We were dropped off in front of a guesthouse, but we set off for one listed in my guidebook. It was in a warren of alleyways off the main street and we couldn't find it. I checked out another, it was up a rickety wooden ladder, so decided against it. Dave check another and we accepted it. It was fine apart from the 'three little pigs' bed sheets.

We decided to go for a wander around the city. We headed toward the business centre and went for a coffee. It was very expensive, but we should have known that as the place was full of suits.

We had a further wander, passing several museums. But with the excessiveheat and the alcohol consumed the previous day we just walked a loop and headed to get some lunch. We had lunch at a swanky restaurant overlooking the road, before heading back to the tourist area and having a few beers.

Dave booked on a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels, but me being claustrophobic, I decided I'd have a lazy day.

Dave was up and out early, I took my time, went to a bar and read a book over a coffee. I then went for a wander around the local area before coming back to write up my journal, one of the bar staff thought it was funny that I wrote with my left hand and we soon got talking about stuff in general.

I head to an internet cafe and check my mail and stuff, then go meet up with Dave. He said that some tunnels had been enlarged for westerners to use, but it was still rather cramped in there. We had a few beers around the tourist area and called it a night.

We were up early and given a breakfast of bread, cream cheese, and salad (not that appetizing, but it was free), before being picked up by a bus and taken round the houses as it picked everyone else up. Then it was off to the boat.

The boat was near enough full, and after a while we set off for one of the three islands we'd be visiting. It was rather quiet on the boat as we travelled there, and once we were there we were told that there was a coral reef closer into the island and there was snorkel gear available if anyone wanted it.

Dave and I clambered onto the roof of the boat and dived in (Dave doing the run and jump, I just stood and dived as I knew that if I didn't I'd catch my feet on the rail). I got one of the girls to throw me a mask and snorkel and had my first try at snorkelling. It wasn't good. I was still breathing partly through my nose, and as soon as the nose guard covered my nostrils I had to come up for air. I left off the snorkel and just used the mask. After a while we just messed about diving off the roof of the boat.

We set off for another island while a lot of us were sunning ourselves on the roof. When we came down the middle seats had all been lowered to make a large table. We pulled into a quiet cove and the food came out. Rice, chips, noodles, chicken, fish, prawns, french bread and plenty of it. It was one hell of a meal. There was a lot more talking on the boat now.

After the food was cleared away the band set up. The band consisted of a guitarist/singer, a drummer on a set of improvised drums (upturned plastic bucket and a few tin lids on sticks) and an old guy with a tambourine. They banged out a few songs (including Hotel California, the national athem of SE Asia), before we all went back into the water. The boat captain came in aswell in his 'floating bar'. He was serving some dog-awful wine (as long as it gets you pissed!). There was a drinking game being played, if you said 'no' you had the wine pour straight down your neck, so everyone was trying to trip everyone else up. Anna was particularly bad at it (she shouldn't be, she's a school teacher and should be used to games). When we got back in the boat we were well on our way.

We stopped off at another island where we did more jumping, diving and swimming before coming to our last stop.

The last island had a lot of activities available, but you had to pay to get onto it. So a group of us sat on the boats roof and played drinking games, Jodie and Anna getting us more wine. Then we sat around talking.

When we got back a group of us decided to meet up for drinks. Dave and I wouldn't be able to stay long as we were on the night bus to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon to you).

On the way to the bar Anna and I got talking. She started talking about her disastous relationships, "But you don't want to hear about them" (Hell no), "I don't mind" (Doh!). I did my usual 'nice guy' stuff of making her feel better about herself. Half way through the conversation she came out "It's not just me though, you've got issues yourself" (Thanks for that, dog knows why that stuck with me). We carried on talking about stuff (no idea what) while chucking back Vodka Red Bulls.

After a while Dave said he was heading off, I'd follow when I'd finished my drink. I said my goodbyes and set off to the hotel. After a good long wander I found myself outside the bar again! Bugger! Missed the bus now! I had another drink, and then remembered I had nowhere to stay! I flagged down a bicycle rickshaw and set off again. Near the hotel Dave saw me, apparently my bags were on the bus and he'd been holding it up so as to find me. We ran for the bus and I got on. Apparently the bus needed a push start, but I can't remember that as I near enough feel asleep as I found my seat. I awoke at 3am as we dropped off some people at Muine, but then dropped off again and slept until we reached Ho Chi Minh City.

We were dropped off in front of a guesthouse and given the hard sell. The price was reasonable and we were in no mood to walk around checking others out, so we agreed, only to find that it was full. But next door wasn't. The room was OK so we checked in.

