With some time on our hands and the budget airlines just about giving tickets away, it made sense for us to do some more land based travelling (so no sailing stories in this update !).

Following on from the recent Cambodian trip, we headed off for 2 weeks in Vietnam. The first thing we realized is that 2 weeks is not long enough to see the whole country - Vietnam is over 2,500 km from top to bottom, and quite diverse in culture, weather, scenery and cuisine, so we only travelled in the southern half (roughly). We should mention our policy of not charging around in a rush trying to cover all the tourist spots - we prefer to spend at least a few days in every place, so that we can try and get more of a feel for wherever we happen to be, plus it's a lot more relaxing going slowly and taking the time to smell the roses (although the predominant aroma in Asia is usually not roses!)

We flew into Ho Chi Min City (previously called Saigon and still called Saigon by most locals), the largest city in the south and everyone seems to have a motor bike ! Like most big cities in Asia it's noisy and busy, and yet we felt quite safe (except when trying to cross the road!), mostly I think due to the friendliness of the locals encountered as we wandered the streets. Food vendors and shop owners all greeted us with smiles and we quickly got into the sidewalk cafes, where we sat and enjoyed morning coffee and baguettes (the legacy from once being French ruled) or icy cold beers (depending on time of day) watching the never ending passing parade. This will sound strange, but we enjoyed watching the traffic! See the video_clip_of_a_busy_intersection and see if you can work out who has right of way - we call it "motorcycle ballet". Also look out for the policeman (dressed in green) who's trying to direct traffic - wonder if he get's danger pay!

After a few days in the big city, we booked a tour of the Mekong Delta, and headed south to explore the huge (and I mean really huge!) river system that is the home of over 1.5 million people, and produces rice for the entire country, plus for export. It was fascinating travelling by boat for 2 days along the river and network of canals, seeing how people live and work on and around the water. The local kids loved waving at us as we went past, and showing off with backflips and somersaults into the river. Floating markets were a great photo opportunity.

Then we caught a bus back to Saigon, and the next day, took up another bus up to Da Lat. The scenery changed dramatically as the road wound inland and up into the mountains, through thick jungle, with frequent road wash-outs. Permanent road crews were re-building bridges over streams, we couldn't help but think of how hard it must have been for soldiers in the Vietnam war (on both sides) to exist in this difficult terrain. It got cooler as we climbed until we eventually crossed the mountain range and into a very green and pleasant valley and Da Lat town. We got a pleasant surprise to find a very cool climate - not unlike Melbourne in spring, ideal for growing fruit and veggies. In fact we were totally unprepared, arriving with only shorts and T shirts - we had to borrow raincoats from the hotel for a walk around town - not for rain, but to keep out the cold wind, and we put on a heater in our room at night. It's been a long time since we've had to do that!

The beachside town of Nha Trang was our next destination - spectacular beaches and crystal clear water. But it's a major holiday and tourist destination - so wall to wall hotels, restaurants, jetski's, etc. Not quite our thing so we only stayed 1 night, but we did nevertheless have a good (if a little bizzare) experience - we went on a day trip on an small old fishing boat around the local islands, inclusive of lunch and snorkeling stops, all for around US$4/person. So "no big deal" we thought, but turned out we were the only Europeans on the trip, balance of the tourists were mostly all Vietnamese (those who spoke good English were US residents returning to visit families). We were awed by the friendliness of everyone towards us - we were the strangers in a strange land, but everyone made a big effort to make us feel part of the "gang". We enjoyed a pleasant lunch on the boat, and then were surprised by the boat crew who turned into entertainers, setting up as a band for a "sing-along", including an unusual rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" (in English and Vietnamese) in our honour. Next surprise was when one of the crew set up a floating bar (a polystyrene box) from where he dispensed free wine to anyone who cared to jump in and float over to the bar in a life-ring. Needless to say this was a popular idea and we all entered into the fun, and the language difficulties got less and less as we drank many toasts. Along with everyone else, I learnt to yell out something like "Mot, hai, ba, tram!" at which point everybody downed their drink and held out cups for a re-fill (translation "One, two, three, Cheers !" but I've probably got it all wrong!) we finished the day plastered and great mates with everybody. It was one of those memorable experiences where the kindness of strangers was humbling.

Hoi An was next via a night-time sleeper bus, where the conventional seats are replaced by 3 rows of 2 tier bunks. The backrest is inclined slightly, so it's a little like lying on a poolside recliner - you can watch the world outside go by, or doze, unless you're tall like me which means your knees don't quite fit anywhere - still not bad though and we arrived safely in Hoi An, the next morning. Once a port town, it"s now an historical heritage-listed town with a charming pedestrian-friendly centre - strolling around the tidy streets and their well preserved shophouses was enchanting and the most picturesque town we'd seen so far. Hoi An seemed to have a great balance, on the one hand it is very tourist focused, with associated hotels, cafes and souvenir shops, but in contrast, the local people still seem to be able to go about their daily lives (presumably) in a traditional setting. It feels a bit like going back in time.

All too soon it was time to move on again, and another bus ride took us to Hue. Located in central Vietnam, once a capital city of emperors, Hue has a walled citadel and moat. Inside, is the Emperor's Palace and the old town, all adding up to a interesting historic city, which was a pleasure to explore. It's also a river city, built up on both sides of the river (named, would you believe "Perfume River"!), so we got really brave and hired a motorbike to explore. We had no problems, and getting the bike proved to be a good way to get around as Hue is quite large, with Pagodas in the outlying areas. Zipping around on the bike was quite refreshing too, as the weather was hot, (damn hot) and walking was pretty exhausting.

And then .... our 2 weeks was up! And we'd only got halfway up Vietnam, so we"ll definitely have to go back. Apparently, the North (which we didn't get to) is different again. By choice, we deliberately avoided all the war and landmine museums, tunnel tours and so on that are a reminder of the various tragic wars that destroyed many people and cities, but the people seem to be moving on with much spirit. You get the feeling that Vietnam has a big future. Overall we had a wonderful time, and enjoyed the many scenic contrasts, with bustling modern cities, vast river deltas, then splendid mountain passes with green valleys and forests, pristine beaches with clear water, and old towns with history and heritage buildings. It's also very much a communist country, but where the people are now embracing capitalism in a big way. And what lovely, friendly people they are too!

We highly recommend Vietnam for a visit, it's safe and has much to see and do (and the food was great!)

So for another month, that's all folks, cheers from Destiny III, keep well and don't forget to send us an email from time to time.

Very best regards
B & G