16th October

We make the most of check out at 12 noon and lie in before packing up the bags once again. Just enough time to grab some lunch and another free Vietnamese tea from the hotel staff before heading to catch another sleeper bus to Hoi An. This time it was only a four hour ride and, thank god, the bus was a lot plusher than the last one.

On went the ipods and we relaxed and just took in the various scenes of Vietnam. We passed through Danang on the way and the weather looked decidedly ominous - pure black clouds over the sea and you could see signs of damage from the recent floods. We roll into Hoi An at about 6pm and the air is muggy - storm weather! Again, there's a lady there to meet us waving a sign with our names on! Hotel room is nice, not as nice as some we have stayed in, but cheaper again - only a tenner a night! We did notice a bit of an ant problem in the evening, but some mossie spray soon solved that problem!

Just wandered through the streets of the Old Quarter in the evening and I was sidetracked by nearly every tailor / souvenir shop on the way! You'd have thought I'd have learnt by now - as soon as you ask the price of something they just don't let go - they may as well hold you to ransom. Being British we apologise profusely and say we will 'maybe' be back tomorrow or lie and say we have no money and need an atm before we can buy - either way we scarper! We grabbed some street food (having vowed to try and only eat Vietnamese food in Hoi An as it's cheaper) and at £1.50 for two, our pork noodles were yummy.

We find a bar, this time selling beers for 4000 vd (12p) and stay there for about three each just chatting to the owners who seemed to take a shine to us! They had a tailor shop next door and while we were sitting there we overheard some EXTREMELY annoying aussie girls shouting about the clothes they'd had made and saying goodbye to the family! Could only be a good sign and when we enquired further we found out that the same family owned the bar and the tailor shop so they pretty much had us hook line and sinker! We got estimates for a suit for Paul and I looked at all the magazines they had before grabbing one of their business cards and professing that 'we would be back tomorrow !!!

17th October

When it rains ……it pours in Hoi an! So on went the coats and we wander round the area by our hotel a bit more and realise that the weather is here to stay. We got a few more estimates for tailoring but sure enough head back to the tailors we had found last night! As soon as we walked over the river they could see us coming and we had a warm (perhaps too warm with all the hugging and holding of our hands!) welcome. I looked through the magazines once more and showed her some of the designs I had with me - to which the woman kept saying 'sure no prooblllem…'lovely jubbly' (on account of the fact we were English!)! So we both get measured and before we know it we are leaving the shop having committed to having a 3 piece suit and shirt, a coat, two dresses, a top and a cardigan made - phew! It end's up costing about 170 pounds all in including shipping it back to the UK (along with whatever else we needed to send home!) - so not too bad considering what we got and the fact it is all custom made. We were told to come back the next morning and couldn't quite believe they would have it all turned around by then!

The rain remained persistent - heavy showers on and off throughout the day but still really warm but we got used to it. We spend the day trying to see some of the sights and running in and out shops/restaurants and internet cafes to shelter!

Dinner was eventful - we found a nice restaurant near our hotel covered by a little awning and just sat there and watched at the rain got heavier and heavier….and heavier! Such a nice feeling sitting there all dry yet a little disconcerting as we watched the side streets literally become rivers that we flowing into the roads making them slowly flood! Paul loved it and by the time we left it was raining harder still and the thunder and lightening had started to kick in. We only had a short walk back to the hotel but after about 20 yards we drenched and we just thought screw it - off I went wading through the roads splashing about- SO MUCH FUN!! We sat outside our hotel for a good hour and watched as the roads quickly overflowed and as we waded back and forth like five year olds!! Then about half an hour later - god knows where it all went - when the rained had stopped, the roads were bone dry again??!!

18th October

Rain time fun may not have been such a bright idea - clothes still wet and a bit smelly!

Anyhow - we realized that we had seen much of what Hoi An had to offer and with the weather still bad we had a lie in. We grab a cheap eat at lunchtime (still sticking to Vietnamese food - I'm going to turn into a spring roll!) and then excitedly head back to the tailors to check out or new glad rags. Sure enough all of the clothes were ready and we tried them all on for size - the fabrics I'd chosen worked really well - especially my duffle coat with crazy lining and my posh 'little black dress'! Paul's suit looked snazzy but needed a lot of altering as did one of my other dresses so we left it with them and were told to go back the next morning. (I'd wanted Paul to get some real pimp suit made with bright silk lining and sugar daddy shoes to match - needless to say he just wasn't going there!

Again, the rest of the day was spent hoping in and out of places on account of the weather. We went for dinner down by the river and unwittingly ordered a mountain of food (wonton's were gooodd!) all for about 4 quid and beers at 4000 vd (12p) - cash back! Wasn't until we noticed people staring over the balcony we realised that said river was now over the river banks and the road was no more! We had been chatting to a lot of shopkeepers over the last few days and they were explaining how high the water got a few weeks ago - like 5ft - crazy stuff and worse still, they said it happens every year during oct/nov!

At least by the time we had to leave it had stopped raining. Wading through the water was unavoidable….but so much fun (simple things!!!), and this time Paul had made sure he had his flip flops on!

19th October

Time to pack up the bags once again - we are becoming pro's at finding new ways to squish things into the teeniest of spaces! For some unfathomable reason Paul managed to gain a few extra kilos - without buying a thing??!

We check out, catch up on the internet and head back to the tailors via the market! Sod's bloody law the sun was shining and not a gray cloud in sight! The market was an experience - sights, smells and so much going on. We end up finally buying some bamboo bowls that we had been eyeing up in every city as we figure we can send them home with our new clothes! Much to Paul's delight I get sidetracked by having a pedicure for only 2$ (1.30) - and the women spent the whole 10 mins trying to persuade us to have all manner of things done - massages, threading, waxing - even Paul was offered a haircut, foot massage and at one point they even wanted to wax his legs for s***s and giggles on account of the fact they look like rainforests!

We finally end up back at the tailors and their enthusiasm is still there - the one woman gives me a big hug and awkwardly holds my hand for a minute or two - can't complain really, the Vietnamese are all so friendly. Paul's suit was done and we packed up all the stuff we wanted shipping before saying goodbye to the whole family and hot-footing it out of there!

I spend the afternoon walking round wishing I'd had more made, even some shoes, and just tell myself that sure….I can come back out again sometime.....and then pat myself on the back for my restraint !!!! We laze the afternoon away before getting on another sleeper bus (getting used to them now) to Nha Trang.