Well we are now in Hue which is central Vietnam, it was just a teeny weeny 5 hour bus journey up here and yet again we struck gold with another hotel right where the bus stopped :)

Hue is just another big city so busy and still hot, we thought we would be getting cooler but it seems ever since we dragged out our cold clothes the sun has decided to stay with us, the sun and heat seems to be following us, I guess to everyone at home this sounds perfect but for us (wait for it get your violins ready!) when you have been in constant dry heat for 3 months we are staring to crave the cooler air, we are really looking forward to getting to the north and being in a grey drizzly environment, I just want a big fat wet soggy hike from rain and not because Im dripping with sweat!

So Hue city has an old town which has quite a lot of historical sights and a lot of cultural things to see, we did have all good intentions to go and see them all on our first day, but then the market happened. So we thought we would have a quick look in the market for some cheap rain jackets seeing as we dont have any and its more than likely going to rain. Everywhere in Vietnam sells knock off North Face, shops on every corner, they are only about £12 so stupidly cheap, well we thought we might get an even cheaper on in the market, so yeh its fake but who cares its cheap! Well we must have been in there negociating with this lady and her daughter and friend and sister and mother and whoever else fancied taking part. We tried on two North Face jackets decided to take them after they had dressed us in a number of different sizes and colours for her only to turn around and say that one alone was going to cost £60! We told them that in the shops they sell for 12 and we were never going to pay what she wanted, the whole time they are practically beging you to agree another price, and we had to say we dont want to insult you because we would only pay £24 for two because thats what they were going for in the shop, they didnt like it and had us there literally begging for a good price and they make you feel so guilty with there big puppy eyes, we had to be tough and just walk away and one lady put the jackets in a bag and literally followed us until we got outside and she came down from wanting £100 to £24! sounds like a good deal but only because we got it from the market, they were still the same price as in the shops, but still now we are at least going to be dry and not having to wear the bright pink poncho's we were going to wear!

So after our long and stressful morning we did'nt feel much like doing all the histroy stuff so we headed back for lunch and chilled. There are so many locals here trying to sell you stuff, sunglasses men walk up and down trying to persuade you to buy from them, and then there are the men who cycle round with a kind of seat on the front who want to take you on a tour, they are like cambodias tuktuk drivers, there is'nt actually any tuktuks in Vietnam its all these bike things and lets not forget the people who stop to talk to Damian about is tattoos and then after a good 5 minute convo they bring out a book and show you tours they do.

Whilst we were here we wanted to go to see the caves, we had read a lot about one cave which was said to be the largest in the world but after talking to some locals they told us about paradise cave which they said was more beautiful and worth the trip. It took an 8 hour round trip to get there but it was definatly worth it, it was stunning. Me being me though made a big boo boo when I looked at the sunny weather where we were and went in shorts and flip flops, 4 hours north and it was wet and cold, and I couldnt have dressed more inapropriate if I tried! People were there in hiking boots and waterproofs and dumb ass over here is in her denim shorts and flip flops! I probably dont need to tell you what happend as Im sure you can prabably guess, all the s***ty stuff always happens to me! So the steps down to the cave were really steep and wooden and WET, yeh I slipped, right an my backside and slid down a load of steps, I was holding my camera and was more worried about saving that than myself so my elbows and bum took the full force of my hefferlump butt falling like a right wolly!! Big bruise on my bum....ouch! And yes as Damian likes to remind me there may have been a few baby tiers, but it was just a shock! I wasnt hurt or anything...... :( what didnt help was the Japanese lady behind me screaming like I had just fallen off a cliff! only happens to me, never to Mr Perfect who never gets ill or trips up or falls down or burns himself, just me! its because he's made of stronger stuff apparently, HAHA yeh!

So its off to Ninh Binh tomorrow, Ninh Binh I love that name nin bin nin bin nin bin! Another retarded sleeper bus though :( sad face! It was either a 5pm to 5am sleeper bus or a 10 hour train that was over double the price! Looking forward to hopefully trying out our new rain jackets and getting the boots back on, although we have just checked the weather reports and its meant to be sunny! I may have to wait for when I get home and back to the April showers before I get my wet walk! Oh but no dont worry everyone Im sure we will bring the sun back with us and you will get a nice warm spring after all the nasty rain your getting!