Firstly I'll apologize for not blogging as much and for the length of this one!

Well past few days have been hectic am now in Hoi An after spending a grand total of 27hours in Hue (it took 17hours to get there!).

Left Hanoi on Monday night feeling slightly worse for where not shocking after Sunday night haha. This bus was at least a sleeper bus so had a bed (weird looking thing but a bed anyway see pictures lol) Managed some sleep but wasn't the most comfortable thing so was soo tired still when arrived with Carmel in Hue! Decided we badly needed breakfast so opted for omelets and there we met up with Umie who had also stayed in Drift with us! Small world!

After food decided upon hiring motorbikes and touring around Hue (the motorbikes came with guides so no need to worry haha). Around Hue we say al the main sites from the Citadel (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and some famous tombs as well as the bunkers used during the french and american wars. After that we decided to go and get some food and drink ended up playing genga in a random bar was good fun though!

Next morning we left Hue (had basically seen everything there was) and got on another sleeper bus (not sure why sleeper as a)it was 1pm and b)the journey was just 4hours) to Hoi An, this one was much more comfortable apart form the bumps in the road who I can now thank for my huuuge bruises!!

Found nice hotel in Hoi An (it even has a swimming pool! living the life we are!!) Hoi An is a really pretty city. Its old town runs along the banks of the Hoi An river and is lovely when all lit up at night! First night we just headed out for some food and few drinks and ended up bumping into Paul and Joe who Umie had meet in Laos (it really is a small small world!) so ended up getting 7p pints of beer, free rum and cokes plus some "f**k strong" buckets (actual name!) so needless to say rest of night is slightly more blurry haha.

Next morning I was shockingly awake and even managed swim with Carmel! The awakeness didn't last all day and was tired the rest of it haha. Wandered more of Hoi An's old town before attempting to try and get dresses / suits made was bloody hard working bargaining! So we gave up got some food and had an early night as today we were up at 7am!! to head to the My Sons ruins (another UNESCO World Heritage Site). Was pouring of rain so we probably didn't see them at their best and many of them had been heavily damaged during the various (mainly American) wars in Vietnam. Glad we went to see them however!

On bus back a little power nap was required! Such a good idea as were then ready to go shopping (after lunch obviously haha) so was recommended a nice tailors and have picked out a green maxi dress (keep watching for pictures!).

Well yesterday (24th) picked up dress from tailors am soooooo pleased with it!!! So is everyone we are all looking very good in our new custom made clothes!!

Clothes werent the only think we got up to yesterday however! Umie had long been wanting to try out a Vietnamese tradition of swallowing a beating snakes heart! (yes you did read that right: BEATING HEART) so yesterday was the big day! Local barman took us all out to a town near Hoi An where we saw them kill the snake, drain the blood and venom (which were then mixed with vodka and served as a shot) before removing the heart and giving it to Umie for him to drink! This wasn't just any snake but a cobra snake and the heart keeps beating for between 5 and 10 minutes after its been swallowed!! Even when the entire snake had been killed and heart removed it still continued to wriggly about was possibly thee most disturbing thing I have seen!! But soooo glad I saw it! All of the snake was then cooked. By all I mean everything we had deep fried snake skin and bones as well as the meat. The skin was disgusting and really chewy the bones I just couldn't touch as there was no way on earth I could imagine them being anything other than snake bones! the meat was strangely ok though but really chewy which was kinda off putting! Was an amazing experience! (sorry if anyone has a nervous disposition maybe that paragraph should have came with a warning haha)

After leaving the snakes we heaed back for a much needed beer haha before collecting our dresses / suits and heading for food before the bus!

Found a really nice restaurant in Hoi An that helped disadvantaged children by training them and providing accommodation and the food was great too! Then It was time to leave Hoi An (def has been one of my favorite places in Vietnam!) so another 12 hour bus! I say bus felt more like a sauna! Was sooooo uncomfortable had to move seats down to front amongst all of the locals not ideal but Umie moved down too and wasn't as bad as Hanoi to Hue bus! Managed some sleep (well as much as you can lying in what feels like a coffin haha) and arrived in Nha Trang at 6am this morning! So headed into hotel its nice enough and had a bed so I was happy and went back to try and get some sleep!

Planning on relatively lazy day today so have just had some lunch and then think we are going to go for a wander as rain has stopped for just now and see exactly what Nha Trang has to offer!

Well that felt like writing a novel haha (apologies)

Love

xxx