On the Mekong
We set off on time on the boat at 8am. We each had a cane seat and there were three hammocks and a reclining bamboo lounge to share. All very comfortable but impossible to believe that the boat could sit 30. We also had our own (not so private) toilet which came in useful during our 8 hour trip
It was an idyllic way to travel with endless views of the Mekong and its variety of traffic. Everything from small fishing boats to big dredgers made for an ever changing landscape.
However, even better was the time spent travelling down the smaller tributaries. We could see into peoples homes and watch them go about their daily lives. The kids would wave and shout hello and we would wave regally back.
We stopped for lunch in Vinh Long and stocked up on a variety of foods from the street stalls. The taro filled pastries were delicious and the noodles very tasty as well. However the honey pastries for dessert were a bit odd. Much later I asked the kids whether they had liked the noodles and what was in them. They agreed that they were good and thought the pork was nice. Only then did I tell them that the pork was in fact pigs ear. Something I had found out over lunch from our travelling companions.
We arrived at Can Tho around 4 pm, a big bustling city with a long river front. There we were met by a taxi provided by the Homestay. We said goodbye to our travelling companions and plan to meet up with the English couple Clive and Carolyn for Peking duck when they visit Sydney in October.
The Green Village Homestay is about 10 km outside Can Tho set on a little river surrounded by rice paddies. We have a little thatched cottage with the hardest mattresses imaginable. We also have mosquito nets and fans to help ensure a good nights sleep. We had dinner at the Homestay which was a chicken hotpot with orange and white carrots, squash and morning glory all simmering in a tasty broth. This was followed by delicious coconut 'pancakes' which were kind of like a thin waffle cone and the kids loved them.
Breakfast at 5.30am tomorrow as we are off on a tour of the floating markets about 30 minutes down river..