Trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

I just came home from Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, a business and a fun holiday destination. This is my third trip, the first was ten years ago when I remembered the whole city was flocked with bicycles only. Five years later when I revisited it, i could see fifty percent of bicycles being replaced with motorbikes and a handful of motor vehicles, mainly lorries and trucks. Today the whole city is jammed up by bikes and vehicles. I could see males going to work with coats and ties, and sexy ladies moving on their bikes to work or leisure. Yes! In the economical point of view, I am sure The Vietnamese had done well. Though their country is still under communist rule, their standard of living has improved tremendously due mainly through their hard work and discipline.

Of all the tourist spots I visited, I highly recommend the Cu Chi Tunnels at the Iron Triangle. This is a vast underground tunnel system, secretly dug out by hand by the troops of the "National Liberation Front", and continued to expand as the fighting raged above ground. They were built during the struggle against the colonial powers that were very strong. The tunnel extended three levels deep, with secret entrances, guard rooms, trap for attackers, headquarters, rooms for surgery and wounds, kitchens, escape tunnels to the Mekong river, etc. Total length is more than 200 km. They were dug by using simple farming tools and many hours hard-work.

To prove to myself than I am still young in heart and physically strong, I took the challenge to craw through a 100 meters tunnel pitch dark with no turning back. Tell you what! Don't try if you are too tall and big framed in size, especially those have weak heart. I felt...I was dead at mid way, blinded and breathless. I could imagine how painful and courageous the Vietcong had fought their war.

As I was travelling around the city, I admired those loving couples riding on their bikes or scooters. My guesses were; woman not holding man's shoulder while riding at the back could be just normal friend, woman touching man's shoulder could be husband and wife, woman holding man's abdominal part could be they are in love and woman folding both hands around man's chest while head over his shoulder...she is telling the whole city..."I am madly in love with him!" At that moment of time, how I wish that rider was me and the lady behind was my little darling.

What is hardwork! "The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply." - Denis Waitley