I agree. By virtue of travelling the main surface arteries, you'll come in very close contact with the people of Saigon throughout the ride into the city center from the airport. I'm just saying all the traffic means it will take at least 30 minutes.

One of the more impressive aspects of the ride was going through the various neighborhoods and down some tree-lined streets before coming upon an area with tons of trees and no shops or houses--not quite a park, but sort of. Look to the right from an unprepossessing intersection, and there is the Presidential Palace with the red flag gently luffing atop it, quietly bearing witness to the war and the peace. It was all so ordinary. And not at all.