A distant memory!

Hello to you all....

Halong Bay seems like such a distant memory....it was certainly an experiance. Hue was lovely although a tad wet but nowhere as bad as we are dealing with right now. In Hue we visited the Citadel which was really cool but it was a shame it was so dull because the colours would have been so much nicer. In the evening we went for dinner at a resturant where we had to dress as Manderins and Emperor, Queen. Somehow I drew the short toothpick and was duely elected Queen. Rob was emporer. I have never been so mortally embarrased in mylife but it was all fun and certainly a memory to have. Lots of photo's were taken and they will be burned as soon as I can! We all then jumped into a taxi and headed for a bar which I had read about where there is a pool table and where you can graffiti the walls (we didn't) but we did make use of the pool table and I made yet another complete fool of myself potting about 8 balls in two games, pretty good considering I've not played for about 5 years!!!

The day after we were going to go on a motorbike ride and to the Perfume river but it was raining when we got up and we thought it'd be called off. Urmmm....no it wasn't and even though as a group we saidwe'd rather wait for the afternoon we ended up being persuaded by Sonny becasue as we came out of breakfast there were the bikes and their drivers. It has to be on of the most enjoyable days of my life. My driver was really cool and i started clinging on for dear life at the back of the bike and it really scared me to death cos I couldn't get my balance. Then I switched and held gently onto his poncho and we both instantly relaxed and I began to enjoy hairing around corners, going through very narrow streets and through country roads. Our first stop was a villiage which had a market and animals running around everywhere. Lots and lots of photo opportunities and some members of our group had their fortune told by the local woman. Back on our bikes and we were heading towards a place where they make conical hats. As we were going along i decided i felt confident that i could get my camcorder out of my bag and film which i did and my driver took to pointing out things and slowing down when he thought i'd like to film. I never thought i'd feel so comfortable on a bike....sorry Big Blue. The conical making place was actually a woman in her back room making them and it was interestng to see particulalry as she had thalidamide. back on our bikes again and we stoped at a toomb and a place where they make insence sticks before heading to a nunnery to have lunch which was lovely although a lot of food left over as you are meant to eat every little scrap of food. On our bikes again and we headed for the Perfume river which was very very dull and muddy too...Diane lost her 'thongs' - flip flops which we had to retrive. When we got off the boat we embarked on our last ride on the bike and drove pretty fast through the streets of Hue and my driver was pleased when I paid him his tip as i felt that he had done a hell of a lot for me! That evening we ate at this local place where the owner was mute and has invented a cool way of opening bottles of beer.

Yesterday we left Hue and travelled to Hoi An by road through the rain stopping at several places along the way. The further south we go the worse it gets at the moment although once we get to Na Trang it should be ok. Our hotel is ok although we've had several problems with our loo! We wnet for lunch at this cool place where i had pho and spring rolls and then we got wet walking through the streets, markets and temples.

It is very, very, very wet here....wishing it would dry up wnough so we could at least go for a walk.....at the moment everywhere is flooded....streets, shops and even parts of our hotel!!!

Please pray for good weather!!