Hi everyone!

 Lots of catching up to do, the connection has been quite slow in Cambodia and computers keep crashing. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, which was a culture shock after Cambodia. It was a very modern and built up city, not what we were used to.

We had a cyclo tour (will put picture of cyclo up) through Saigon. We saw Chinese Market, and a Chinese Temple, also the War Museum of Vietnam. It was so sad there, also terrible they way they portrayed the Americans, it was very one sided. Later we went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, one of the most famous battle grounds during the Americal War. Fighters and locals lived in these tunnles for months on end. The South Vietnemese Communists, expanded the 75 mile long tunnels into a three level network. They have been expanded so that tourist can take a walk through them! I only lasted 30m as it was so tight and so incredibly hot, amazing that people survived in those conditions.

The next day we had a tour of Mekong River. It rained so hard, we had to wear pontchos. Not the most attractive site, and it didn't keep me dry. We sampled some local fruit and tea, while listening to folk music. Then visited a coconut island, where the houses were even made from them! We were taken around in a horse and cart, but I didn't feel very comfortable as the horse was tiny and cleary out of breath! We sampled some cocnut and fresh ginger, with honey and lemon tea! After that we ate lunch and had seafood! As most of you know I don't eat sea food but I tried everyhting, was quite impressed with the shrimp! I also held a huge snake and had him wrapped around my neck! Pictures will follow!

The next day we arrived in Nha Trang a beautiful seaside town! We took the over night train, luckily didn't see any rats, we all feel asleep quite quickly! We went to the mud baths the first day, which was so relaxing. 10 of us sat in a huge bath of mineral mud for about half an hour. After that we went to bath in a mineral water jacuzzi, then a swimming pool (temperature about 38degrees). I cannot remember the last time I felt so relaxed. Our skin felt so soft too! We went for a delicious meal that night, and met up with some girls from our last tour! Danced with our buckets for the rest of the night!

The next morning we had an early start! We took boat to islands. While on the boat we got maincures and massages! Life couldn't get better, then we stopped near some corals and snorkelled for a bit! It was so cloudy and we couldn't see anything unfortunatly (damn monsoon rain)! We swam for bit, then went to a restaurant, and were greeted off the boat by circular bamboo boats which we had to climb into. Ate lunch and went off to a beach and sun bathed for a while and had a manicure! That night we took another over night train to Danang, all fell asleep straight away!

Arrived in Danang at 6am. Mad our way to Hoi An which is known as Faifo to early western traders. It was a major port during 17th,18th and 19th centuries and many parts of the town still look as they did in centuries gone by.

As our tour leader said "It's a dangerous place for your pockets'! There was an excellent tailor there that made your clothes in one day! I got a skirt and a dress, and stopped there. Unofrtunatly I was in bed for about a day and a half here with stomach bug, so didn't get to see that much! We were there for the full moon celebrations too, which involved people tapping on drums and dressing up in dragon costumes! Beautiful sight and amzing colours. We also went to a Vietnemese cooking class here, so I now know how spring rolls are made!

The next day we arrived in Hue, a beautiful drive over the Hai Van Pass. Apparently it's one of the most scenic trips in the world! Unfortunatly my camera broke just the day before, is now fixed! We stopped at a place where they sculpture statues from marble, so beautiful, but quite expensive! We also stopped at a view point where there were some bunkers from war both French and American, but it was so cloudy we could hardly see anything! That evening when we arrievd we went for a Royal banquet, you are treated like royalty and wear costumes. It was amazing and the food was presented beautifully! We had folk music to entertain us.

The next day we had a motor bike trip, love ebing on the motor bike although it was quite scary, we were dodging buffalos, up hills, through extremely narrow streets, and we almost killed a dog! We stopped at Royal Tombs, Pagodas and a few temples, so beautiful. We also stopped at a local market selling everything from fish, meat to clothes. It was quite smelly, and the meat didn't look very fresh! We stopped at a womens house, famous for making the Vietnemese style hats (I can't remember the name right now), she had one arm and was extremely talented. She is famous throughour Asia, also emboids on them.

I had my fortune told too, and she told me I would have children at 31, and that I will have many boyfriends and two husbands. Sure, I don't think so. We had a fantastic vegetarien meal at a nunnery, was so delicious. Buddhist influenced. After that we visited an orphange with about 200 children, run by nuns. The head nun was an extremely caring lady, and we left donations and played with the children and babies for a while.

The next day, we all decided we wanted to go back to donate some supplys they found hard to get such as rice, copy books, pens and milk formula for the babies. We all got motor bikes and each bought about E5 worth of things. 50kg of rice each. They go through 200kg of rice day, so that would only feed them for two days, but there is so much you can give. When we arrievd the children and the nun were so apprecriative.

We were all so over whelmed, and everyone was teary eyed. We had our picture with all the rice sacks, and hopefully it will become a regualr occurence when our guide brings people there. She was also over whelmed, and so pleased we all wanted to do this. We played with the children some more and then had to leave.

We are now in Hanoi, we took overnight train. We all had a few beers and a sing song on the train! Arrived this morning at 5 and couldn't check into hotel til 12, so need to go do that now!

Keep emails coming, miss you all xx