Ok, on with the show.
I did eat a bug, but it’s not what you think. Vietnam does not (as far as I know) have any delicacy or food where you eat bugs. Corinne, Mark, Mia and I rented motorbikes and biked through some countryside in Vietnam. Mia cracked a joke, I laughed, bug flew in my mouth to the back of my throat and well the rest is history. But at the end of the day I would say: TOTALLY WORTH IT. Outside the city, the trees and the natural beauty of Vietnam is really enchanting.
We rode our bikes to the Cu Chi tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh City. The ingenuity and design of the tunnels were really something to be admired. At the same time, seeing creativity and inventiveness used for war and violence really puts a downer on the day. So, I’ll tell you about the actual tunnels and the bats instead!
The tunnels we walked through were really small. (Interesting fact though, the tunnels have been since widened to accommodate for fat tourist like yours truly!) We didn’t walk through long stretches of tunnel because the air was limited and our feeble untrained lungs (not to mention terribly out of shape legs) would not have been able to bear it. No joke though, at a fork in the tour we were given the choice between a short 10 meter crouching walk versus the more straining 50 meter walk. We chose the 50 meter tunnel (duh!) but we were huffing and puffing afterward. I know what you are thinking, “50 meters, you guys are babies!” YOU DON’T KNOW! It’s since been 2 days and my legs are still sore!
By far the most fun things I saw were bats! As we walked down the tunnels Mark and I would announce visuals on black balls hanging from the ceiling of the tunnels. Mia and Corinne were far less enthused. I didn’t really chase them on purpose. It is just that, the tunnels are small and as I crouched and waddled/walked there wasn’t much room left for them to just hang there and chill. So every few meters the bats would fly off and hang a few meters ahead until I caught up with them. They looked weird!
We all crawled down one tunnel that hadn’t been widened. That was TIGHT! (And not in the cool hip way you kids say the word… well maybe.) I got really dirty.
So the weekend was a success. It was a good Vietnam day. That’s what I call them now. I have good ones and I have bad ones but I’m taking them as they come. Here’s to a more positive new year!
P.S. Happy Birthday Steve! (It was yesterday… but I didn’t write this till now…so…)
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe Cu Chi tunnels creeped me out. The only time I didn't feel nervous was when the guy behind me, crawling on his knees, complained that they should have been named the Scoochie Tunnels.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good philosophy about good days/bad days. Maybe I'll try that for the new year.
hahaha "they looked weird!"
ReplyDeleteyou crack me up :D