yesterday (17/5) was 7 and half hr bus journey to ho chi minh city (formerly saigon), the 2nd biggest city in vietnam.
we arrived at the hotel which is nice and had an hr or so to settle in before went on quick tour of the city centre! first impressions are that it is so busy here and the roads are the craziest ive seen so far! (almost got runover.. sometimes the dont run or stop rule does not work!) had an hr of shopping and bartering on the market (a lady actually trusted me to pay 2/3 of the price of the converse trainers i bartered down to a tenner, and then got back after food when i had been to the atm machine!...apparently i was the first customer that evening and that is lucky over here!! i cant believe how trusting the people are!)..i did go back of course! and then went for food on the night market. i tried a taste of frog and eel!!! the frog meat was actually tasty but the sauce was waaay too hot for me, which is saying somethng! we then went for drinks at local bars and a dance, and then after some noodle soup on the street outside out hotel me and caz were the last ones at 3am this morning!
also this night was last night for jay and laura ( a couple on tour) and first night for two new arrivals bth travelling individually, they are both only doing vietnam part of the indochina tour.

today, an early start at 8am after 3 hrs sleep!
been to see the cu chi tunnels and the war museum and learnt a bit about the tragedy and history of the war in vietnam. now we are all about ready to leave for our overnight train to na trang on the coast..... dreading what the 10 hr journey will be like! ... its all part of the experience though, and im sure 2 days on the beaches will be worth it! :) and fingers crossed for catching up on my sleep!!!