Although this soft sleeper wasn't quite as nice as our first train trip in China, it was still lovely and it was nice to have the room to ourselves.

We all slept through the night and in the morning, opened the blinds to…water, water, water! Of course it was rice paddies, but the water was right up to the track so we were a little concerned.

As we travelled further, the landscape transitioned to jungle-covered hills spilling down to the ocean. The largest waves we've seen on this trip crashed to shore. Many times, the train was on the very edge of a cliff, and looking down caused a vertigo sensation that Margaret did not, in any way, enjoy. Playing cards was difficult as the window drew our attention again and again, so Barry finally quit in order to watch our progress. He knew that we were passing near some big place names in the Vietnam (American) War, and got shivers while scenes from Platoon, Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, Hamburger Hill, and Casualties of War ran through his mind.

Upon arrival in Danang, the air that greeted us was warm and, though cloudy, the skies held. We caught a cab for the six of us for the 45 minute ride to our hotel, the Thien Thang in Hoi An. It cost two hundred thousand dong, which is about $12.00 Canadian.

Our hotel was absolutely beautiful. The kids got a deluxe room and a balcony overlooking a rice paddy complete with water buffalo, but our standard room was just as nice. The price of $12.00 per person was also excellent.

We were all starving so we went for lunch and then wandered through the streets of the town, enjoying the artwork, crafts and wares. Hoi An is particularly famous for its custom tailoring. You can walk into a shop, point out what you want, have your measurements taken, and pick up your outfit on the same day. It's pretty wild.

After walking around, we headed back to the hotel to catch up on E-mail and blogs and relax a little while researching our plans for the next day. We met up with an Australian couple from Tasmania and joined them in the lobby when they invited us for a drink. The young hotel receptionist also joined us. She told us she would like to go to New Zealand, since she can never get a great job in Vietnam. Her family worked for the Americans during the war - a fact that hasn't been forgotten by the powers that be, and that will always hold her back. Claudia and David joined us a little later and it ended up being a very nice evening for all.

That night, we watched the first half of Platoon. Margaret was concerned that it might be too much for the kids, but they seemed to take it in stride.