Hello friends and family...I am currently in Can Tho (pronounced Can
Toe)....this was an incredibly exciting day with lots of adventure and an
incredible journey which also at times tested my patience. We caught the 8
o clock bus in Saigon and headed south west for the Mekong Delta..the end of
the Mekong River...3rd longest in Asia and 11th longest in the world. The
drive there was nice...nice big bus through some slum areas which were very
heartening. We arrived at My Tho (My Toe) at 11 and transferred onto a boat
which took us out into the Delta. We then arrived on an island where honey
bees and honey are made...I even held up a honeycomb filled with bees! We
then hiked further and held my first Boa Constrictor around my neck...I can
hardly wait to show you all that pic! We then were treated by the locals to
honey snacks. After that ...we went on a hike through the jungle and along
the tributaries for a snack of fresh fruit...papaya, pineapple, sun fruit,
and some other stuff....some local Mekong people performed music and song for
us while partook of the fresh fruits. WE then continued our hike through
the jungle ...

We then came along a narrow tributary of the Mekong where we boarded little
narrow row boats that took us deep into delta and the jungle.....the only
way to describe it was Disney's Jungle Cruise without the hippos! It was
wonderful. The fresh lush tropical plants of palms, morning glories, bamboo
and all the other tropical fruits and fauna. I would love to go there at
night. After rowing around the jungles and deltas for a while we were taken
to another island where we had lunch by local villagers. We met some of our
co-tourists...4 from Israel, 4 from Spain, 2 from Norway, and one from
Germany....was fun to exchange travel stories. After lunch we continued
cruising around the jungle and then went to an island (I can't remember the
name) where they made coconut candy...they demonstrated how they made the
candy and it was really good...I bought some.

By the way..did I mention its hot and humid here?? I have never drank so
much water in my life and I am spending all my souvenir money on water!!!
The Mekong Delta was steamy, hot, dripping with sweat. I drink tons of
water and still get light headed. After the coconut island we continued to
where some of the people live on stilt houses in the Delta and finally ended
up back in My Tho.

It was then 4 o clock...unfortunately, our big luxurious bus broke down so
we had to cram into a van...It was a bit overwhelming for me....with all the
people, luggage, heat, etc. I began to get claustrophobic...I couldn't move
and felt I couldn't breath and was crammed in dripping with sweat. We then
drove another 2 hours...the whole time thinking...."this is my last
backpacking adventure". We then reached a wide part of the Delta and had to
get off the bus, walk a mile get on a ferry, cross the delta, then meet back
up with the bus and then drive another few miles to Can Tho which is where I
am now. I paid the $3 extra dollar for a room with A/C...why someone would
be so cheap not to pay the $3 for the added comfort is beyond me! I don't
do sleeping and humidity well.

So...it's now 7 pm...Mike is recovering and relaxing...and
myself...immediately, I had to go find my internet cafe...I'm such an addict
but if I don't write down what I did today...I would forget. The days all
start running together.

So soon we will have dinner and then tomorrow we leave at 7 am for the
Floating markets in the Mekong Delta before heading up a ways the River to
some city..which I cannot remember the name at this point. Fortunately,
everyone speaks English here...and I really struggle with the language and
pronunciation of words. Tomorrow will be my last day in Vietnam as on
Sunday I make the border crossing into Cambodia on a 6 hour boat ride up the
river! It amazes me that even in the Mekong Delta you can find an internet
cafe.....my how the internet has changed the world of travel.

Oh..one other aside....there are 16,000 Viet Dong to One Dollar...the other
day I had to withdraw 1,000,000 Viet Dong....I was a millionaire for a day!
Well..only $62!

Well, that is it for today's journeys. I hope all is well back home. Until
tomorrow....(hopefully..depedning on internet accessibility)...