Day 23 - Sanur then home

This is our final morning. Pickup is around 11:15. Ankle again aches badly this morning. Panadol and rest is what the doctor ordered! Breakfast, relax by the pool - wouldn't want to strain ourselves when we have long flights to come! Will be home in less than 24 hours.

Errol stayed by the pool, while I went for a last walk to the market stalls to see if I could find a wallet at the right price. One man yesterday afternoon offered 50 000 rupiah, but I wasn't keen on that particular wallet - went back to see if he had any others. But this morning was another story, no-one would go below 100 000, and the wallets just weren't that good a quality.

Back to our room to change and pack. Checked out and waited for our pickup - arrived on time, and transfer to the airport was not a problem. We were ready to handle the porters if they gave us a hard time, but none came near us. Checked luggage, through security, paid departure tax. We had a stroll around, but there is nothing different here than what we have already seen, and it is dearer. Went to buy a cold drink, but they asked 90 000 for 2 drinks, that's 11 or 12 dollars - we decided we could wait till we are on the plane!

Flight was uneventful, one big tick for Jetstar, they actually left a little early - never heard of that before!! Through the hoops at Singapore airport again, collect baggage, immigration, transfer to different terminal, check in baggage, through security, immigration again, and then relax. Sadly we have hours to wait - seated at Starbucks by 5:45, departure time 9:15!!

Went for a wander and checked out the price of vodka in the duty free - 1 litre of Schmirnoff red label was $17.50, Singapore dollars. Made a note to get some before we go. Wandered on further and found another liquor outlet close to our boarding gate, here it was only $15.70. Bought it straight away, apparently it has to be delivered, sealed to our gate for us to collect there. In Aussie dollars, that's about $12.50/litre, or $9.40/750ml.

Found a heap of restaurants upstairs in terminal 3, and bought one serve of Roast Chicken with noodles from Killiney (Irish Asians!!), along with a can of soft drink, it came to $8.50 (again in Singapore dollars) and it was delicious.

Flight home was nothing unusual, but my ankle ached most of the way, and I just couldn't sleep. Matt and Nibbler picked us up - it is good to be home.

Day 22 - Sanur

Our last full day. My ankle aches badly this morning, but we probably did more walking yesterday than I have done since injuring it. Took iPad down to breakfast, and found that I could actually publish blogs. Finally caught up on all those missed during our time in China.

Decided to have a quiet morning, lazing by the pool. Very decadent for us!! Actually stayed there till lunchtime, although Errol did raise the energy for a swim in the pool. I have strapped my ankle, and don't think it would be waterproof, besides, this isn't hot weather! About 12:30, we made the strenuous move about 50m to the beachside bistro for lunch.

Decided we should actually do something, so headed out to the road to check out the local area. There are a lot of restaurants, ranging from local cafes to quality dining. Also market type stalls with local products. I really expected to see knock off type products again, perhaps there is more of that over at Kuta. Walked right down past Bali Hyatt, but there is just more of the same - a bit disappointing. Also, it is hot once you move away from the beach.

Finally decided there was just more and more of the same, so headed back for the beachside walk - went in through the Hyatt. But we found they are doing renovations to the Hyatt lobby, so the guy at the gate directed us around the side - along a winding garden path, up several small sets of stairs, round a few more bends, and we ended up on the third floor of an accommodation block. Staff smiled and welcomed us, we nodded and said hi!! Finally found our way to the pool area, and beachside walk!!

Beautiful breeze along the beach. Back to our own hotel and unit, grabbed the kindles and headed back poolside. I don't think I can remember ever taking so much down time ever before!!

Stayed poolside till the sun had set, then back to the unit to freshen up, and out for dinner. Lovely restaurant called Tropical, just across the road from the hotel. Live music, and they were packed. Dinner was okay, but Errol's meat was tough, and my chicken on lemongrass skewers included 2 wings and 2 drumsticks with a total of 2 pieces of lemongrass. Did enjoy the 'cosmic colada' cocktail!!

Back to unit, relax and sleep.

Day 9 - Beijing

Late flight, so arranged late checkout at 2pm - plenty of time for something this morning. Decided to go to Silk Market - TA posts tell us you can buy spectacles there very reasonably, and they can be ready within the hour.

