Travelling does not always go according to plan! We did not leave Dalat when I last wrote, we ended up staying there for 5 days! We went to bed packed and ready for our trip the nex morning. Literally 10 minutes later Darren said he didn't feel well, he started to get a temperature which escalated into a fever and he had diarrhea which lasted all night so there was very little sleep. Anyway this lasted for 4 days! In the end we went to the hospital, which I must say the service was remarkable. We saw a doctor within 15mins of arriving, had a blood test, waited half an hour for the results and went straight in to see the doctor again. She wroe out a prescription and we bought the medication at the hospital! All for US$10. The good news is today he is finally feeling better after a course of anitbiotics. He had an infection in his intestine!

Our trip has started well and we are now into our second night. The central highlands is beautiful, the landscape is mainly cultivated hills of coffee plants, cashew trees, banana and casava plants. If the hills are not cultivated they are covered with pine trees, it is very beautiful. Last night we stayed in a minority village in a traditional long house, which is made on stilts so that animals can be kept underneath. Originally it would of been to keep the family safe from wild animals in the forest. It was a strange night though, because the family could not communicate we were not introduced to them or saw them. In a long house there is literally a long room, no sub divisions at all. So we had the front of the house and there was a flimsy cloth dividing their sleeping area. Very strange, we were shattered and they were still eating at 10.30 I guess we got their attention when we switched off the main electricity point!

Today we travelled a lot with a few stop overs, visiting a sea lake, another minoriy village and some walks to magnificent view points, There are not many tourists who come through the highlands so its quite funny to feel and see the attention we seem to draw. We went to a coffee shop yesterday where I saw a waitress try and take the drink tray off another to serve us but he refused, he served us wth a huge smile and stood staring for a minute. When we paid all the young girls were standing behind a window with their faces right up against the screen waving and smiling! We hope the next 3 days will be good too. Our guides are comical characters, yes we have two! One is on training, they are keeping us entertained!

Hopefully we will have internet over the next few days so that we can update you on our last 3 days. If not we will be in Hoi An when we can next write.

Hope all is well, I hear the snow maybe back just in time for our return! By the way we can't wait to come home, we are having a wonderful time but we are missing home now and everyone at home!

xxx