Hoi An has been the highlight of my trip so far. A place I would happily move to or retire in and a place I would recommend anyone to visit. There is a lot to do here and something for everyone, whether it's getting a suit made to measure, learning how to be a Vietnamese chef in a cooking class or just relaxing by the beach- all of which are a lot of fun! We've also caught up with a few friends that we met in Cambodia and HCMC so there's been a lot to celebrate.

Today it was 38 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather for the beach but not for the suit fittings that have taken up a fair amount of our time. Hoi An seems like the home of tailoring and it's hard to resist getting an entire wardrobe made. With Sandhurst looming ever closer, it was the perfect opportunity to get the 'traditional-cut' suit I will need when I go to Camberley in January. George and I have been back and forth a few times to have fittings and various alterations done. It's not ideal in the heat but we've been supplied with green iced-tea and beer to keep us hydrated while the tailors work hard to make the perfect suit. I'm not quite sure how long this suit is going to last but after a lot of haggling and agreeing on a very reasonable price, a couple of uses and it will soon pay for itself. My tailor, Lana, has assured me that if there's anything I want in the future, she will keep my measurements and I can email her with anything I need and she will ship it over. She also gave me a few dozen business cards and told me to promote her work once I got home!

The evening life of Hoi An is civilised- at dusk the streets of the Ancient Town are closed off to motorbikes and cars which makes a welcome change to the constant and unnecessary beeping that is usually unescapable in Asia. The streets are predominately lit by lanterns and hosts a wide variety of wine bars, coffee shops and restaurants- all serving local specialties such as Cao Lao, Mi Quang and fresh spring rolls. It has meant, once again, that I haven't gone hungry...or thirsty for that matter.

It's been my first experience of Bia Hoi, which translates as 'fresh beer', its brewed and supplied by locals. The aim is simply to drink the barrel. Nothing beats a cold beer and at 3000VND (8p) per glass, it's perfect for a travellers budget. It would be rude to say no.

A few glasses of Bia Hoi sets us up perfectly for the night and once the barrel has been drunk, it's across the river to the bright lights and loud music. Where there's travellers, there's a party. The tranquil setting of the ancient town soon becomes a distant memory as we fall into the promo-girls traps of free shots and 2-4-1 deals on all drinks. One night we managed to talk our way into an unlimited drinks deal for $5. We were keen to get our money's worth and it seemed like a great idea at the time but we suffered for the cooking class the following morning.

Gutting fish at 9am, with dodgy stomachs, after just a couple of hours sleep worsened the hangovers but watching your equally hungover classmates try to concentrate as the chef taught us how to roll a spring roll, kept us amused. We each made three dishes consisting of fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese pancake and Cao Lao, which is kind of like a noodle soup with pork. Once we had eaten everything we had made, it was back to collect our suits and find some way of shipping it back to the UK. It's been an expensive stopover in Hoi An but worth every Dong!

P.s. I've had real difficulty in getting photos on here without a lap top or iPhone and I know it's not the same but the only solution I have come up with is creating a drop box account and putting all of my photos on there. I will find out how to share it and out the link on here. My technology skills are about as good as my cooking skills...