We checked into our 'boardies' and headed to the beach. We were looking for the Rainbow Bar which was supposed to be on the beachfront, but it wasn't there. So we went to another beachfront place and had lunch.

Then it was time for my first dip in the sea on this trip. The beach was disappointing, the weather bleak and the sea cold. We jumped and rode waves for a while before heading back to the guesthouse.

We hired two mountain bikes and set off to see the sights. First stop was the Po Nagar Cham Towers on Cu Lao hill, a set of four towers built between the 7th and 12th centurys by the Hindu Chams. They were badly eroded and the insides so full of incense as to have me choking. We picked up the bikes (having had to pay to lock them up) and cycled in the general direction of the ___________ temple. On the way we stop to check the map and were overtaken by the Luton couple in a bicycle rickshaw.

On getting to the temple (after locking our bikes up for a fee) a couple of girls attached themselves to us, telling us they went to the school next door. We entered the temple, where the Luton couple were, and took a few photos. A monk saw us and, in gestures, got me to bang a bowl shaped gong for a photo opportunity, I then placed a donation in the bowl.

Back outside we all headed up the hill behind the temple to check out the view. The girls were back again, this time trying to sell us postcards to help pay for their schooling. They wanted 100,000 Dong for a set of ten! I'd paid 10,000 Dong in Hue and told her so, she tried 50,000 but I wasn't interested so she then joined the crowd around Dave.

We headed up higher and came face to face with a huge white Buddha. The plinth it sat on was a room painted with scenes from some religious story. For a 'donation' we could go inside. To get in we had to take off our shoes, which some young kids tried to confiscate. I placed mine inside. When coming out my sandals had moved into the hands of a little girl, when I took them back to put them on she'd got in the way trying to tighten the velcro straps. They then all demanded money.

The old fellow who'd taken us into the room then took us along a trail to more 'sights', a bell and another temple where a monk was doing whatever monks do. The old man then requested 100,000 Dong each to help finance the monks, he quickly shut up as more people arrived. Unfortunately the Luton lad had already handed over 50,000. Dave and I gave Luton lad 15,000 each so as to be fair. When we got back down to the main temple, the old man again tried to get more money out of us.

We got back on our bikes and set off through the now heavy traffic. Dave and I got split up as he took a right and I couldn't, and on the way back I rode straight passed the road to the hotel. Suffice it to say, Dave was back before I was.

We gave the bikes in and headed out for some food. We found the Rainbow bar and headed in for a drink. While there I asked the dive person (an Aussie girl) if it was correct that I wouldn't be able to dive with asthma. She said that I would not be allowed. Bugger! We had another beer and some food before going back to the hotel. On the way we bumped into Anna and Jodie, the two Scottish girls. They were on their way out and said if we saw them to join them. They also mentioned they were on a boat trip, something that Dave and I both wanted to do. We got back to the hotel and booked on it.

We got tidied up and headed back out. We found a bar with 2 for 1 beers, sat down and watched the world go by. We then went to a very trendy bar and switched to vodka (cheaper than beer) before heading back as we had an early start.

As neither Dave or I were interested in buying a suit there wasn't really anything for us in Hoi An. So we nipped out in the morning to book on that evenings bus to Nha Trang. We also asked after Daves sandals that he'd left on the bus the previous afternoon, it didn't look promising.

We went for breakfast at a bar with the same name as that we were supposed to meet up in the previous evening (no wonder we didn't see Ariane last night), and as we ate we were approached by a dozen or so hawkers selling lighters (we don't smoke), newspapers (we don't read Vietnamese) and peanut brittle (we are eating breakfast). James was passing and joined us for breakfast.

After breakfast we went for a wander and met up with Ariane having her breakfast. We stopped for a chat and Tony and James turned up. We told them our plans and they made their own. They were staying another day or so and were going to check out a beach a few miles up the road.

Dave and I went to check out the only sight my guidebook mentions, a Chinese style covered bridge, After that we just had a wander. There wasn't much to see, just a lot of suit shops. So for the last few hours we sat in a bar reading.

We went back to the hotel to pick up our bags, passing the bus we were to be on. When we got back to the travel centre the bus was gone! It wasn't time yet! The woman there told us it had gone to pick up the rest of the people and it would be back, so we sat down to wait.