After breakfast in our room, decided to try the MTR on our own, it didn't look too bad, only one change - no problems for a cluey pair like us! Trains were very crowded, but made it through okay, found our way to the right place, arriving around 9:20 - only 10 minutes to wait till opening.

Straight to 4th floor and a kiosk that had been recommended on TA. They have a machine that analyzes your current lens so they can reproduce the prescription. Found a frame I liked (Prada) then Errol did the bartering. They started asking 2500, and didn't like our offer of 120! They came down some, but Errol wouldn't budge. We started to walk away, and they grabbed his arm and pulled him back - we finally paid 160 (about $aus26 - 27) for glasses and frames. It is such a good idea to research before you go away! This is the price we had read was achieved by others, otherwise would probably not have bothered after their original pricing.

They were only going to take half an hour to make, so we wandered around for a bit. Errol finally bought something - he didn't have a clean shirt for tomorrow! I tried on a few D&G trench coats, but they didn't look right on me - no idea what the price was.

Back onto the MTR to Oriental Plaza - HUGE shopping centre, not far from hotel. Lovely places for lunch. Decided on Thai today. Walk back to hotel, freshen up, final packing and checked out.

Flight to Hanoi was a little late leaving, and was not due in till around 11:30pm but the captains first comments talked about arriving at 9:30 ish. We were confused, but pleased with the idea that we wouldn't have such a late night after all. But as we started our descent, the pilot announced our imminent arrival at another city in China - we had no idea where we were! It was just a stop over though, and Hanoi arrival time was still about the same. Now the ridiculous started: all passengers had to get off the plane with our carryon baggage, which in itself is not unusual. They took us on a bus to the terminal, in through a ground floor door, up stairs, through customs (!!!this was an internal China flight so far!!!) through security check (just incase we had managed to sneak something in our bags out of thin air), back down stairs, out a ground floor door, onto a bus and back to the plane!!! What a waste of time!

The rest of the flight was uneventful, arrival in Hanoi was a little late, but the guide and driver were there to meet us, and the people at Hanoi Elegance Ruby hotel were wonderful. They sat us with cold drinks and refresher towels while they brought paperwork to us. It is a very small hotel, but our room was lovely, and joy of joys, there is a laptop I'm the room, and wifi is excellent.

There are even rose petals on the bed and floating in the bathroom sink.

Day 8 - Beijing

Our second day with Lily, this one spent seeing all the historical sites around - I hope I can remember all the names. We have again walked miles and miles - Ewa will be proud of me!

First stop was Tiananmen Square, transport by MTR. Much bigger than we expected. The building in the middle is the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, where locals line up to view Mao's body - we skipped that one. Forbidden City is at one end of the Square, and this was even bigger again. The City is 1 km long and 800 meters wide. Lily explained each of the different areas and what they had been used for. We were surprised that the front areas were so stark - no plants at all, but apparently the emperors were worried about 'assassins'. To prevent people digging in under the wall to get to the emperor, there are actually 20 layers of pavers, laid at differing angles, so there is no soil for trees to grow in! There is a garden area, but it is toward the back of the City.

You may be aware that most historical Chinese buildings have a 'board' that you have to step over to get inside, well today we found out why. The ancient Chinese were very worried about bad ghosts getting into their buildings, and everyone knows that ghosts don't step, they glide - apparently this is because they don't have knees! So the door steps are to stop the ghosts getting in!!

There is a hill behind the City, in Jingshan Park, and on top there are 5 temples, and yes, we did walk all the way to the top, again. The hill itself is manmade - made from the soil that was dug out to make the moat Round the Forbidden City.

It was definitely time for a break, so we had an early lunch. Lily took us to a local Chinese restaurant, lunch for 3 total $11. Walked over to check out the Bell Tower and Drum Tower - they are still used today to mark every 2nd hour - bells during the day and drums at night. We then walked through the old Hutongs, Beihai Park and around Houhai - beautiful lake area.

Last stop was the Lama Temple - as in the monks and Dali Lama. Again, with Lily to explain all the statues and buildings, it meant so much more.

We had worn ourselves out, so caught the MTR back to the hotel where we said farewell to Lily. Stopped for some much needed rest time. Then went to wi-fi area to skype the boys and send an e-mail to the new home owners Matt and Anna.

