Vietnam 1: Ho Chi Minh City & the Underground World of the Cu Chi Tunnels

Send us Fan MailIn this first episode from Vietnam, Laura and Carrie land in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon) and step straight into the chaos — jet lagged, wide-eyed, and trying to cross streets filled with rivers of motorbikes. They explore its contradictions: honking traffic and quiet hidden alleyways, glass skyscrapers and corrugated tin rooftops. These are their first impressions of Vietnam — loud, complicated, and unforgettable.Then we travel to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a 250-kilometer underground network used by Vietnamese soldiers during the Vietnam War (or the American War, depending on your perspective.) Standing where history actually happened makes the conflict feel real and complex. We learn about French colonialism, Cold War politics, Agent Orange, unexploded bombs, and the lasting impact of war that continues today. We crawl into tunnel entrances, watch propaganda films in a dirt-walled bunker, and confront what it feels like to be an American visitor in a place shaped by that history.This episode is part travel diary, part history lesson, and part personal reflection — and just the beginning of our Vietnam journey.Musical Credits:Get Away In La, by Western Youths, Revolution Fever by Klaatu Verada Necktie, Music provided by: Slipstream Music Xanadon't by Mystery Mammal is licensed under a Attribution License. Black Hawk City Fly-Over.wav by djfinski  License: Attribution 3.0 Whispers in the Trees by Greg Kirkelie is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.  My Native Land by Le Chaos Entre 2 Chaises is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. Support the showWant to support the podcast? Go to Laura's Patreon site to see photos from the episode, maps of places she talks about and you can become a patron too!Follow the show on instagram or facebook.Buy any of these products that I fully stand behind- and I'll earn a commission.Buy cute sustainable bags at: https://torrain.org/   Use Promo code: TRAVELALONG to get 15% off.  Buy matcha at: https://mantramatcha.com/  Use Promo code: TRAVELALONG to get 15% off.  Buy sustainably produced coffee:  https://www.afueracoffee.com/  Enter promo code: TRAVELALONG for 15% off.  Music in advertisement by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay