Hanoi - Halong Bay "Not quite Hayling Bay" We arrived in Hanoi after a short (turbulent therefore brace position for me) flight from Dong Hoi. The first thing we saw was a sign post warning us against double dealers and conmen which did not fill us with confidence. At this stage we were worried that all the awful things we had been told about Hanoi were true. We arrived in the centre of the city in the pouring rain, it was dirty and chaotic which lef...

Vietnam - "Same same but different" This part should really come under three chapters-getting to Phu Qhoc; Phoc Quoc; and trying to get off Phu Quoc. Phu Quoc is a small island at the southern tip of Vietnam, close to the Cambodian border. It's beauty was raved about by both the lads we met in the cafe in Saigon and our Guesthouse owner, so we felt compelled to go. The plan was to get a night bus to the coastal town of Rach Gia, where we should arrive ...

We arrived in Dalat- a nice little market town up in the mountains, and immediately appreciated the cooler climate. Jen had booked us into a local hotel, which turned out to have a hot tub on the roof overlooking the town. So that's where we positioned ourself until we got hungry and went out for some grub. Dalat had a thriving evening market which specialised in winter clothing. Wooly just about everything. People were even out and about in hats, jackets and g...

We touched down in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and the craziness hit us. The intensity of the weather, the people and the traffic. But as one lady we we've met put it, 'it's crazy, but it seems to work!' Just crossing the street is a life/death challenge-if your not willing to take a risk, you would be standing on the pavement for days, waiting for a break in the traffic. By traffic we mean motorbikes-millions of motorbikes & scooters weaving in just about ev...