M:

Well, after four months for me and three for Anne, the odyssey is drawing to a close. Welcome back those of you who have been waiting for Facebook prompts to read us. Vietnam blocks Facebook, so most of the backpackers must be struck digitally dumb!

Thursday was our last day in Vietnam, and we had left it pretty well open. We wanted to get a few gifts, to attempt to catch up with some friends from Australia and to collect our tailoring. We also set aside some time to organise photos.

For shopping, the plan was to head to the Ben Tanh markets, which can be quite confronting as we described earlier. This time we were there about 0830, which meant that crowds were much thinner. While we were still subject to stallholders practically grabbing us, the absence of jet lag meant that it was less of a hassle. We found the things we wanted, haggled enough to not look silly, and collected gifts and a couple of other items. We were in and out in about 30 minutes and made our way back to the hotel, via Highlands for the airconditioning and decent - if expensive by Vietnamese standards - coffee.

It was a day of frequent visits to ATMs, because we were going to need to pay the tailor, pay the hotel and pay for shopping and meals all in cash which has been the case for all our transactions in Vietnam. The hassle is that you are limited to 2,000,000 at a time. Sounds huge, but it is about 100 dollars. This is where our 28 degrees card really paid off. if we had been using our usual debit card we would have had to pay 10 dollars for every transaction, as well as the local ATM fee. With 28 degrees, we only had to pay the local fee.

We passed the rest of the morning sorting pictures and updating blog details, before heading out for lunch at Kim Cafe, one of our regular haunts. The sun was beating down with serious intent today, so the walk, while not far, was doing its best to prepare us for the Aussie summer - if it ever comes. On return, I headed out again to see if I could find an appropriate gift for the hotel staff. This may sound strange, but this simple local hotel has been remarkable for its warmth and hospitality - combined with a great range of services gladly performed at reasonable prices and always with a smile. Thanks to Nang and Duc in particular, who really set the tone. I found a Tet basket of various delicacies, very appropriate as the Vietnamse New Year begins in a few days.

More work on photos, then we went off to collect our clothes from Mr Tan the tailor. They fit beautifully and look fine. Now we'll see how they last. I must confess that my previous tailored ensembles from Pakistan and Vietnam (only the best for me!) have done very well for the price.

We returned the clothes to the hotel and set out again to meet with Ken Nobin's brother Terry and an erstwhile colleague, Erika, both of whom are now working here at an international school. Their reflections as residents of 5 years and 5 months duration respectively were fascinating. Neither drives/rides, although they both ride pillion on scooter taxis. They shared the experience of expats at Christmas time - a kind of depression that sets in. They both clearly love what they are doing. We were joined by a young woman - Vee - who works in AIDS and drug education, and is hoping to study counselling in Australia soon. She is currently preparing for her IELTS (English language test). (A: Terry's comment about the horrendous traffic in HCMC was apt- there is no road rage here. Everyone seems to know what the others are about to do as if by some form of telepathy. The seething traffic barely stops but never collides with other scooters or the more occasional car or bus.)

We stopped for our evening meal at Sozo, one of the previously mentioned restaurants that trains young people. Again, the service was a bit patchy, but it is such a good cause, who cares?

The evening was filled with suspense... would the bags - which we have kept reasonably clear by sending packages home - be able to close after our shopping splurge in HCMC? We packed with bated breath (not easy - try it sometime!) and the answer was yes - as long as we let out the additional space that was built into the cases. And the weight was under the limit. I need clothes like that!

A:

During our wanderings around HCMC Mick has been approached 8- 10 times to see if he wants a shoe shine! We thought this most amusing as he was approached about 30 years ago in the New Oreans in the rain with the same request - You want them shoes shined, Cap'n? On that occasion he declined the offer and explained that the shoes were just going to get dirty as soon as he stepped back outside. "Them shoes don't get dirty Cap'n!" was the unforgettable reply.

M:

The next entry in the blog, which describes our trip home, and shares some of our reflections, may well be our last in this blog. Aaaah.