Get Stuck In The Bog Of Lục Bình
There isn't any bog in the Mekong Delta to make boating dangerous, but there are many floating carpets of lục bình (pickerelweed) to clog the water now and then. We experienced the quick sand sensation when our boat ran into a dense group of lục bình that spread from one side of the canal to the other, completely choking the water below it. It took great skill and coordination between the rower and the boat conductor to get the boat out of that bottleneck hazard.

Watch those chickens!
Since the bird flu scares, a lot of places were'nt serving chicken on menus and during this tour they had cut out the visit to a bird park. Be aware of the risks but don't let it stop you visiting Vietnam (April 05).

They always get you at the border
Did you ever notice that all border towns have a knack for relieving you of your “unwanted” cash before you enter the new kingdom? Well, going from Vietnam to Cambodia is no exception. Though in no way comparable to going from Thailand to Cambodia, it is surprising how this relatively new route from the Mekong to Phnom Penh is now being affected. I guess you can’t blame the small villages that prey on unsuspecting travelers making the journey. You are horded into the only restaurant in the village, hungry and there's not much you can do but have something mediocre to eat at inflated prices. That is not the worst part, though. The kids, most likely the owners’ kids, try and pry the last piece of local currency from your pocket before you leave by selling snacks, beers etc. The worst scam was the kids showing you where the toilets were, for a price of course!

I actually found that if you just paid some attention to them, they didn’t bear any grudges even if you didn’t buy anything. I guess a piggyback ride is the same the world over; kids love them.