Our final stop in Vietnam is the southern City of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). During the war between the North Vietnam (Democratic republic of Vietnam) and the South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam), Saigon (Later renamed Ho Chi Minh City), served as a capital city for the South, Hanoi being the equivilant in the north. This place has lots of characteristics the same as Hanoi, they both are overrun with people and mopeds! We didnt stay long here as our main objective was to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels. The Cu Chi tunnels were initially constructed during the French war in 1948 and by 1965 there were over 200KM of tunnels completed. The first tunnels during the French war were very small in size approx only 30cm wide. However during the American War, they constructed the majority of the 200km of tunnels, which they made bigger at approx 80cm wide. During the later construction, they used 3 different levels, the first 3m underground, the 2nd at 5-6metres and the final level at between 8-10metres. They were so complex in design, some of the later tunnels had living quarters, kitchens, smoke ventalation, fighting bunkers etc. A lot of the Cu Chi tunnels had been destroyed through B-52 bombers which could penetrate approx 8-10metres deep, leaving massive craters. The part which us tourists can visit has been widened further for westener arses! However even though it has been widened you still get a feel for what life would have been like fighting, living and hiding in these tunnels. The Cu Chi tunnels were used by the National Front of the Liberation of South Vietnam (Vietcong). The half day tour that we went on was such an eye opener and one of my favourite trips yet. First there was a history video that we watched, they didnt mix their words - it was no politically correctness is some of the things they said about Americans. We saw the B-52 craters, traps that the Vietnamese used to injure US soldiers, secret entrances to the tunnels and the shooting range before entering the tunnels. The shooting range was brilliant, some how I convinced Sar to shoot a pistol and I shot an AK47 rifle!!! Sar was a bit of a natural hiting the target all the time, I think it was lucky....definitly closed her eyes and hoped for the best! For me however the tunnels were the high point. Although crawling through hot undergroud tunnels in the pitch black is not everyones idea of fun - it was a real experience. I managed to finish the whole 90metres of tunnels and loved it.