Our time down in the Mekong Delta has been full of adventure, as we decided to go it alone.We had been advised by some friends we met in Phnom Penh that many tourists visit the Mekong Delta, but purely as day trippers on organised tours, so it was quite a good place to go to avoid the masses of tourists.So thank you for the advice Ali and Deano, and for the Vietmanese phrasebook which came in very handy!

We used My Tho City as our bas e for 3 nights, and took the bus there from Ho Chi Minh City.This should have been a local bus, but there was a day tour going out that day, so they put us on their mini bus instead of taking us to the bus station.This turned out for the best though, as it pulled up only 100 metres from the hotel we wanted to stay at. On the ride there Graham suddenly realised that we had not got our passports with us!We always keep them in the same place, but on Vietnem the hotels collect them in and will not give you them back until you leave.However, due to our early departure they did not give us them back, and we forgot to ask.We had booked in at this hotel for our return to Saigon, so had their card with us.We arrived at our new hotel, but they would not let us stay withour our passports.So, they rang our previous place and they organised for a motorbike courier to collect our passports from Saigon.This was our first problem over, then we had the problem that not many people come to the Mekong Delta alone and wanting to do their own thing.They are used to tourists doing the organised tours and then going home again.Thus, very few people speak any English and most people just laugh at you (in a friendly but still annoying way) when you try to ask advive about getting around.

We eventually found a very helpful small tour place by the river who were able to give us advice.They arranged a boat tour for us the next day which was excellent.For about $20 we had the boat to ourselves and a tour guide who was really good and not patronising like the ones you get on the tours from Saigon!We started at 8am and finished at about 12 noon, and only saw 2 other westerners and a boat of Chinese tourists as we headed home, as the buses don't arrive from Saigon until about 11am.We started at the local fish market which was amazing and so full of life.We then went to Quoi Son Village where we saw and tried many native fruits, saw a bee farm (Graham hated that!), saw many types of fish traps used and low they use cocnuts for many different things.(I bought a purse!)We then had a horse and cart ride through the village to a cafeé where we tried the honey tea and more fruits while a local band and singers played for us.Next we took a sanpan, with an old lady driving us, down one of the small canals. At the sides where water coconut trees which were huge and amazing to see.We then took the larger boat again, getting on it at a floating platform and went to a cocont sweet factory. We got to try the sweets and watch the family making them.Finally we stopped at another island (Unicorn Island) for drinks and then back to shore.The whole trip was fantastic and so relaxing.

The next day we decided to go to Cai Be to the floating market.This was about 60k away and was from 4-8am!We got up at 4am and had hired a motorbike. It's amazing how many people are up at this time in the morning exercising.Even group exercise classes run at this time.The journey was fantastic.We drove through village markets, across wooden bridges with slats not fastened down, and went on 2 ferries .People were so friendly, as they don't see many tourists out there.When we arrived a little old man flagged us down and wrote on a piece of paper a price for 1 hour, then poinbted at out map at a picture of the floating market and indicated he had a boat.The price was good, so off we went.His boat was a little rickety, but he gave us kids plastic chairs to sit on whilst he ran off with an empty pop bottle to get fuel!It was great to see a proper market with no trinkets or souvenirs for tourists!It was all fruit and vegm oh and a boat full of very clean, pink pigs!Each boat tied up an example of their produce to a pole (except the pigs) so you could see what was for sale.We also saw a beautiful Catholic church on the banks and everyday life, as most shops front on to the river and their customers come along by boat.We saw no other tourists and had the most amazing experience, and again many people wanted to wave to us and shout 'hello'.

When we came back there was some confusion over how long we had the bike for, as the hotle owmer did not speak much English.Eventually we got it until 6pm, so we had a nap then set off again to explore the Ben Tre Province.However, half way over the main bridge we got a flat tyre, so had to come back.This put a dampner on the afternoon, so we decided our exploring was over.This is all part of going it alone.You have the best experiences, but also some of the worst too!

The other problem with non tourist places is food.There are many cafes but all just serving drinks, and very few places have a menu, let alone any English.The first night, afetr walking around we saw an outdoor cafeé were people were eating, so went there.There was no choice, we just got 2 of whatever they were serving!It turned out to be noodle sour with what we think was beef (we hope).We also got a huge plate of leave and fresh herbs, a plate of bean sproats, some limes and fresh chilli.No forks here, so I had to go for chop sticks, which I'm not very good with (Graham's a pro).I'm getting better now.We also were given a slice of fruit shaped like a melon, in a bright pink skin, but with white flesh and balck pips, for dessert and had a coke and a sprite and the whole meal cost about 1.50GBP!The second night we were directed to a place by some police men, which had aBBQ.No English menus still, but they did speak some english.This was great but much more expensive.On the last night we found the only restaurant with English menus and that was in the Lonely Planet Guide.It was so nice to be able to choose what to eat!

We left this morning and this time took the local bus.We got 2 motorbike taxis to the bus station, took the bus to Saigon (which stops on the outskirts) then another 2 motorbike taxis to our hotel.This was great to be in the traffic, but a little uncomfortable with all our luggage strepped to us!Graham has now realised how uncomfortable it is to be on the back of a motorbike.I'm so pleased that we went to the Mekong Delta and did it alone, but it's also nice to be back in the familiar surroundings of Saigon, and with the choice of restaurants and English menus!

We are staying here for 3 more nights, as tomorrow is the 35 year anniversary of the reunification of Vietnam, and there are many celebrations happening in the city.We have bought an open bus ticket to take us northm so Saturday is our first journey to the beach at Nha Trang.

Maggie x