19:20 (7:20 pm*): The end of a very, very long day. I figure 31 hours since we left Olympia. In that time we traveled to the other side of the planet, made it through Vietnam immigration and customs, found a taxi across Ho Chi Minh City to the ferry dock, booked passage on a hydrofoil to Vung Tau, found another taxi to our hotel and checked in.
Coming to Vung Tau instead of staying in HCMC was a good idea. Just the ride across the city was enough for me. Traffic is insane--an American used to rules of the road would not stand a chance. Traffic is about half and half cars and motorbikes. The latter flow in, out and around cars and trucks. Somehow it all works. We did not see any accidents despite some awfully close encounters.
The hydrofoil ride down the Sai Gon River was about 90 minutes to 2 hours and uneventful, with only a two stops to reverse engines to untangle vegetation from the propeller. The water is greenish brown. The shoreline in and immediately south HCMC is very industrial with lots of barges of all sorts. The activity gradually ebbs until the riverbanks are thick with mangrove.
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*From this point on all time will be presented in the 24 hour format used in Vietnam.
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