Came from - Hanoi
Currently in - Hue (pronounced Hoo-way)
Going to - Hoi An

How come all these places start with the letter H ? Seems like they have a bit of an obsession with the letter. Probably just as well, since my Vietnamese is rubbish, so the simpler, the better.

Came from - the UK
Currently in - Hanoi
Going to - Hue

It's noisy and there seem to be more scooters in this city than there are people, despite the fact that everyone seems to be in competition to get as many of their family onto a single scooter.

Came from - work
Currently in - my lounge
Going to - VIETNAM !!

Sadly, almost one year to the day, I am back on the blog. It's been too long, but at least I'm back in business, if only for 3 weeks....

Came from - The kitchen, where we´re making daiquiris
Currently in - The internet room of Ipanema Beach House, Rio de Janeiro
Going to - go out and get really drunk for my last night on holiday (but not so drunk that they don´t let me on the plane. Or perhaps ....)

So it´s all come to an end. Despite a brief hour today when I thought I was fired and started to plan where I would go in Argentina, I am finally coming home...

Came from - Sao Paulo
Currently in - Foz do Iguazu
Going to - Reeeee-oh ... Ree-ee-ee-oh !

Made it out of Ecuador, through Colombia and into Brazil. Inconveniently, they speak Portuguese here, which is just about possible to read and convert to Spanish, but have no chance of holding a conversation. Since I have only 1 week (OMIGAWD) left in this whole new country after 2 months in the civilised Spanish speaking world, I have decided that I will continue to speak Spanish anyway, and just speak it a little bit LOUDER. People seem to be understanding me this way, so until I order a beer and get an orange juice, I will carry on...

Came from - Cotopaxi
Currently - back in Quito (again, again, again)
Going to - Sao Paulo, Brazil, via Bogota, Colombia

Just when I thought I had a final day of leisure before departing from Ecuador, I managed to prove that I can still hang with the Extreme Crowd...

Came from - the Galapagos
Currently - back in Quito (again, again)
Going to - read the South America rough guide tonight and work out what to do with my last 3 weeks....

Well, I survived 8 days on a boat with only one bout of sea-sickness ! Now I´m just worried that my newly acquired sea legs will have trouble on terra firma and I´ll end up with severe land-sickness instead (though I admit it´s not that different from normal behaviour - did I tell you I managed to vomit in front of the Statue of the Virgin that overlooks Quito... ?). Only read this far cos of the Boobies title ? ... you have to read the whole thing I´m afraid ...

Came from - Otavalo
Currently - back in Quito (again)
Going to - the Galapagos !

Managed to avoid spending all my remaining dollars in the market at Otavalo, though the small painting I did buy is now rolled up in a tube the size of a drainpipe, thus undermining the "less is more" approach. Oh well, at least it fits down the sleeve of my ski jacket now I don´t have to wear it.

WHAT I SAW IN AFRICA IN APRIL AND MAY -
http://www.ofoto.co.uk/I.jsp?c=15vov6gt.vun61kh&x=0&y=4ariko

WHAT I SAW IN AUSTRALIA IN JUNE AND JULY -
http://www.ofoto.co.uk/I.jsp?c=15vov6gt.ywxz2ox&x=0&y=n8s8r6

WHAT I´M SEEING IN SOUTH AMERICA AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER -
http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/I.jsp?c=15vov6gt.k6e8o29&x=0&y=-dcxyhe

Came from - 3hrs downstream on a tributary of the Amazon
Currently - back in Quito
Going to - Otavalo, for more shopping

I have returned to high altitude after surviving 3 days in the jungle. By some strange twist of fate, I never saw a single mosqeeto, and by some other twist, I only got a minimal number of bites. I don´t know what those "celebrities" are moaning about...the only thing I took exception to was having to wear wellies for the whole time (though I have to admit that they are very practical, and therefore may be added to the London wardrobe when I get back - another pair of shoes !)