Our car transfer to Hoi An took around 50 minutes and gives you the chance to look at the views on route, we are staying for four days in the Little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa which is situated right beside the Thu Bon River. A five minute stroll brings you into the ancient town which is a maze of old buildings in narrow lanes, bursting with stylish restaurants, bar, shops and markets, religious buildings and temples which sweep down to the riverside where your option for any kind of boat trip is near endless. It's taken me 40 years to find this place, ok ok I wasn't looking for the other seventeen. Chào bạn which means good morning, or I hope that's what it means, I've never heard the off word on the end so it must be friendly. Sandra is laying in bed fast asleep next to me, when she eventually wakes up the first thing she'll say is never slept a wink.

Last night was the night of the full moon called the lunar festival, all the lights in the town are turned off plunging the streets into darkness, shop's are lit up by candlelight and colourful lanterns, which you can buy from the street vendors then you place them in the river to float off, sending a message to somebody. Perhaps to our postal service back home, the floating lanterns seem a more effective and cheaper way to send a message.

Our cookery course is today and the weather is a bit drizzly, we could not have chosen a better day. The chefs name is Hai but when he put his brolley up with his shopping bag over his arm, I suggested he changed his name to Roy Cropper. We then left the hotel, brollies up and made our way to the market which is around 1 kilometre from the hotel. We saw the boats unloading the fish, crabs and eels, at the back of the market before wandering through to the vegetables, while Roy was explaining all about the people who work there, their ages and the products that are on offer. We sampled a few different items of food and also the local tea, which I personally find crap but each to their own. After purchasing our ingredients we got a traditional river boat from the market back to our hotel, our captain /oars person was an 86 year old woman who kept hitting me on the head with her oar. Me and Roy helped with the rowing but Roy kept splashing me, deliberately I think, so when he was unprepared I soaked him, and said sorry Roy the oar slipped.

Back at the hotel we were decked out in typical chefs hat and apron, We had 5 New friends from Singapore who came to watch us, so it would have been rude not to put on a show. Roy eats a raw chilli so I follow suit, Roy eats another chilli and I again do the same, though starting to sweat, Roy again eats a chilli, and foolishly I follow suit this time going red in the face and sweating profusely, somebody saved my life by bringing me a glass of water. I conceded the game to Roy, only at this point did he open his mouth to reveal all the chilli's still on his tongue ! The hotel staff & my 5 Singapore ex friends collapsed in fits of laughter. Roy then ate all the chilli's (not to be outdone by a westerner). The rest of the lesson was spent dicing & chopping, tossing the food from the pan over our heads on to the plate or in Sandra's case onto the floor. The food we cooked was then presented for us to eat with a cold bottle of Saigon beer, delicious on par with anything we've eaten out. We've never been to another cookery class before to compare, but we would find it hard to find a more relaxed entertaining and fun class brilliantly led by Hai, at the little Hoi An Boutique Hotel & Spa.

While Sandra was getting ready I went to a local bar up the street behind the hotel, obviously not used to strangers they showed me through the bar into the front room, I only wanted a beer and pointed to what I thought was beer on the sign. After about 15 minutes I was starting to think this beer's taken a long time, then a big plate of food arrived without any beer which was entirely my fault, normally I would just have ate a little and said nothing, but still stuffed from the cookery course I could not do so. Through sign language I tried to say by rubbing my stomach I've already eaten, or give it to someone else and I'll pay, they refused this and just took the food away. Still no beer I then went back into the bar and pointed at the beer can, alas the full bar cheered and I sat down with them on the tiny stools with them grinning and laughing, more cheers when I gesticulated by pointing at my tin and holding one finger in the air for the internationally known sign, one more beer please. After drinking up the bill came to 40.000 Dong which equates to £1.30 and the food was never mentioned, I hope I corrected the situation with my tip.

During our stay we have visited top restaurants along with the most rundown local bars & have been made most welcome in both. Those who don't partake of the true local experience are really missing out, shame on you. Goodbye Vietnam - for now !