Decided to go back to the shopping centre down the road for dinner - there were several places upstairs that looked interesting Decided on the sushi place - and it was great. We did want to try an interesting noodle/hot pot place, but the menu was all in Chinese, and no-one on staff spoke English.

And so ends another day. Have to decide what to do with a morning tomorrow, then it's off to Vietnam.

Lama Temple

Day 7 - Beijing

Wow, what a day. Our guide, Lily, met us in the foyer at 8:30, and after a quick confirmation of details, we were off.

First to the underground, heading to the Temple of Heaven and Pearl Market, which are across the road from each other. Pearl Market was okay, and gave Lily a chance to see the type of things we were interested in. Then across the road to the Temple. The outer area is parkland, and the older Beijing people come here every day - there is no charge for them to get into the park area. There were hundreds of senior citizens doing activities like: dancing (from traditional Chinese to disco), Yoho diablo (Chinese Yoyo), gymnastics, cards, dominos, Chinese chess, knitting ............. Considering Lily says it can get to 20 degrees below zero in winter, they must be VERY dedicated to go every day.

It was great to have a guide with us, Lily was able to tell us all about the Temple, and how ceremonies used to work. The temple and several of the other major buildings in the compound area built completely without nails - quite an amazing feat considering how old they are. They are beautifully restored too.

From here we caught a cab to the Zoo Markets - so named as they are near the zoo. Lily says they are the cheapest around, and many of the locals shop here. There are no label brands, but some items will be genuine, even if they don't have labels. Only bought one top.

Into a cab again, and off to Da Dong Duck - guaranteed to have the best Peking Duck in the city. We expected good food, but it was such an elegant restaurant too. The duck is cooked in wood fired ovens, using a specific type of wood (Chinese date). There is a raised kitchen area in the middle of the restaurant, with an oven on each corner. This area is surrounded by a fish pond 'moat', and the tables are arranged around this. All other food is cooked in a regular kitchen which I assume is 'out the back'. After much cajoling, Lily agreed to join us, and the full meal including drinks cost 280 RMB, about $47.

We then headed for the subway again, and after 3 different trains for short distances, came to Yashou Market - definitely the place for brand names. After some serious instructions on how much to pay, and how to barter, Lily left us to our own devices while she went to organise our tickets for the acrobatic show. We had a great time, and Errol really got into the fun of the banter with the vendors! Lily saw me through a couple of final purchases, then we walked over to the show. Lily left us there, with instructions on how to hail a cab and how much it should cost to get back to the hotel.

Acrobats were wonderful, wish I had a video camera. Finding a cab was a little more difficult, but we managed in the long run, and Lily had been right on with the estimated cost. By the time we were back at the hotel, it was after 7, and we hadn't had tea (not that we were hungry!)

We wanted to get photos of the night food market anyway, so strolled down a few blocks, took a few photos, then found a coffee shop in a shopping mall. Back to the hotel to shower and crash. Another full day, and tomorrow promises even more.

Temple of Heaven

Da Dong Duck

Day 6 - Beijing, the Great Wall

Had to be ready by 8, so had a quick breakfast at Starbucks across the front courtyard. Collected and on the road right on time, heading for the Great Wall.

Beijing traffic - that could be an entire story of it's own - up to 6 lanes of traffic going each way, buses, taxis and cars galore, add bicycles, mopeds and many variations between the two, plus pedestrians ......... and that is just an ordinary street. Yes there are traffic lights and I assume road rules, but they are generally used as a guideline only, especially for pedestrians, bikes, mopeds, cars and taxis!! Oh, and don't forget to beep your horn at everyone to let them know you are coming through, or that they are in the way or ........... Get the general idea! Give way to pedestrians? - don't be ridiculous, that would just cause delays. We are very glad that we had a driver, and didn't have to negotiate it all ourselves.

Drive to the Wall was uneventful, Errol had chosen Mutianyu, a section of the Wall that is not quite as busy and commercial. There was a chairlift ride up - not quite the same standard as the one in HK, but definitely better than walking. The Wall was incredible - we walked for quite a distance. It is very steep in parts, and quite exhausting, but amazing at the same time. Took lots of photos, then there was a 'genuine Chinese toboggan' ride down (it was great fun, the boys would be proud of me!). Have kept the list of rules for what they have titled "the skid".

Back into Beijing for a typical Chinese lunch at a restaurant recommended by Lily (our guide for the next few days). It was great, and only cost about $Aus 14.

