Ying and Yang

Finding a great balance of travel adventure and luxury here, where we can actually afford to act like privileged preppys, lie on the beach and order up cocktails.

Enjoyed Hoi An to some degree, although it is pretty especially the architecture, it is also very touristy and we felt just a tad sold out to the tourist dollar.

The famous but not so amazing China Beach

Ah huh, OK.

Shopping in Hoi An was a win some, loose some event. Luke got a really nice pair of work pants and a linen shirt tailored for him, and Pearl had a pair of high heeled boots made. But my Alex Heidermann designer sandals were a bit too much for the tailors to copy and they had to admit defeat. Guess it's not mean't to be. Practising good buddhism, I am being grateful to have a lovely pair of jandals on my feet, and patient to wait for the right pair of sandals to come along.

Resting up in the new sleeping sheet

You take my photo, you give me money.

Musical show in Hoi An

In Hoi An we cycled to the local beach for a welcome swim, escaping the 32 degree humidity for just a short time. Even under umbrellas it was possible to get sun burned. Then we cycled around some rural farmland, which was very cool, shouting out Sin Choi (hello) to the kids who were keen to check out the fat white folks biking past. At the end of the cycle ride, we went on a short boat trip to an island in the river for a delicious BBQ of pork, chicken, squid and prawns, washed down with local Kuda beer.

We had a 10 hour daytime train trip to Nha Trang beach, a good chance to catch up on some ZZZZZssss, and arrived late to our hotel, whereby Pearl promptly announced she was going to vomit so we rushed her up to our room. She was actually OK, just a bit seedy for a couple of days so we took it easy and rented recliners on the beach, swimming and ordering up cold drinks.

Next day, we visited the mudbaths. This is kind of like the Polynesian Pools with thick slimy mud you sit in, apparently good for the skin and getting rid of toxins. Kind of fun but only just tolerable in this heat.

Pearl down the Viet Kong tunnels, looks like she's really enjoying that.

Spent the afternoon drinking boutique beers around a hotel pool (not our hotel) and Pearl and I had manicures at a seedy massage parlour, where happy endings are on offer for those who want them. We just stuck to nail polish, thanks but no thanks.

Then another night train to Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City as it's is also called depending on who you talk to. Just spent our first day here, it's a big old bustling city, like Hanoi on steroids but not quite so noisy. Crossing the street into oncoming traffic is an adventure all in itself. We arrived at 4am, so at 5am went to the park and joined in aerobics with the locals.

Just deciding now what to do next. Tomorrow we have a day trip to the Mekong Delta, then we are finished with Intrepid and on our own........