Xin Chao from 'Nam

Vietnam has been a mixed bag to say the least. We've travelled from the South to the North over the past 2 weeks and have seen A LOT: bits we loved, bits we didn't, and bits that we have been totally disgusted at and upset by.

The 'Love List' is as follows:

- Saigon or Ho Chi Minh as it is now named, and it's many medieval alleys.

- Exploring the Mekong Delta by bicycle and staying with a local village family who shared their memories of the Vietnam war with us.

- The Vietnamese like to feed their guests until they feel physically sick. It's considered bad form if there isn't food left on the table at the end of the meal, as it means they haven't provided enough - so it just keeps on coming! We;ve eaten well here.

- Meeting some top Norwegians in Mui Ne. We'd intended to chill on the beach for 3 days, but as it rained the whole time we ended up not leaving the guesthouse. Next stop... Norway!

- Hoi An - the most beautiful city we've seen in Vietnam filled with colourful lanterns and lots to do. We hired bikes for a day and finally got some beach time where we tried some interesting shots (Wasabi & Mint, Peanut, Rum & Chilli and Caramel)... the ride home was a slow one.

- Seeing historical Hue by cyclo and visiting the ancient citidel and emporers tombs - very cool.

- Absorbing the madness of the Vietnamese market, sights and smells which are the polar opposite of a supermarket.

- Learning about the Vietnam war and how it continues to effect peoples lives. Humbling and at times distirbing, we've been moved by what we've learnt.

- Being genuinely impressed by the sheer volume of motorbikes in this country and the apparent inability for a crash to occur. For a country with 86million people, there must be at least 85million motorbikes. And like Thailand, the rules of the road are whatever you want them to be. The brave succeed.

- The standard of the hotels is very high for a 'low budget' option, some have even felt like home!

- The Communist propaganda artwork that reminds the people how happy and proud and grateful they are, and the romantic music that is pumped through loud speakers day and night interspersed with the occasional goverment message.

- 50% of the people, who smile and are so sweet and friendly - we've met some people who have a smile that could melt butter.

The Hate List:

- 50% of the people, who've made us want to inflict serious physical pain upon them. Rude is an understatement.

- Constant spitting. And we're not talking a light shower, we're talking hocking up filth from the depths of the stomach cavity and unleashing that filth upon the pavement with no respect for other people's ears, eyes or other senses. When you're not dodging motorbikes, you're dodging phlegm. Buf.

- The appalling and disgusting way that the majority of animals are treated. This has been the hardest part for us to deal with, and has tainted our time here. We've seen loads of monkeys tied up with chains round their necks, being teased with no hope of escape while other wild animals are in appallingly inadequate conditions. Not to mention that dog meat is widely eaten throughout the country with dogs being crammed into cages on the back of motorbikes on their way to the dinner table. We won't even start on the duckling embryos for breakfast...

- The Sleeper Bus experience... we've got a number of sleeper bus journeys under our belts, but none have been as horrific as our most recent ordeal. Think 13 hour journey, one seat, two people. Dear old Carly bit the bullet and nestled into the floor boards for the duration of the trip up north with no leg room and someones feet resting on her forehead. We did of couse buy two seated tickets, but when we boarded the bus we were told (forced) where to sit and after some retalliation from us, we were told if didn't like it to get off. If we'd had more time, we probably would, but a tight schedule demanded we get on the road so we had to grin and bear it. On top of this, the bus crew were rude, aggresive and xenophobic. Only the Vietnamese passengers were allowed bottled water and when an English girl behind us asked for a bottle she was verbally head butted with a resounding NO and lots of hand waving. Bad times.

- The smells that drift past in the cities, we don't even know what it is - possibly a combination of rotting fruit, dirty sewage water and phlegm.

- The sea of litter that is EVERYWHERE. Probably not the worst, but certainly the most visible environmental problem in this country.

As you can see, we've had ups and downs but it's been an eye opener and a different experience to the other South East Asian countries we've visited. We've very glad to have had each other!

Tomorrow we're going to visit Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and then meet with the group which we're going to travel to Halong Bay and Southern China with. We're hoping for some more Norwegians!

We'd like to leave you with a quote which has got us through the tough times here which you might appreciate: 'If you kneel down, life is a mountain: if you stand tall, life is at your feet'.

Tam Biet