Hello Ho Chi Minh, we meet again!
Today it was time to say goodbye to the Mekong Delta and the family that kindly allowed us to stay with them at their house for the past four nights. We boarded our private boat for the very last time, travelling towards the floating markets, the fish sauce factory and the rice paper factory. As we passed the floating markets, we witnessed many small family shops selling a range of products from fruits and vegetables to fish and meat. Along the way we also stopped off at two family run businesses, which produced the rice paper we need for our spring rolls and the fish sauce we need for cooking. Each person in the rice paper factory produced around three thousand rolls per day, about ten in one minute!!
At the fish sauce factory we learnt that each batch of fish they caught were stored in a barrel for around one year, and then opened to collect the juice to use for the sauce. The factory smelt very bad, so bad that some of us had to walk out because we couldn’t stand the smell.
As we headed back on to the boat towards Ho Chi Minh, we got our last taste of the famous Mekong coconuts, fresh from the trees. It was very sad to be leaving the lovely Mekong Delta, especially after connecting with many of the people and making great memories here in this part of Vietnam. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and knowing that we have changed the lives of the family that we built the house for is heart-warming and a memory that we will always treasure. Our last goodbye was one that we all knew would be very hard to face. This was to our wonderful, talented Mekong Delta tour guide, Han. As a group, we would all like to say how much we are thankful for having him help us throughout our time in this wonderful place. He helped us build the house, taught us how to speak some Vietnamese to communicate with the village children and builders, and overall made our experience here unforgettable.
Our journey back to Ho Chi Minh consisted of playing cards, sleeping, eating and stopping for the “happy house”. The bus ride went smooth and quickly, while arriving back in Ho Chi Minh, it was such a relief knowing that we could FINALLY have air conditioning back during the night. We freshened up in our hotel rooms and then headed off for a yummy lunch of classic Vietnamese Pho. This was such a good lunch and everyone enjoyed having yet another taste of this country’s amazing cuisine. After exchanging money, we spent the rest of the day exploring the Bến Thành mảket. A crowded, crazy market that was filled with many great bargains and many great buys. We also visited Saigon Square and the money in our wallets slowly decreased due to the many purchases that had been made.
Finally, after our long and jam packed day, we earned a well deserved dinner. In small groups, we wandered around the streets of Ho Chi Minh and looked for different places to eat dinner. This was another good opportunity to explore the unique culture and variety of foods to taste test. We finished off the day exchanging money and getting all packed to start another great experience into the city of Hoi An.
So far our trip has been one to cherish, and so many great memories have already been made and shared. Our group has become so much closer than we have ever been, and we are like a big family sharing this one amazing journey together.
Chúng tôi yêu bạn (we love you) and miss you all! xxx
Amy and Grace ❤️
