Day 22 - "Deeper south" / Ho Chi Minch (Vietnam) - "Oh, how did that money get there?"

MONEY TALKS. But unfortunately when there are westerners in your car the cops don't want to listen to it! Today we started the LONG drive back to Ho Chi Minh... a drive made even longer by the fact that we got caught for speeding (thank goodness they weren't around to see us nearly miss about 1000 cars/people the last 3 days!). Now, as in every civilised country, a bit of moola/dineroes/abraham lincolns/cash normally sorts this out and makes it all go away... but us westerners have a funny effect on the locals - whenever they see us they think they need to set a good example to the rest of the world - they probably think I'm going to write in a blog how we bribed our way out of a speeding ticket... phhh. Bottom line, our drivers donation to the police charity ball wasn't accepted, but in exchange they offered him some bribery charges. This too could have been dealt with thanks to some fast dialing aunties in the back of the bus (the bus at this stage was crawling at 10km/hr - I didn't think it was possible - so that we wouldn't get to the station too quick before things could be settled) - unfortunately the driver signed something admitting guilt (I guess he doesn't watch Law and Order - never sign anything!). Finally about lunch it was all sorted out... fast forward 10 hours and we were back in Ho Chi Minh and were very Ho Chi Tired.
LESSON FOR THE DAY: Beware westerners, they sure know how to ruin a good party!