We took a bus from Hue to Hoi An and went a different route than we'd travelled before. Last time we went through the tunnel but this time we went over via the Hai Van Pass. Chenda said if the weather is bad they take the tunnel but the views are worth the climb if its good.

Once we settled into the hotel in Hoi An we went to lunch at a lovely little restaurant tucked away in the back alleys of the old town. Their speciality was smoked duck and Cao Lau, a type of noodle dish that is only made in Hoi An due to the special water and wood ash used in it's preparation. We both opted for the noodle soup and it was excellent. We're really starting to appreciate the regional flavours of the food and can see why the central style of food is so popular to the north and the south.

After lunch we had a street walking tour of the old town. It's was extremely busy and many more tourists than when we were here last. The covered Japanese bridge has been completely enclosed in a steel building while it is being restored. They have dismantled it and have all the pieces laid out and itemised ready to be reassembled. We went through a couple of tailor shops and saw them working the machines upstairs.

Sue, Steve and Jackie went off to find Anh's Cloth Shop 52. Google Maps saved the day because all the clothing stores had moved next door into a newer building and the old one was full of produce vendors. We wove our way through the various stalls until we found her. We were warmly welcomed and everyone was very impressed because we were wearing some of the tops Ahn had made for us 11 years ago. We decided we might as well get measured up and order the clothes now rather than coming back tomorrow so we all started to browse the options. Jackie also made an order for herself and said she would bring Johnathan and Freddy back in the morning.

Steve ordered two nice shirts, one in a dark teal and one in burgundy. Sue ordered three dresses, two pants and two tops. Anh jokingly complained that we bought twice that amount last time.