The final leg of this trip saw us heading down from the mountains to the coast and Hoi An. Rising early to the sound of children singing nursey rhymes - deep Joy. This being a ghost town and New Year we couldnt find breakfast so had strong coffee to keep us going - it didnt matter though as the whole experience had been amazing. Heading higher still we stopped time after time to take picture after picture the landscape was incredible. Again we often seemed to be the only people on the road this feeling of isolation just added to the experience. It was so peaceful no big towns just small habitations mile after mile of green lush landscape stretching out infront of us. We could have been in New Zealand or the Lake District. All the while we were following the Dakmai river north and the path of the Ho Chi minh Trail passing numerous waterfalls and minority villages. Meeting some of these villagers you learn bits about their lives, one girl we met was only 16 and had a 3year old boy. All the time we are seeing locals walking everywhere with cattle who for the most part seem to obey, but will quite often stop and sleep in the middle of the road! We continued past more shacks and small villages, passing the most bizarre highlands petrol stations, one pump all done by hand! We passed by within 75km of the Lao Border also, and it seemed very strange to be so near to our next country. After lunch we started our way downhill stopping for some fresh pineapple bought at the roadside (15p). Slowly as you head towards the coast the area becomes more populated and warmer! The traffic began to pick up and many of these were young lads on their mopeds driving like complete maniacs. In a local town we saw how they make the rice paper and talked with the children who were asking for lucky money for New Year. At this point we then passed over the last bridge to symbolise we were leaving the highlands back onto flat land again and on looking back we were quite tempted to turn back when we saw the manicness in front!! Back on the flatter road the traffic really was becoming mental and quite scary. My guide passed the comment that the young lads were enjoying the New Year with a few beers... We visited a very odd temple - Cao Dai not entirley sure what it was all about and what religion it was for but it was sumbolised by 'one eye'. We then stopped at the Bang An tower which is part of ancient Cham era and the start of what would be to come when we ventured to the ancient city of My Son in a few days.... Finally after 4 very long days we had finally arrived in the ancient town of Hoi An and we had made it!! (mums you can now breathe a sigh of relief!!). It had been so worth it, the journey through the Highlands had been amazing, the best experience we have had to date, but it wasnt half nice to get off that bike. We were very tired / jaded and in need of our feet on terra firma, (although admittedly if we had had the time, we definately would have carried on further up the Highlands with Tien and Phuoc for sure!) The weather had turned somewhat and it was no longer shorts and t-shirt garb. Byebye the tan! Saying goodbye to Tien and Phuoc was quite an emotional feeling as we had all become such good friends over the last 4 days and they seemed like part of the 'travelling furniture/family' so to speak - we waved them off for their long 3 day ride home, which made us feel even more guilty but thankful that our money would go a long way in helping them and their families..... This experience and Tien and Phuoc...we will never forget!