Now for the second time of writing this blog today - the first attempt failed just as I was completing the antepenultimate paragraph by means of computer crashing. Needless to say I refused to pay for the privelage. Now in a comfier chair in a cheaper internet cafe I now start again:

That is, the road to Hanoi... One week, one bus and four stops:

Mui Ne
I find it hard to call this a town really. More of a smattering of buildings along a couple of kilometers of one coast road adjacent to a superb beach. Our day here consisted of getting up at stupid-a-clock, jumping on some bikes and heading to the white sands to watch the sunrise. Yep, we didn't make it. Although unlike how you are all thinking it wasn't Steve's lack of ability to get up on time more just down to our 'guides' poor timing! We watched the sunrise over the sea whilst speeding along the coast road with the wind in our hair which I appreciated just as much even as it was our first suscesful sun rise on this trip.

We arrived at the sands and walked up the dunes to see the sun already an inch above the horizon. There was nothing for it after that but just to jump down the side and go sand sleding. Demonstrated by a small local boy we slide on bums tums and feet. The later slightly less gracefully! Time after time we went down, each climb back up getting harder and hotter - I never realised you could get sand in so many places. Pouring it out of my ears like water after a big wipe out.

After knackering ourselves out we called it a day (at about 6.30am!) and headed back to the bikes to continue our excursion. Next was the red canyon via a fishing village alive with the nights catch being unloaded from hundreds of boats and sorted on the beach before loaded up and carted off. The canyon was a bit of a scramble up and down but, just as the white sands, we had the place to ourselves. The red sands came shortly after. More touristy and still shaking off the white sand from our clothes we styed long enough for a photo. The last stop consisted of being dropped at a river and a finger pointing upstream. For almost a kilometer we trudged through the water past some magnificent scenery up to a waterfall. From this point we were guided further to a crocodile 'farm' for some reason that was in the middle of nowhere. Cooling off in the waterfall on the way back and spending the rest of the day on the beach was on the menu. Nice relaxed stylee!

Nha Trang
Now this is a proper town i.e. it had a choice of bars. Although having said that we still managed to spend one evening on a street corner under a tarpaulin in the rain having been accosted by a local and her family insisting on buying us beer. Of course we had to be polite and join them! It was nontheless entertaining listening to her rants and general drunken demeanour. She taught us a few usefull Vietnamese phrases (for use with cyclo drivers I think), and the ever needed skill of playing the spoons to some Vietnamese songs. Definately an interesting evening percherd upon some kids plastic furniture!

This place wasn't all about drinking though. The beach, also now known as the Vietnamese tred mill thanks to the strong cross current, was also fantastic. We got ourselves a couple of wake boarding lessons which was awesome. I don't know why I haven't tried it before although it's definately tiring!

Hoi An
Small traditional town, very laid back. Some big pre-angkorian ruins just out side of town but nothing in comparison to Angkor Wat of Cambodia.

Hue
Really motoring now on toward Hanoi. I can't really say much about this place really. We got a bit lost in the ancient citadel which was no more than your average Vietnamese town with a big wall around it and then some more town surrounding that. Less than 24 hours spent here in favour of more time in..

HANOI!
My kind of town. Lots going on. Bonkors traffic consisting of hundreds of motorbikes weaving in and out of each other. The local brew, a fresh Beer Hoi served up on the street for an more than reasonable 6 whole English pence per glass (maybe almost 400ml). Can't say fairer than that. Hanoi is to be our base for the next week or so to explore the North which includes more water and some short tribal karaoke singing women! Hmmm.