I know its been a while since our last update and we must apologise, due mainly because we have been enjoying ourselves but also because our laptop is in a coma, so we are relying on local internet cafes and hotel connections, which are not the best.

So we left Hanoi and Ha long bay behind and took the 14 hr overnight train to Hue.  We booked this ourselves at Hanoi train station and between trying to explain what he wanted, 4 people trying to push in and listen, a police man over his shoulder and someone trying to pick pocket him a rather flustered rich came back with 2 top bunks in a 6 berth cabin for $10 each. Not bad price and to be fair the journey was fine once I had learnt how to get in and out of the bunk without falling on the Norweigan Doctor below and worn all my jumpers because I was sleeping 2 inches from the air con.

We arrived in Hue on time the following morning and were collected by our hotel (Binh Minh 2) We paid $20 a night and room was nice with AC etc.  We spent 2 nights here sampling the best spring rolls and fruit shakes ever at Phoung Nam Cafe and sipping evening drinks at Mandarin Cafe. Mr Chu the owner a local photographer has beautiful pictures on the walls for sale.

The city on the perfume river is beautiful and is the academic centre of Vietnam with a very western feel.  The citadel is the high light of this city and we spent the afternoon there in the boiling heat but well worth it for the Chinese architecture.  We also took a boat trip down the perfume river to the Minh Mang Mosseleum.  There are many down this stretch of river but this is definately the best.  We finished our trip here with a visit to an imperial restaurant where you are served 10 appetizer courses(Voun Y Thao) Pricey at 5 pounds each! but well worth it.

We were in Vietnam during national holidays so we couldnt get flights down country so we booked open bus tickets with Sinh Cafe all the way to Ho Chi Minh for $20 each.

Our next stop was 4 hours by bus to Hoi An.  Definately my favourite place in Vietnam! We stayed for 3 nights at the lovely Thanh Xuan Hotel ($20 a night but beautiful!) The staff were really friendly and helpful and took a real shine to Rich, must be the beard he's grown!

Hoi An is an ancient city by the coast renowned for its tailoring, and didnt we make the most of it! We went to a place called YALY. Rich came away with a suit, 4 tailored shirts and countless silk ties all under 100 pounds.  Needless to say I didnt go without, nor did my mum!  This is such a chilled out place with beautiful coffee shops and patisseries.  We spent many hours in the cargo club eating our way through the cake list and spending our evenings in the Before and Now bar which had free internet connection.  We did also spend the day on the beach which was nice.  We hired cycles by the hotel for 20p each and cycled the 4kms to the beach. The bikes are parked in sheds and looked after for another 10p each!  I was sad to leave Hoi An.  I could have spent a fortune but my financial controller had 2 hands on the purse strings this week.

We left Hoi An on an over night bus to Da Lat via Nha Trang. I think I can safely say this was the most horrific 18 hour bus journey ever and one not to be repeated.  Poor Rich suffered more than me, once the guy in front reclined his seat Rich couldnt even sit in the seat!  The high lights of this journey? (1) the 20 min stop at 11.30pm catching the end of Man U beating Everton (2) The one hour stop in Nha Trang and a walk on the beach (3) Arriving!

Da Lat is the honey moon capital of Vietnam because of the cooler climate. Its a little like the Lake District only not quite.....This made for a lovely change though after 40 degrees.  We stayed 2 nights at Dreams 2 Hotel which was a bargain at $15 a night Mrs Zhoung the owner was lovely and so helpful, couldnt do enough for us.  Our purpose for this trip was purely to take the "Easy Riders" tour.  Rich had emailed ahead and booked Joseph and his Friend Nam.  No word of a lie his dad being patriotic called him Nam and his brother Viet! These guys were part of the founders of easy rider  -- Tour Guides on old big Honda motor cycles taking you around the spectacular countryside.  Joseph was lovely and knowing I was nervous (when am I not??) drove so carefully evening stopping when a bus came the other way! Rich and Nam were a little speedier.  In their late 40s and 50s both veterans of the Vietnam and Cambodian wars they were a wealth of information and amazing stories, showing us jungle damaged by Napalm and Agent Orange and introducing us to people with more amazing stories to tell us.  We visited Temples, silk factories, bamboo factories, flower farms, water falls even peoples houses.  Then we stopped for lunch in what again looked liked someones front room.  We had the best noodle soup ever! Rich and I paid for the lunch which cost us the grand sum of 1 pound!  I highly recommed any one staying in this region, if you do only one tour do this, it was by far the best day tour we have done, $20 well spent!

Leaving Da Lat we headed for Ho Chi Minh city on the last long bus ride!  We arrived early evening and went for dinner at a restaurant called little saigon on another recommendation which was lovely.  We spent a day exploring the city, pergoda's, Markets and botanical gardens. The following day we took a trip with Delta tours ($4) to the Chu Chi tunnels used during the war by the VC to hide in.  Amazing place but even though the tunnels have been widened for tourists it was too much for me, it was so claustrophobic I couldnt even get through the first one.  Rich managed it but had to crawl on his tummy and barely got his hips through the last one! He couldnt have passed for a Viet Cong!

Finally we took a trip along the Mekong Delta to get us to Cambodia.  On route we visited floating markets, and had to take bikes and ride to a restaurant for lunch.  We spent a night in Chau Doc with 7 others who have since become good friends.  We went for dinner in the town at the only restaurant that seemed to have electricity! then walked back to the hotel because our cyclo drivers had a full scale fight over who should take us- so we decided best if we got out and walked, for all we know they are still at it!

The following day we took small fishing boats to a local floating fish farm (Johnny you would be so proud!) then on to some local villages.  Our Oarsman brought is daughter with him.  Mang is 3yrs old and the most adorable little girl.By the end of the trip she had pencils and paper and my sarong! But she was so happy dressing up in it I could hardly take it back.

Then we travelled 3 hours to the Cambodian Border.