My last day in Vietnam. Naaz and Annick weren't leaving for another two days so we decided to do a tour together. We all instantly agreed that although it was a little expensive (AUD119.00) a hot rock massage and foodie tour would be the perfect way to end our time in Vietnam. The tour company very kind a gave as all a complimentry nail treatment.

Our guide dropped us at the spa for seventy-five minutes of pampering, beginning with a regular massage then finishing with the hot rock massage. I now know why it't not called a warm rock massage...the stones were very hot, but I figured if the girls could hold them in their hands I could tolerate them on my body. It was the best massage I've ever experienced...I've never felt so flexible and loose. They pounded my head again like in Hoi An, but didn't sadly didn't pull my hair. Then my feet were soaked and nail tidied up.

We headed off for lunch of a grilled fish in the most famous restaurant for grilled fish in Hanoi...seems like everywhere we go is "the most famous" or "the best"...are we being taken for a ride. It actually ended up being panfried fish in loads of oil (palm oil I'm guessing, as it was very tasty) mixed with shallots, dill and coriander. This was piled on top of noodles, fish sauce, peantus more fresh herbs added then eat up...very delicous.

We went to a famous area for icecream where the local youth meet at night to eat icecream. Apparently the popsicle icecreams are sold elsewhere but this is the place to eat them. On the way I stopped to get some money from an ATM to give our guide a tip. I decided to try the sticky rice icecream, which actually tasted like sticky rice and was very tasty.

While eating the icecream a lady turned up and handed me my credit card! I didn't even realise I'd left it in the ATM!!! The girls had seen her lined up after me and she did well to find me as we'd gone into the icecream store. Our guide thought she was dressed in a nurse's uniform, so I was very grateful someone honest had found my card. I thanked her profusely, still not believing I'd done such a stupid thing. Anyway after being warned to be careful with our belongings in Hanoi, it's nice to have a good story to tell.

We walked to see the most expensive store in Hanoi, six levels of Gucci, Rolex, YSL etc...needless to say we didn't buy anything. We also walked past a beautiful hotel built in 1901 by the French, then past the Hanoi Opera House, also built by the French.

We decided to meet up again for dinner and Naaz and Annick very graciously agreed to check out KFC to see if it was very different in Vietnam. Nothing really appealed to us so we tried some french fries with wasabi powder, which was OK, then headed back to the restaurant we went to on our first night for some fresh rice paper rolls.

And that was my final day in Vietnam.