When the bus arrived it was nearly full, I found a double seat spare and sat down. Unfortunately we were not the last on and I soon had someone sat next to me. Worse still was that I was sat over the rear wheel arch so I didn't have much leg room at all. I couldn't sleep on the bus and with not being able to move my legs, at several stages myclaustrophobia reared its head and I felt rather panicky. It was probably my worst time so far during my travelling. I read my book and listened to music just to distract myself.

At around 3am we pulled up for a rest stop. Thank Dog! I rushed out and had a good stretch. It was Bliss! After this I was able to sleep for a few hours until we reached Nha Trang.

We were up early and over to Thu's cafe again. We were able to get breakfast in before the mopeds arrived.

Being on the moped, even if it was as pillion, brought back a lot of memories. My biking days, however brief, were something I enjoyed. I'll have to sort something out when I get back!

We were taken first to the THien Mu Pagoda. Unfortunately it was covered in scaffolding so the photo opportunity wasn't great. This was the place where a certain monk (Venerable Thich Quang Duc) came from, who drove to Saigon and burned himself to death in protest of the government. His powder blue Austin was on show. There were also alot of Vietnamese girls in traditional dress, they were very fetching so I took a couple of pictures. A schoolgirl with a big smile and glasses tried to have a conversation in English with Dave, It was like listening to a car crash!

Our next stop, after a long ride, was a Chinese style covered bridge that a local woman had had built for the local rice farmers to use when carrying their rice home from the fields.

It was back on the mopeds for a trip to Tu Duc's Mausoleum. This was a mausoleum built in 1864-1867 for a reportedly weak emporer , from where he wrote poetry and not much else. It was a large compound with pavilions around a lake, temples and the emporers tomb. We spent over an hour wandering around.

Our next stop was 'The Hill', a group of concrete emplacements, built by the french, overlooking the river. It wasn't much to look at, but the views were nice.

On the mopeds again, we ended up at a Buddhist temple, where our guide explained the different buildings and got us prime positions for a Buddhist ceremony. Apparently in Vietnam when you become a monk, you stay a monk. It was strange to see little kids there already in training (free schooling). Especially when, as they progress, more hair gets shaved off. They do it in such a way as to leave their heads looking like pie charts.

Our driver mentioned another Mausoleum, but we were only supposed to go to one. He said not to worry and we set off. After a very long ride we pulled over in the middle of nowhere and the driver pointed up at a hillside. Khai Dinh Mausoleum was up there and he explained that it was just one building and not worth the 55,000 Dong entry fee.

After a few pictures we headed back to Thu's and we headed off to a restaurant to get some food. It was close to time for our bus. Dave headed to a internet cafe whilst I went to check up on our bags at the guesthouse and ended up watching an asian soap opera with the Landlady.

Someone came to fetch us to get on the coach, and we both settled down for the 4-5 hour trip to Hoi An.

As usual we were dropped off in front of a guesthouse which was a little ways away from the town centre. We stayed on the bus and were dropped off in front of a more expensive Hotel that was right in the middle of town. There were five of us at this stage, Two Aussies James and Tony, Ariane, Dave and I. We walked around to another hotel and found a very nice one for 7 dollars, ensuite, cable TV. The others didn't want to stay there so we decided to meet up later.

We met the two Aussie guys as we left our hotel, unfortunately we didn't see Ariane. We headed down to the riverside and ate at a little seafood restaurant. We had a good laugh and met a couple at the next table, from Luton. We left the restaurant and headed off to a bar and drank until last orders (which wasn't very long).

As usual we were dropped off by the guesthouse of the drivers choice and were given the hard sell as usual, but we'd chosen a guesthouse from the guidebook and walked to it. On the way moto-taxis were desperately trying to get us to go to their guesthouse, one was most persistent!

We got to the guesthouse only to find that it had gone upmarket, a double room would cost 12 dollars! Mister Persistent moto-taxi was touting for our second choice guesthouse so we followed, and at 5 dollars we took it.

We headed over to the Citadel, a world heritage site, and decided to tour the palace. It cost us 55,000 Dong each (over 3 dollars!). The palace was set over a large area with many enclosures and buildings, mostly destroyed. We then had a walk around the Ctadel itself, which was just a walled area in the city.

So, we'd done the main attractions in Hue. In our first few hours. We booked to be on the 1pm bus the following day to Hoi An. We then went to find a bar listed in my guidebook, we must have passed the alley it was down twice before we found it.

'Cafe O Thu Wheels' is decorated with graffiti from all the people who have passed through and postcards from where they came from (I knew I should have brought some from home!). There were two from Nottingham, but none from Hamilton, New Zealand (hard luck Dave. What would they have had on them anyway?)

