Mai Chau is a long way to go for a day tour but as I only have one day left I felt it would be worth it and it was. I have to say it was not promising- the bus was 50mins late and as we stopped on the mountain pass, to view the valley below all we could see was fog - thick dark fog. However we went a little higher over the actual summit of the pass and it was as if we had gone into another land. It was clear and by the time we reached Mai Chau itself it was clea...

Another great day - so far. First I got a bike and just headed right - after going to the ATM. I found a pig and goat field beside what looks like a monastery that is being converted to a hotel. I had it to myself until the builders shooed me away. I then needed coffee and found a lovely little restaurant with two very scared looking girls who had just hired a scooter and were not enjoying the experience. They had been told they had to fill it up at the petrol ...

This morning I hired a scooter called Boris and he and I went off exploring. Sadly he got lost - well and truly lost in fact we ended up on the main highway to Hanoi. I am really glad I know how to ride a motorbike and have ridden one in Cambodia. Anyway we turned around came off the high way and I discovered google will tell me where to go even off line and in Vietnam- I love technology!! We found our way to Hoà Lu, which is the ancient capital of Vietnam. I p...

9am - On the coach. Today started with a trip around Ha Noi following a man on a motor bike. I started on foot, got on the coach and then we followed him in the coach as it went around picking people up, often in the middle of a junction - I suppose there is more space there!!. I have obviously joined a tour which I am not doing! I will be jumping ship at Tam Coc - doing my own thing for a couple of days and then joining another tour back on Saturday. This is bec...

The rain and thunder kept me awake for a few minutes last night - tin roofs are not a good idea! We set off for a great walk up to a small village that is built along a ridge, it started on concrete “roads” built for motorbikes. The next part was down through the most beautiful paddy fields, I was the only tourist that managed it - it was steep and wet and muddy and sadly one of my companions suffered from Vertigo and she just couldn’t go on. Chu and I c...