the moped riding Vietnamese!

It was a fantastic way to see the city and not at all daunting, though darting about and zipping inside and outside of other veichles and at one stage, into oncoming traffic certainly wakes you up. However, the Vietnamese are born with these bikes, constantly you see whole families aboard these bikes from newly born babies through to five generations with Grandma Hoi hanging on the back for dear life!

At one stage I heard a huge horn and looking over my left shoulder I was confronted by a huge bus, it’s bumper literally 3 inches from our back wheel! We were aboard for a good 90 minutes before finishing up where we started, the cost – about $3US each, well worth it!

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Xtreme Motorbike Champs – Tug vs Corporal!

X7 and x18 mark the win for the champ!

Following on from Tug’s Previous post (Tug giving it LARGE) today is the day of reckoning. Both riding 650cc Enduro Machines we’re heading out to the mountains of Cuzco climbing up to a height of 4000 plus metres. Ten minutes will be on Tarmac, the following 75 miles are all off-road!

The weigh in is complete – I’m carrying an extra two KGs on young Tuggy Boy but following on from the recent darts championship (which I won, double 7 with double 18 to finish…) the Corporal should have this one in the bag.

Let battle commence!