On our last day in Phnom Penh we did the other touristy things like the Royal palace and Silver Pagoda (so called because the floor is tiled with silver tiles), the museum where we were able to see some of the statues, carvings and inscriptions which had been removed there for safe keeping from the Siem Reap Wats and a temple or two. Nothing absolutely stunning but all interesting. When it came for the time to leave our adopted tuk tuk driver was desolate (proves we overpaid) but they are so poor that a little to us feeds a whole family for a month! All the local drivers gathered to wish us bon voyage and called Roger "papa"- it was quite touching!

Ho Chi Minh City (the old Saigon) is even worse than PP for traffic. You take your life in your hands when you try to cross the road. Roger says that it is almost as scary as his sky-jump. Even on a zebra crossing they pass in front and behind you and there are more scooters and motorbikes than I have ever seen - 5 million in a city of 10 million. Bike riders ignore all lights and traffic controls (even driving on the pavement) and often ride with multi passengers - I have seen 5 people on one. Only the driver wears a helmet leaving passengers such as children totally unprotected - apparently 30 people are killed in road accidents every day.

It is also scorchio - about 40 degrees - and that is pretty uncomfortable. In an effort to escape the heat we took a trip to the Mekong delta where we did the normal mix of boat rides (big and small), horse and cart trek and visits to local villages to sample palm candy (actually very good), fruit and honey tea, coconut wine and the ubiquitous snake wine - I took one look at the cobra languishing in the vat and passed on that but Roger was made of sterner stuff. At one of the villages we were treated to a medley of local songs and music including "If you're happy and you know it" and "Auld Lang Syne". But sadly no" Coward of the County"! All a little surreal! The Mekong is huge at this point and surrounded by palms and fertile orchards studded with little palm-thatched villages. Paddling down some of the smaller waterways made us feel just like we were part of a Rambo movie or some American Vietnam war film looking for Viet Cong!

To continue the war theme we visited the Cu Chi tunnels on Sunday.

These were where the Saigon Viet Cong waged an ongoing battle

against the American forces, taking refuge in 250 km of

interconnecting tunnels on 3 levels where they would live for often

weeks at a time, resisting defoliant sprays and a scorched earth policy,

carpet bombing and attempts to flush them out with water, gas, or

"tunnel rats" (particularly small or Asian troops small enough to fit

down tunnels).

They have widened the tunnels to allow western tourists to experience them but even so they are incredibly stuffy and claustrophobic and you have to crawl on hands and knees for spells.

Our guide on both trips was a real character - utterly sexist and ageist but a born entertainer. He was only interested if you were young and female, preferably single but if not he wanted to know about sisters; daughters would be of interest as second best. He went through a passable stand up routine and we were told that the UK was well known for Big Ben and horses and carts - to which Roger found himself agreeing! On the way home he subjected us to a version of "My love will never change" in full.

Tomorrow we catch a train to Nha Tranh - we are a bit nervous about this but worth a try!