Those of us not in a hurry to leave spent the day exploring Saigon, a bustling city with many grand old buildings. It was back to reality as prices seemed closer to what we would find back home. After all the cheap beer throughout Vietnam, we were starting to find it difficult to part with $2 for a beer!

A group of us went to visit the Cu Chi Tunnels, which were an amazing network of tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the American War (notice that they don’t call it the Vietnam war here). We were also able to fire off AK47’s and other weapons at the firing range. It got expensive, at $2/bullet, $40/second.

We exchanged addresses and contacts as we headed our separate ways. The tour was a success…and for many riders it was something unique they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Many of the group proceeded to visit the Cham Tower and a Pagoda, after a hairy ride on motorcycles across the city in the pouring rain.  Why couldn’t it have rained during the ride?  Despite the rain, it was still very humid.

The beach beckoned for other riders, whilst a few of us explored the markets and bought durians (a rather smelly fruit, or a heavenly gift, depending on who you speak to).  Much to the disgust of many of our riders, Andy and Irene brought it along on the bus to the airport.  And much to the Ken’s disgust, they threw it away when they couldn’t open it.  “That’s sacrilege!”

 We arrived in Saigon after a short flight and had our final dinner together as a group.  The group was looking very well dressed, as many of us donned out tuxedos and dresses which we had tailored in Hoi An.  It was a night to remember!

There was a large pass at the halfway point of the ride. It turned out to be a challenge, with large trucks spewing out exhaust fumes all the way up. We were intoxicated with carbon monoxide by the time we reached the summit. The ride down proved to be very scenic, and we had lunch at the bottom, next to the beach. Again, some of the riders took time to cool off by jumping in the water.

We got onto the highway after that, and were irritated by the constant beeping from trucks. However, it was a fast ride to the finish, as we counted down the last few km’s. There were many hugs, kisses and high fives as the riders rolled into the finish.

After another hearty breakfast we set off along the Quy Nhon waterfront. It was still pleasantly cool before the sun came up. We rode through some rolling hills with pretty views of the bay.

It didn’t take long however for the temperature and humidity to rise dramatically. We were all coated in thick layers of sunscreen, sweat, dust and salt as the day wore on. Geoffrey discovers some icecreams for 1000 Dong (less than 10c) with unusual flavours like red bean, durian, and green tea. Needless to say, these were quickly devoured by the unicyclists, despite some protests about the smell of the Durian flavoured ones.

What was also interesting were the things laid out on the side of the road drying. Shrimps and rice lined the roadside, often being run over by bicycles, cars, trucks, not to mention the occasional cowdung deposit! It certainly made us think twice next time we had shrimp in our meals!

By the time we arrived in Tuy Hoa, we were all exhausted, sweaty but happy to have completed the most challenging day of the tour. Many of our riders notched up their first ever 100km ride for their unicycle resume.

Dinner was another delicious affair in a somewhat unusual setting. We were the only table in the middle of someones parking lot. Nathan wins 2000 Dong from Corbin for eating his chicken foot, but unfortunately nobody was game enough to try the head (complete with beak).

One more thing to add to our Uninam blogs....we've been surprised by the amazing amount of internet connections in Vietnam. Of all the unitours we've done, Vietnam has had by far the best internet access. Today is the first day of the tour where we haven't been able to update...I can't seem to find a good wifi connection close to the hotel, and it's too hot and humid to go hunting.

Several riders visited the Nguyen NGC center, which is a non-profit organization that helps disabled and handicapped people.  They were treated by a performance from some of the members.

The traffic proved dangerous even when we were not riding.  Ryan gets bowled over by a motorcyclist but luckily sustains only minor injuries.