well, today is my last day in vietnam after a tiring but fascinating month. I am not sure if I am all vietnamed out or want to stay for ever, it's that sort of place. since my last postcard we've flown down from Nha trang (possibly my least favourite place on the trip, very very westernerised, where we did miss the small earthquake due to being out in a boat on the bay at the time), stayed in a family homestead in the mekon delta where we sat up til 10 o'cl...

or wierd really! The central highlands is both the most and least communist bit of vietnam. On the way there we were instructed not to take any photos at all on the road of anything including scenary. The bus was not allowed to stop anywere except the 1 designated picnic and loo stop and we were not allow to "hang about in the village".... CH are still a restricted area after trouble as recently as 2000 between the government and the hilltribe peo...

I know none of you will forget, but remember it is luis's birthday today, and to raise a glass for this important event. PS, and happy birthday rebecca!

as you can see, i have still not sorted out the picture thing!! We travelled from Hanoi to Hue on the overnight train which held on to it's tracks very welll inspite of the wind and rain. At about half five am I looked out of the window onto what looked like sea, but was flooded paddy fields and watched the poplar trees in the distance bend in half! Hue was quite flooded, apparently it's fairly normal, happening about 7 times a year. we were very luck...

or "dried catfish cooked as false dog meat" This is a genuine menu item, the squemish amongst you may want to look away. Maggie and co, don't read... It is absolutely true that they eat anything and everything here in vietnam. Out trekking we were spoiled by having cooks who got vegertians, back in the big city, this is not the case. The head line item was one of many on a street bar menu, which included such delights as miscellanious fried chicken ovar...