Vietnam

Today I got the bus from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City, or HCMC, or Saigon. The nicest bus I've been on so far and this made the journey pretty uneventful. We actually had our bags scanned at the border, though this seemed to be more for show as the officials weren't really looking at the monitors. The bureacracy was typically illogical with all passports and arrival cards being dealt with together and though I had already filled in part of my departure card, the one I got back was blank, meaning I have a different number card for exiting the country. This highlights the fact that none of these visa processes mean anything apart from money - though maybe I should keep quiet until I have actually left.

On interesting sight was a funeral procession that stopped us at one point. The herse was an old army truck decorated in white with chairs and tables around the coffin, presumably for immediate family. The mourners walking before walked in two separate lines of men and women, all dressed in white shirts.

Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City seems even more hectic than Phnom Penh or even Bangkok, which is saying something. It also seems a lot more dangerous than Phnom Penh as the bikes all go at least 10mph faster and there apear to be even less adherance to rules. One could also be forgiven for thinking one's name was 'motorbike', as everywhere you go you hear 'Hello, motorbike?'