I want to go and see the Cu Chi tunnels before I leave HCM and so I have said to Elias if he is interested. He seems up for it, but with Elias you never know. Anyway we check out a few places today and end up booking a tour for tomorrow. Pick up at 8 and should be back around 3. As usual, all timings are taken with a pinch of salt. Elias is keen to start our hitch hiking tomorrow after the tunnels, now, while I'm not against the idea, I just think that we will be back too late to start. Not that I'm an expert, but I still think it will take the guts of a day to make the journey. We decide to play it by ear and see what time we actually return tomorrow.
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I do a bit of blogging in the afternoon while enjoying the local coffee and tea, and sampling some street food. I don't even know what half of it is, just bargain and buy. There are so many fruits an vegetables here, I get told the name in English and I still haven't heard of it. Every time I am at a market, or see a street seller there is something different I haven't seen before. The selection is mind blowing and the is never just a few, scores and scores of every type, everyday. I think I will never remember them all.
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We head out for dinner with a new guy who entered the dorm, Tom from England. He is not the most interesting person in the world. He has been travelling on his own for about a month, but I can see he is pretty needy, the type of guy who needs to be around people. That's fine with me, but seriously, have something to say, please. Anyway Elias and I are chatting and Tom, well, he is just there, whatever. Tom leaves after dinner, no great loss to the social dynamic, and Elias and I hit up the pool. Spencer joins us for a few games but calls it a pretty early night. Loser! Now tonight is a special night, Mr French has consumed a lot of alcohol, more than I have seen him consume before. By the end of the night he is bumping in to the table and dropping the cue all over the place. He is a happier man when he has had a few. We stay up pretty late, talking all sorts of crap, while watch the lecherous girls pawing over white guys like money bags. The white guys, lapping it up like kids in a sweet shop, as the night goes on this activity become even funnier to us, as we giggle like girls as 'transactions' occur before our eyes. Even see a guy ask a cigarette seller for some heroin, tobacco and weed are always offered but this guy is after something harder. It would appear money talks, because the girl disappears for a short while and then returns with the goods for the man. All out in the street, no discretion, another world entirely. I can't help but stare as it all unfolds, but I catch myself and avert my stare back to a smiling drunk French man. I'm not sure when we get home, I am sure we will not feel fresh tomorrow for this tour!