Driving in the Mekong Delta

Yesterday was a big day. Flew from Hue to Ho Chi Minh City, then motorbike into town, and got a ticket on a bus (really a van) to Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta close to the Cambodian border.

The ride was to take 6 hours, which for the most part was fine. Why it took 6 hours is another matter - especially since our driver was interested in getting there in 5. You see, the roads in Vietnam are often less than satisfactory, not to mention busy with motorbikes - but I've told you that before. Now, put them under construction too. That was the ride to Chau Doc.

Beep Beeeep!

Our driver passes every bicycle, cyclo, motorbike, car, van, and truck on the way there. Each time he passes he honks the horn, about once every 10 seconds or so.

Beep Beeeeeeeeep!

For the full 6 hours.

Beep beeeeeep! Beep! Beeeeeeeeeeeeep!

The view outside is nice - extensive waterways running all over the place, each filled with paddled canoes and motorized junks, crossed by foot bridges. Palm trees have taken over the vegetation realm, and hang over the canals and rivers like a canopy, protectiing boats and homes parked underneath.

Beep beeeeeep!

Now we hit construction. The driver is still flying, and as we hit potholes in the limestone gravel road, the van bounces back and forth in teeter - toter fashion. From the amount of give in the shock absorbers, this van has clearly been here before. It's really fun.

Beep beep beeeeeep!

We're passing vehicles on the shoulder that has developed in the middle of the road so the van is tilted to the left about 30 degrees, with oncoming traffic veering off to make way for us. Strangely I don't mind. I am giving us a 50-50 chance of rolling, but somehow it's adventurous.

Beep beep bebeeeep!

I am certain he is going to take out a motorbike or bicyclist with his right rear-view one of these times. We narrowly miss whole families with livestock on single motorbikes who appear resigned to the reality of their local byways. Our fearless leader would have been arrested in the States at least 16 times by now for reckless driving. And I don't mind one bit......except for the horn.

Beeep beeeeeeeeeeeeep beep beep!

CHAU DOC

We arrive in the city of Chau Doc around 6pm, and I quickly get a hotel room for $10 and a ticket on tomorrow's boat to Phnom Penh. I then splurge on a dinner at the Victoria Hotel - a 4 star style resort right on the water and out of my typical budget for this trip, but hell, they take credit cards (few places do in Vietnam) and I earned it today. After dinner, I sip a glass of Bordeaux on the deck, the lights of the opposite bank of the Mekong
in view as I write.

Tommorrow, I travel the "Mother of All Waters"

Chau Doc, Vietnam (sent from Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Thursday, August 24, 2006