February 01, 2008: Saigon

We arrived back in Ha Noi early in the morning and took a taxi to the bus station, where we couldn't find anyone to help us escape. We then took another expensive ride all the way back to the airport where we started. We were determined to get out, as it was also freezing cold in most, if not all, of northern Vietnam. After much bickering and quarrel, I won the fight, and was allowed to get us the hell out of that place..... we were going to the opposite side of the country: Saigon. Ho Chi Minh City is a HUGE city with a lot of history. This goes without saying. That's why I don't know why I said it. We arrived and were able to take a night bus to our next destination. But first we had some time to walk around the huge crazy busy city, which was absolutely the opposite temperature-wise; it was 35 plus degrees Celsius with a terrible humidity to add insult to injury. But I was loving it..... I was waiting for this moment ever since we landed in Vietnam. The city is amazing; it's non-stop, it's thriving, it's alive, it's burning and churning, it's loco, it's loud and obnoxious. It's the whole feel of Vietnam wrapped into one huge expanse of land that covers a large portion of the Southern part of the country. I was also loving it. But only because I knew I didn't have to stay very long.

Click here to view Ho Chi Minh City Slideshow.

Photos and copyright: Jeremy Hohengarten 2008
For editorial use only.