WHY IS LIFE OVER THIS SIDE OF THE WORLD NEVER EASY? Ive asked myself this question many times in the last few months...and the train journey from Saigon was no exception...I could only get a hard sleeper for the journey, remember this journey is for 11hours. Okay where to start...when Vietnamese say Hard they mean hard imagine lying on a peice of hard board for 11hrs, well dont imagine Ive done it! And I had to share a cabin with 5 old vietnamese ladys who insited I teach them english for the whole journey....oh the fun! I couldnt get a minutes peice....though fair play they did haggle with the train steward to get me some vegetarian food...so shouldnt moan! The trian journey was very scenic...through mountains..and then it hit me...like the plague...COLDNESS/RAIN/LOW TEMPATURE! I was not prepared for this obviously with my shorts on...what a drop in temperature I froze In Nha Trang! I was their for 2 days and it lashed down, I had to buy my first jacket in 3.5mths. My intention for Nha Trang was to get some more diving experience....I can dream, not a chance! The sea was bad and the weather that all sea front business's closed and locals were putting sand bags down telling me there was a typhoon coming! The place was destitute, locals told me this was the worse weather for 7 years...just my luck! The diving boats had not gone out for the last 8days locals told me....I could feel the tension in the streets...their was only one thing to do - get the hell out of there! So coach ticket in my hand I embark on an 11hr overnight jouney to Hoi An for christmas....! Read next postcard what a journey I was to suffer..........!