Still in Cambodia but making for the border - our bus to the border stopped and loitered for a while, waking me up and making me wonder what was taking so long (a little grumpy?) Then, all of the sudden, Eric informed me that we were driving onto a boat. We crossed the Mekong River on a huge boat, transporting not only our massive bus but other vehicles as well, as well as a handful of people selling goods. I was amazed, and had to get out.

A lady selling goods to a van full of people and stuff on the Mekong.

This little girl was just too cute. Here she's watching Eric as he puts on a show of faces just for her.

The sleeper bus from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) to Mui Ne!

Morning in Mui Ne. We woke up and started on our day's adventure, when we realized that John's camera was missing. Eventually we realized that someone had stolen both his camera and flash, and all that was attached, presumably on the bus. We just praise the Lord all is well and we had it in the first place. We're okay and that's what matters. We know He'll take care of it and aren't stressed. Only bummed for John that it'll be harder for him to take photos the rest of the trip! Iced coffee here is very good! Just like Cambodia!

A million dong. I don't think we've ever had a million of anything.

Sunset on the beach at our hotel, the Bien Du'a. It was a wonderful place to stay, with beach access and a peaceful, jungley feel.

Eric catching the sun's last rays.

In the back of a Jeep (or a Ford? It was strange. But very Jeep like) on our way to tour the sand dunes, the fairy stream and the fishing village.

We, erm, encountered this odd opportunity. And took it.

Eric on his first ostrich ride. Once in a lifetime!

Because I totally knew that people rode ostriches, and have always wanted to. Not. Oh the things you learn abroad.

John and Eric starting on their way down the fairy stream.

The Fairy Stream turned out to be a shallow, wide stream of water that started right near town. I never would have known it existed. But it was charming in every way, the topography of the place reminding me very much of a dried up riverbed in Death Valley, CA. Only on a smaller, still active scale.

The Fairy Stream.

Mini alluvial fans.

Enjoying the mud and the odd, desert meets jungle landscape.

Many thanks to Eric for this capture.

A flower I saw!

There were cows munching on some grass along the way in the stream. One was a bull, and one was this more timid looking young one. I saw someone pet it and that helped me get brave.

A panoramic of the fishing village.

We watched them paddle these odd little soup bowl boats out in the ocean - it looked like a ton of hard work, and we wondered what their shape's purpose was.

Salesmen come in all ages and sizes here. This one was very curious about John.

Drying fish.

What a handsome little guy, eh?

Babies on motorbikes are everywhere here.

Next: the sand dunes.

John walking into the sandy void.

Footprints.

Supermaning off the top!

From top to middle.

Upside down over the dunes.

Eric leans out of our vehicle to capture some cows being herded along the road while the sun is starting to set.

After the 'white' sand dunes, we went and saw the red sand dunes. We had a good time.

Eric taking a bite out of the 'tallest burger in Mui Ne.'

I guess that this little lady has been working here for 25 years. She sits at the market, whipping up Mui Ne style, savory pancakes, and serving them to the people that come and eat them with sweet and sour sauce. They're piping hot and surprisingly good. I really like her little pancake pans!

This lady was also cooking up something odd and good, I tried the ones without egg, but here she is pouring egg on top of... something. It was tasty.

Aurora, I was thinking of you and wishing you were there to take this cooking class with me! Such a cute little Vietnamese lady, I loved her! Here is she teaching me to make shrimp pancakes. :) The Mui Ne Cooking School is awesome. Loved it.

Shrimp Pancakes. Very good.

A fantastic seat on a sleeper bus!

Bus stop in Vietnam.

We arrived in Saigon again, to bid Eric goodbye and figure out what to do ourselves. The street we were staying just off of isn't short of people or traffic or shops crammed into every space. It's a very convenient place to be, and we like it here an awful lot.

The incense outside of our hotel. We love it here and really like the family that runs it. You can tell it's just a family's place that rents out the rooms upstairs and lives downstairs. They eat, sleep, and play on the hard tile floor and wooden couch in the reception. They're so cute to watch and always have big smiles that are impossible not to return. And the air con in our room is awesome. I don't think that much thought is put into whether or not incense will start house fires here. But I guess if you're all concrete you're okay.

Walking along in Saigon, we saw these paper cut out cards that pop open into intricate shapes...like this one. We were amazed at the craftsmanship.

Here is this little lady, selling her paper cards.

We saw this on one of those nifty paper cards before we saw it in real life, and John actually tried to ask the lady what building it was (because it seemed kind of odd.) Turns out, there is a huge cathedral of some sort in Ho Chi Minh. Not was I was expecting, walking along in Asia. But not much of Ho Chi Minh would of been what I'd of expected.