The owner, Thu, introduced herself and quickly told us about herself and the bar. She was a very funny woman. She asked me to hold out my hand, palm up, she looked at it and said 'Ah your girlfriend left you.', 'Several' I said, 'Just as I thought, Five Dollars!'. She told us to come in later as she was also a dating agency. A girl came in, and as all the tables were taken Thu sat her with us. Thu came over again and told me to hold out my hand and she place a bank note in it and said 'Phone your parents and tell them you're not coming home tonight'.

The girl, Kate, was English and had arrived by train, but two of her friends, the two Scottish girls had travelled by bus with us. After a while the two Scottish girls, Ariane and an old Aussie bloke joined us. Most of them knew each other from a trip up to Ha Long Bay, a place I wouldn't mind going to if I ever come back this way.

I got talking to one of the Scottish girls, Anna (her sister was called Jody), she had been living and working in Leeds, so we had a long talk about where we lived, worked, ate and drank (she used to go to the Atrium alot).

Dave and I left to get changed and stuff for the evening. There aren't many places in Hue to go so we ended up back at Thu's. One of the things Thu also does is sell motorcycle tours. There are a few other sights around Hue but the boat trips also involved alot of walking or short motorcycle trips at extra expense. We told her we were leaving at 1pm the following day, but she still sold us a bike tour. At our table we were joined by a German couple and we spent an hour or so talking about stuff before they left and we headed off to the 'DMZ Bar' which was a little closer to our guesthouse. It was full, but everyone seemed to be keeping to themselves. We had a quick beer and a relatively early night.

We headed for the Museum again, only halfway there did we remember it's strange opening times. So we had a few hours to kill. Dave headed for a large lake north of the city, whilst I headed to the old quarter to look around the shops. I was getting concerned with the old T-shirt tan line and so bought a sleeveless t-shirt and then went to check out the communist memorabilia. There was nothing special.

As I walked back toward the museum I was accosted by the same taxi bike rider as the day before. His opening line then was the same as now, 'Where you from'. Saying England had brought a lot of stuff about ManU and David Beckham. So this second time I said 'Latvia'. that shut him up for all of two seconds. I just ignored him until he grabbed my shoulder, then I made sure he left me alone.

I nipped into the Military History museum enroute, for an hour of Anti-French and Anti-American memorabilia, as well as some rather dull pieces on Ho Chi Minh. I wandered off the beaten path a little and a rather beefy woman in full uniform raced after me and showed me the correct path.

I met Dave outside the Ho Chi Minh museum and we headed in. The dull pieces on Ho Chi Minh at the Military Museum should have been a warning of what to expect. The life and times of Ho Chi Minh may be of interest to some people, but not to me.

When we got back to the guesthouse we collected our bags and waited for our bus. A bloke came and collected us as well as others from guesthouses up and down the street before walking us to the main road where a bus waited. It was already full. The organisers had a typical South East Asian conversation at the top of their lungs and another bus was called. This but was 'Same Same But Different'. They filled this one aswell. The only spare seat was next to me.

On the buses and through Vietnam we would see a lot of familiar faces. Dave was sat next to a Swiss girl called Ariane, behind him sat two Scottish girls.

It was the early hours of the morning before I could get to sleep. It was raining when we got to Hue.

We were up early and headed off to the Cambodian embassy to ge our visas. They cost 25 dollars and would be ready that afternoon so we headed for Uncle Ho's mausoleum. As we headed there we were hassled more than usual by a motorbike taxi guy, he kept telling us everything was shut and that he could take us to a museum that wasn't (it was right across the city). We carried on walking.

Another motorbike taxi gave us as much hassle. He wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Dave just walked off as I tried to get 'no' across, so I shrugged and followed Dave. I've got to be more forthright!

The Mausoleum was closed so that Uncle Ho could have his yearly touch up. So we headed to his museum instead. It was closed on Fridays (?!?). Instead we had some food and headed beck toward the Cambodian embassy.

Near the lake we had some beers and then went to pick up our passports, before back to the guesthouse. We booked an open bus ticket that allowed us to stop at several places down to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), and got a seat on the following days bus to Hue.

We went to a couple of bars located not too far away that were recommended in my guidebook. Dave took us down the wrong road, but we found the first, The Polite Bar, and it was rather 'pub' like. We entered an were immediately accosted by three girls in beer logo dresses. We ordered from the Tiger lady and when we'd supped up we headed for the second bar, Funky Monkey.

