"Cu Chi" Coo
Trip Start
Jun 17, 2005
1
5
21
Trip End
May 15, 2006
Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
The Cu Chi tunnels are a definite "must see" while you are in Saigon. By bus, it takes a little over an hour to get there. The "National Liberation Front" (NLF), a guerrilla movement that fought against the colonial powers that occupied Vietnam during the late 1700's, originally constructed the Cu Chi tunnels in 1940. Nearly 300 kilometers of underground tunnels were built using simple farming tools and straw baskets to transport the dirt. The tunnels are also three levels deep equipped with surgery rooms, meeting rooms, kitchens, air holes for ventilation, and escape routes to the Mekong River.
The Twilight Zone
Entrance through the tunnels can be made via a stairway or secret opening. In fact, one of the openings was so small I was forced to use a wider entrance. Inside, the tunnels are very narrow, low, and dark. You literally have to walk like a duck or hunch your back all the way through. At first we tried a couple short tunnels no longer than 10 meters. Unfortunately, our last tunnel proved to be a dreadful experience for many others and myself. All of us, like unassuming cows in a slaughter line, made our way through the tunnel. After about 15 minutes of duck walking my legs grew quite tired. Along with the lack of ventilation, beads of sweat dripped down my face. It also didn't help that the person in front of me preferred to do the Hunchback of Notre Dame stride, which meant that his ass was up against my face half the time as I preferred to do the duck walk. We were only half way through the tunnel, yet I did not know that at the time. After about three quarters of the way I let my fear get the best of me. I began to panic as the lack of ventilation and claustrophobia further heightened my anxiety. As well, the line was held up for periods of time as those of us at the end were forced to wait not knowing what lay ahead. I later learned that the hold up was because some of the people in front were stopping to take photos. Not cool. In addition to all of that, occasionally we got a draft of cool air whiz by us only to realize that it was a bat that just flew across our face (look at one of the tunnel pictures closely and you can see a bat). All in all we finally made it out about half an hour later. It turns out that the tunnel we walked through was 120 meters in length! I left the tunnel relieved and at the same time unnerved. I was quite disappointed at how easily I let the fear get to me. I thought I would be the one that would be composed yet it turned out that I was the first one to break down.
After the Cu Chi Tunnels walkthrough we got to take a look at the booby traps that were used during the Vietnam War. As well, at the end of the tour, if you wanted to shoot an AK 47 or M16 machine gun you could for about $10USD at the shooting range. After the tunnel tour we went back to Saigon, had lunch, and visited the War Remnant's Museum.
