Cambodia...

Well, we made it to Cambodia. I'm sitting at a computer in Phnom Penh right now, sweating like crazy, after some wild travels over the last few days.

We took off from Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City early two days ago, and made our way through the Delta over the course of the last two days, before crossing into Cambodia at about noon today. Most of our traveling has been by boat, though we have had a few random buses here and there.

Over the last two days, these boat rides, various excursions, bus rides, meals, and a hotel last night have cost us 26 USD as part of an excursion that our last hotel offered. Unbelievable.

Today, we were on the Mekong for about three hours in the smallest, gassiest boat of all time, then rode about two hours in a small van via a variety of dirt/mud/bumpy roads.

Then tonight, we got to Phnom Penh, checked into a hotel (with air conditioning) and ate dinner for $1/apiece at a small restaurant down the road. Coles and Evan had fried rice and beef, while Gideon and I had fried noodles with beef and an egg pancake. I'm not sure Westerners come here very often; we're getting some interesting looks.

All in all, everyone has been unbelievably nice. And Vietnam is truly a remarkable place. As we've traveled, every child we've seen has screamed "Hello!" and started waving, many of them as they bathed in the Mekong. We played with several of them this afternoon while we waited for our visas.

Three days ago, we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, just about 50km outside of Saigon. Our tour guide was a native of Saigon who fought for the Americans/South Vietnamese during the war. At one point he was stationed with John Kerry, and is apparently the man in that famous picture at the Saigon base taking down the American flag as U.S. GIs left in 1973.

This man and many others have outwardly reassured us -- without us even asking -- that we "should not be afraid" and that the Vietnamese do not have anything against Americans. A man who drives a rickshaw approached Coles the other day, and upon finding out where we were from, exclaimed: "I love America!" We also had a waiter the other night with whom we exchanged email addresses, because he is studying American culture and customs at a university in Saigon.

Yesterday, one of our tour guides came to us and said "I fought with the Americans as a communications officer in the war, so I am very happy to see you." Another asked us to return to the U.S. and tell people that the Vietnamese are very friendly and that Vietnam is a great place.

So, I am doing so. I'm not sure if these reactions would be replicated in northern Vietnam, but those were our experiences in the South. As we learn anytime we travel, it's the people that really matter, that you really have a natural connection with, regardless of history or government.

It's reassuring. And, in a way, very inspiring as well.

More to come once I stop sweating.