Cuchi Tunnels

Our last day in Vietnam! The days have certainly whizzed by. Elliot and I savoured our last hotel buffet breakfast before checking out and piling into our van. We had a 2 hour drive to get to the Cuchi Tunnels. A lot of has changed since our last visit and probably for the better. If you come yourself, you will be allocated a guide. You are not allowed to wander around by yourself which is probably not a bad thing. The tunnels were built as part of the guerilla warfare against the American Troops. It really was a showcase of what you would do just to survive. Some of the methods employed to hide and defend the tunnels and bunkers were ingenious. Parts of the tunnel were barely wide enough for a tiny Asian, some so narrow you could only go backwards on your back. There were 2 tunnels we could try. The first was just to showcase how narrow the entrances were. The second had been widened for "Westerners", with stairs dug out for easy access. Lighting and fan ventilation had also been installed. I only just coped. I'm not sure how much more awful it would have been without the extra ventilation. The original were just long pipes of bamboo jutting around termites nest, with the termites eating the bamboo and eventually leaving a hole thus "no evidence" for the Americans to find. 

The complex also showcased other types of bunkers and things that the villagers and or guerilla's did to survive, such as the venting of smoke from cooking, recycling of American weapons, traps to slow and maim soldiers and so on. It definitely was an educational morning. We had a peaceful late lunch and made our way to the airport for our evening flight back to Sydney via Singapore. We farewelled Oma and Opa in Singapore and continued on almost uneventfully. Elliot lost his printed slip after going through immigration! So we had to stand in customs while phonecalls were made...luckily they were super nice about it. From landing to exit only took 20 minutes so not bad Sydney airport!

Examples of the American cluster bombs. The smaller ones are unexploded ones that the villagers recycled

Hard to see but on the right you can see how there are roughly 3 levels of tunnels, you can only move on the lower levels otherwise you could be heard by the American troops

Tunnels were all around the American base. Black lines indicate tunnel

One of the bomb craters that hasn't been filled in

Can you see the entrance?

There it is

Lucky he is skinny!

And he's gone

Demonstration of the different types of traps

The widened tunnel with easy entry and exit. Too hard to take photos inside

Not sure how this fit in but there was a hut showing how rice paper was made 

Short break with tapioca and tea!

Lunch by the river

Last meal in Vietnam not counting the lounge!

The plane to take us home