WE ARE ON OUR WAY HOME....

And before we realize it, it was time to go... 

as we made our way to Tan Son Nhat International Airport for the flight back to Singapore... 

As usual, there were the necessary airport operations...

and completing the reflections on and evaluation of the trip...

At the end of our visit to HCMC, Vietnam, while empathizing with the people who are affected, we are thankful that Typhoon Haiyan had decided to head north along the projected path... 

And in this last posting, the teachers and I...

...would like to thank parents and family members of our 35 student-participants for entrusting their care to us and partnering us in their holistic education.

Photos courtesy of Mrs Koh and Mr Cheah

HOME banner courtesy of Ms Germaine Cheah

DAY 4 - THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND A LACQUER-WARE FACTORY

We some time on our hands, after a quick post-Cu Chi Tunnel wash-up, we checked out of the hotel...

had lunch back at Tandoor...

 

and headed to the Museum of History...

There was enough time to make a stop at a Lacquer-ware factory...

 

Photos courtesy of Mrs Koh and Mr Cheah

DAY 4 (10 NOV 2013) - BREAKFAST, THEN CU CHI TUNNELS UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL

While we were monitoring news of Typhoon Haiyan's effects on the north of Vietnam, we were blessed with a bright and fair day today...

After another hearty breakfast on the 11th floor restaurant of the hotel...

we took a 1 hour and 40 minutes drive to the Cu Chi area and arrived at the Cu Chi Tunnels...

With tickets in hand... 

we ventured into the exciting unknown...

jungles of Cu Chi... 

filled with B52 bomb craters and entrances to tunnels...

booby-traps...

and one-man hidden entrances...

We learnt about a day in the life of the VC...,

in the jungle making rice-paper ... 

and sandals from discarded vehicle tires...

We saw battle-field relics...

but the creme de la creme was the opportunity to crawl through the tunnels.....even though there was a queue...

US General W. Westmoreland once said “No one has ever demonstrated more ability to hide his installations than the Viet Cong; they were human moles.”

Upon emerging from the tunnels...

what can be better than sipping hot Chinese tea and eating steamed tapioca dipped in crushed peanut...

And as we left the Cu Chi Tunnels with an eye out for the weather, we were lucky that the weather was holding out...

Photos courtesy of Mrs Koh and Mr Cheah