Alright, how's it goin' alright? :)

I left the last blog as I was leaving for Dalat. This decision was made because of the s*** feeling Mui Ne was giving me, plus I was bored, so if it was raining, where better to go than the mountains where raining also, but with the addition of the cold. I took a mini bus ( 6 hours) up the steep, windy roads of the mountain, that again made me sick, I was litereally green. We arrived at a hotel and found a room for $8, I heard opposite some guys (2 girls and 1 boy) negotiating prices and so offered one of them to share my room, as I had 2 double beds, this way I would only have to pay $4, always thinking!!!

turns out one of the girls wanted better, not sure what she was expecting , as it had a tv, a shower ( hot) and comfy bed, plus a good location. So I ahd a room to myself, but went fot food with this english guy and Dutch girl. The next day, whilst I was eating I met 2 English girls who was on their travels after spending 1 year teaching English in S. Korea. It literally poured down, so I purchased a plastic bag (poncho) and we went in search of snake... yes snake. These girls wanted to try it ( it is delicacy here ad it was shown on top Gear)... what they do is, kill the snake in front of you, cut out the heart and u ahve to eat it whilst the heart it still beating and suposedly u can feel it beating in your body, then you drinkt he bile and the blood. A deal was made, that I would do the blood, this I thought was the better otion, it si drink with potent Rice whiskey. So we found this travel agancy, he amde a few calls and directed us to this place, we thought it would be all authentic, with snakes hanging up, a grill burning etc... but it was a house, plain house with no one in, we walked upstairs and down, shaouting and someone appeared, it was like league of gentleman. snake was not on the menu, but we asked, he said no and then yes, but will have to make a few calls, and he could go catch one? came back witha price of $60 for King Cobra which is 1.5kg of meat.... this was well expensive and seemed a little dodge, so we opted out of that one, a wasted journey in the pouring rain. it was so cold, I was wearing socks, trainers, hoody and trousers, and even went to bed wearing similar!!!

The next day, myself, the English guy and Dutch girl, went via an Easy Rider for a days tour around the countryside, it was SOO good. the 3 of us, in lovely weather, stopping at waterfalls, silk factories, rice wine factories, eating with them at local places, just chilled and got tos ee things would not have otherwise.

From here I was planning on going back to Nha trang, which was back on the east caost and a party beach, but was not really in the mod for that, so I followed, the other two, we caught a local bus, here no comfort and no one speaks English, to lak Lake, a beautiful tiny village, nothing there but a lake, and we stayed one night here, in a HUT, wooden floors, walls and straw roof, which was full of cobwebs. It had a mattress of the floor and a mosi net, with holes in it, nice and the bathromm was outside. this hut slept 14 but we were the only ones there, there were literally bugs eerywhere, int eh palce we ate, were rats running around the rafters, flying feckin cockroaches and other unidentified scurriers. So baring in mind that I am not a fan of spiders... I did not feel the need to search for them and decided to coccoon myself in my sleep sheet and mosi net, not look up and sleep.. and surprisingly ahd a great sleep.

From here we went to Boun M Thout, another small place, here we left Luke and marleen and I went on to Kon Tum... this palce is so friendly but No English. We caught again another local bus, we paid for out ticket and the guys who work on the bus, tried charging me extra for the bags... so we argued that we already paid the ticket, and in sign language he explained they were heavy bags... of course we were having none of it and he, ;plus the small crowd of locals were all laughing, knowing they were ripping us off... this is a common theme in Vietnam, u have to argue everything, so marleen marched off tot he ticket office, sorted it out and we got on.. needless to say, no money was paid to the guys, but I was worried they may treat us bad from here on in... quite the opposite.. they wouldn't leavr me alone.. again.

This small bus, had coach seats, but the aisle was so thin, even when I walked sideways down, I struggled. On Local buses, they pick up everyone, they pack as many people in as poss and even hang out of the door and tout for business, crazy... so due to this, there are no seats left for the 3 guys that work on the bus ( the one who tried to rip me off).. so of course, he decides he wants his fat arse to share my seat... he has one cheek on mys eat and one on the opposite seat.. and in the only English he knows, says " show me money" this was greeeted with a roar of laughter, almost mockingly... b******s.. so i joined in.. and told him ( accompanied by hand gestures) he should pay me, cos I have only half a seat, due to his fat arse... he laughed, fell alseep on my shoulder and this was repeated for the next 5 hours, best of buds after that!

Kon tum, there wasn't anything to do, so stayed one night and headed for Hoi An, an example of being ripped off, we knew that the bus was to cost 10000 Dong, also states in LPG - we get on and she charges us 50000 Dong, despite openly charging everyone else 10. Again argues this and finally got it down to 30, she was not going any lower... b****!!! in 3 days, i had done 6 hours, one day, 6hours the following and 8 the day after that, so I was shattered and finallya rrived in Hoi An, and fell in love!!!

For the next blog :) I am in KL at the moment staying with Michael ( who i work with) brother and family and having an amazing time, lovely people. I leave tomorrow mornign for SL, where I will bring u up to speed and hopefully be able to add mroe pics, if nto, could be waiting until i get home, 4 weeks!!!! I can'r believe it, this trip has been a trip of extremesa nd opposites, one of which it feels as the I ahve been here for Months and months and yet gone so fast.

hope ua re all well....

xxxxx xxxxxx