From two days ago-
Sai Gon, June 5, 2001
I’m back from Buon Me Thuot, two 8 hour bus rides and 8 mediocre meals later. It is a curse having been born to a good cook, because it is nearly impossible to eat on the road. The trip was a good and true VIETNAMESE experience. I went with Linh, her friend Truc, their professor (Truc’s father), his wife, and 45 other Vietnamese dentists, and dental professors.

I am so incredibly American.

The fifty of us loaded up the bus by 6 a.m. on Friday morning, got on the road for a breakfast nearby, and continued on the road. The tour guide, Tam, began with gifts for the children on board (there were 3) as it was International Children’s Day (which is celebrated throughout Vietnam in a variety of charitable events, entertainment, crafts, fairs, and festivals). Tam then followed up with a lot of talking that I didn’t completely understand, and then sang a song. He got off the microphone and I thought “okay, rest and peace.” But no, a play on video appears on the monitor and the box speakers, spread along the bus, are blaring the comedians’ voices. I put my MD headphones on and try to drown out the Vietnamese I can't understand with Bono singing in my ears.

A few hours later, we pull over at a restaurant that has a fake “SaigonTourist” sticker on its door. SaigonTourist is the largest tour operator in Vietnam, formerly a monopoly, and very reputable. I brought along a chicken sandwich that I ate instead of the eel that was served and met some of the other people on our trip. A few hours onward, we stopped at our first site, Dryspar or something (I can’t remember). A waterfall site. It’s pretty, but not remarkable. What was remarkable was the fellow standing at the top of the falls throwing out his fishing net and catching the downstream fish. Roughly an hour later, we climbed aboard and went to a second spot where there were other falls, beautiful landscaping, natural boulders, and tall treehouses that were easy to climb but difficult to descend.

From there, we went back to the hotel, and I will continue with Saturday’s events (the elephant ride) later as I’m too tired to go on right now. H.