In Funky Monkey we met a lone bloke who we'd met earlier in the day. He was a Dane called Thomas and he had come up from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi for a change. He told us about a nightclub closeby and so we set off.

The nightclub was packed with locals and was playing terrible western music. We got a drink and were ushered into a corner by the droves of workers there. We headed back to the main area nad spied some empty chairs, so we sat down. We were ejected from these by more workers and so we decided to leave. We went back to Funky Monkey and had a few more beers before heading home.

At the airport the first thing we did was draw out some money... I drew out ONE MILLION Dong (just over thirty quid) from an ATM. Dave tried, but his card wouldn't work, so it looked like I was subbing him for a while.

We got an airport minivan into the city. At first, before we got to the city, the driving seemed to be the usual South East Asian standard, plenty of lane changes and liberal use of the horn. But then we got into the city!

It seems that the bigger your vehicle the less you notice other motorists. We cut up cars and mopeds, we turned left stopping oncoming traffic, we pulled a three point turn stopping all traffic. I'm not hiring a moped here!

As usual we were dropped at a hotel where we were accosted by the workers. We said we had a reservation elsewhere and set off to find the guesthouse we'd picked out of my guidebook.

We found the guesthouse by recognizing the bar downstairs. The guesthouse having changed names (explaining alot of blank stares we got when explaining where we were staying). It cost 6 dollars a night for a twin room, which was OK. It was on the fifth floor with no elevator, which was not.

When settled we headed to the Hoan Kiem Lake, just south of we were staying and crossed over a bridge to a pagoda on an island. It is said a turtle returned a sword to a hero here. I think I like our 'Lady of the Lake' story better especially when you see what the turtles look like!

We then had a walk around the old quarter, the area where we were staying. Some of the streets are a nightmare! The pavement is for parking your moped and the streets are for riding them usually whilst having your thumb permanently glued to the horn ('This is your driving test, show me where the horn is... OK you've passed, ask your mates how to ride these things'). Where do the pedestrians go? The streets were full of small shops selling the same sort of things as we'd seen elsewhere, as well as a few bits and pieces of communist memorabilia. After a good wander we headed back to the guesthouse, where Dave phoned his bank and got his bank card sorted.

We went out to a restaurant for dinner and got our first taste of 'Bia Hoi'. It was shit! Weak, watered down, maidens water. Not touching that again! The food was good though, and although Vietnamese spring rolls don't look appealing, they taste very nice!

We had a proper beer in the old quarter before heading over to the lake. We had a beer on the first floor of a large buiding overlooking where five roads interconnected in a huge piazza-like area. And we watched the chaotic dance of hundreds of mopeds as they wended their way through to their chosen road. It was surprising noone got knocked off! I watched with a mixture of awe and fear as two 7-8 year old children with a toddler in tow crossed straight through it unconcerned and then passed back through later with icecream!

We'd had an early start so we had a relatively early night.

I was up before Dave got in (tut, tut). Dirk hadn't got to the big golden thing yet so we decide to head off there after finding out its name (Phra That Luang). We eventually got a tuk-tuk there after a bit of haggling. It was a big golden thing, I think I'm getting to see too many of these things.

We headed to the market before going for some food. Dirk ordered Veggie rice and got Chicken, I ordered a Lemon juice and got an Apple shake. Even though it wasn't bad, we aren't going back there.

We all met up for our last meal together and had a few more carafes of beer. A Canadian lad from the guesthouse joined us, but he looked out of his depth, but we did explain all the in jokes.

It was an early night for us due to the flight in the morning. So we said all our goodbyes. :-(

Dave and I were up early to get to the airport by 6:30. We got a tuk-tuk which trundled it's way slowly there. We checked in and sat watching BBC World News, wondering what the flight would be like...

My guidebook says the following about Lao Aviation...

Most Western embassies have travel advisories warning against Lao Aviation... For some travellers, flying with Lao Aviation demonstrates bravado, but really it's not something you want to do if you don't really have to. Signs outside Lao Airports read, not too reassuringly "We wish you have a safe flight"

But 24 hours on the worst bus route in South East Asia was not something we wanted either.

As we were called to board, Koen showed up for his flight to Phnom Penh. We said another quick goodbye and went to board. Luckily we were on a Brazilian built plane and not a Chinese one.

The flight was completely uneventful. I even got a decent meal (relative to other inflight meals).

We landed at Hanoi airport, taxiing past a row of MIG intercepters in concrete bunkers (don't see that at East Midlands!). Customs took along time processing us with their gruff demeanors and uniforms full of ribbons and medals. But when we were through we were in Vietnam!