Ha Noi is a bustling city rather like New Delhi except most people go to bed early here and restaurants like you to be gone by 10.30pm. Last night we returned to our hotel only to find that the door was locked and a metal security door lowered. Two 'boys' were waiting on daybeds in the lobby for us, their Vespa scooters parked neatly against the wall. This is our second visit to Ha Noi. We returned yesterday from a two day visit to Ha Long Bay. We spent one nigh...

Sleeper train, tuk-tuk, double-decker coach and a taxi and we've made it to Laos! Did you know that Vientiane is the capital of Laos? It has a population of about 400,000 but is very laid back and relaxing. Apart from the mess caused by a new water system being put in near our hotel, Vientiane is clean and tidy. A blue sky with white clouds is visible during the day, which is not the norm as far as capital cities are concerned from our experience so far. It remi...

We arrived here on 6th June via New Delhi [2 days] and Hongkong [2 hours!]The Shanghai Inn is in China Town. We've already been on the Metro and the Sky-Train to visit the Vietnamese embasey for visas. It's the wet season so the air isn't too bad in the city.Tonight we catch the 20.45 sleeper train and a bus to the Laos border. A journey of about 16 hours!As I type this, the hotel is echoing to the shouts and dialogue of a Thai Soap Opera that is...

Last night we stayed in Galle Fort. The room was in a restored Dutch house within the fort walls. Somehow the ancient walls of the fort withstood the major force of the tsunami in 2004. Otherwise the coast near here was very badly hit with large numbers of casualties. 33,000 people were killed by the tsunami in Sri Lanka and 500,000 made homeless. The room we are in now has been rebuilt since the wave hit Hikkaduwa.

Sri Lanka is full of surprises. Our driver Mr Gama Ounago has taken us to many amazing places already. The very high security in Colombo, the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Mihintale, the scary climb up a volcanic plug to see ancient ruins at Sigiriya, a cave temple at Dambulla, the elephant orphans at Pinnawala and the glorious botanical gardens at Kandy - especially the orchid house! Tomorrow we leave Kandy and it's Sacred Tooth Temple, [we dare you to loo...