cu chi tunnels

In Saigon, we took a day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. My dad told me about them last time I was here but we didn't have enough time to go.

I read in Let's Go that you get to crawl into the tunnels and shoot AK47ss! Uhhhh i have to go!

We had the best day at Cu Chi. they let us climb into the tunnel that was literally one foot by one foot. Tien was egged on to go in and that was the icebreaker for us all. We laughed so hard when she got stuck in the hole due to boobage hahaha! We bonded over that episode and from then on, our group was the most loud and friendly.

Shooting M16s







BOMBED!!!!!!

tapioca with peanut salt pepper sugar

yummy tea

the only group photo =/

and we thought THESE were the tunnels

There was an underground tunnel about 100 meters long and maybe a little bit more than shoulder length in width. They let us follow a soldier down but he was so incredibly fast we lost him almost immediately. It was pitch black underground and the only light was a small red path marker every 10 meters or so. Since I'm short, I basically squatted for 100 meters in fear so I walked as fast as I could to keep up with the person in front of me. I made the 100 meter mark and emerged into sunlight with a few others. Kat and Tien made the 60 meter mark and had to get out when claustrophobia set in. The taller people were forced to crawl on their hands and knees the whole time and this 6'3 skinny guy literally scurried the whole way. I was quite impressed with his speed but he confessed that it was due to fear and that the small soldier in front of him was so incredibly fast it was shameful if he copped out and went up before the 100 meter mark. That was one of the most memorable experiences, to feel what they felt back then, and I was told later that they actually expanded the tunnel a bit more for tourists!

I am so impressed and humbled with these insane tunnels! They were dug with no support system, and the ventilation system was so cleverly disguised. Americans used dogs to sniff out the scent of the Viet soldiers so they put pepper around the vent to keep the dogs from smelling them. However, when the digs sneezed, that was indication that a vent was there so the viets took American soldiers' shoes and laid them by the vent to throw off the dogs. Talk about improvising!!!

The gun range was scary loud. We didn't have ear protection Dino was deaf by the time I finished shooting. We each bought 4 bullets and chose the M16 to shoot.

This excursion is a must do if you are in Saigon!!!!