From there, we drove past the Olympic park and saw the 'birds nest' and 'cube'. I didn't expect much, but they are amazing buildings. Driving on, we arrived at the Summer Palace. It is not just a palace, but includes a total of about 320 hectares of parkland, including a huge lake. Spent about 2 hours wandering around, it is a beautiful place.

The drive back to the hotel must have taken about an hour, traffic was dreadful. Exhausted is an under statement!! Thought I would just do my blog before having a shower, but was horrified to find that all my drafts have gone.

Went to 15th floor to log on to wifi, and skyped the boys, but reception was not good. Gave up on video link, and just spoke for a while. Will try to call again tomorrow.

Ate tea at the restaurant downstairs - a mistake! This is a lovely hotel, and the staff are wonderful, but the restaurant was a real disappointment.

Don't think I have the energy to try to replace the last 5 days tonight, but will have to sit to it soon before the details run together.

Day 5 - Hong Kong to Beijing

Have to head to the airport around 10:30, but had a little while before departure, so decided to check out the Flower Market and Bird Garden.

MTR down about 3 stations with no problems. Flower Market is really only a street that is lined with flower shops - nothing special to look at, but where at home could you buy a dozen roses for a few dollars?!

At the Bird Garden, locals bring their pet birds down in their cages, and hang them from hooks so the birds can catch up on the feathery news while their owners chat about human stuff, or so I am reliably informed.

Strolled back along Nathan Road for a few blocks, then caught a bus back.

Packed and checked out, just in time to get the shuttle bus to the Airport Express. We are very impressed with the public transport for the airport. At the Airport Express, you can check in for your flight, get seat allocation, and check your bags. You then travel by train to the Airport, and don't see your bags again until you arrive at your destination. Cost -about $Aud18 for the two of us.

Found our way through the airport without any problems, only to find our plane delayed for over an hour. Flight was fine, in at Beijing, cab to hotel. Only problem was that the driver didn't know our hotel, even though Errol had the name and address written in Chinese that the had printed from the net. Driver had the right street, but first stopped and tried to put us out blocks from the hotel - he had to ask another taxi driver for directions!

Did a quick freshen up, as we were now much later than we had hoped. Walked off down to check out the Night Food Market - famous for skewers of delicacies such as: scorpions, centipedes, silk worms, crickets, snake, plus many slightly more edible things. Suddenly we found we weren't that hungry. We had been given a meal on the plane about 4 - 4:30. At one stall the little scorpions were actually still wriggling........ Yuk!

Exhausted, shower, sleep.

Day 21 - Ubud to Sanur

Last morning in Ubud. Breakfast overlooking the rice paddies. The staff here have really looked after us. Ketut arrived early, and we were away by 9:30. First stop was the terraced rice fields at Tegalalang. The traffic was dreadful, the roads around Ubud are narrow,
and there are regularly either bikes or cars parked, blocking one side of the road. Add to that all the work they are doing on curbside drains, and it makes getting anywhere a matter of qwaiting your turn. The rice terraces were worth the wait, absolutely beautiful.

It was then a long drive down to the main beaches of Bali - Kuta, Legian. Were not really interested in getting out and walking around each site, just wanted to know what they looked like. Driver then dropped us to Puri Santrian, our last hotel before home. It was around 1 pm.

A minor hitch to start with, they gave us a twin room, and tried to tell us they didn't have a double. But when Errol insisted, they suddenly found one that was just being cleaned. Put our bags in, then went for a walk around the grounds.

They have 3 swimming pools, and also a decent piece of beach. Had lunch on the foreshore, a lovely outlook. Went into the lounge where wifi is at it's best, and spoke to. Alex and Michael on Skype. Then walked along the foreshore to the Bali Hyatt - the grounds at Puri seem nicer. Walked back, and decided to take Kindles down to the beach to relax. Called in at the spa and had our free 'jet lag massage' - 10 minutes. It was far more relaxing than the one at Waka Di Ume. Managed to get a beachside double couch, and sat watching the beach while reading. Had a drink from the bar around 5 or just after, then around 6 - 6:30, went for a walk to find dinner.

Ate at Caesars restaurant on the main road - lovely venue, ordinary food. Checked another couple of menus on the way back, looking for somewhere different for tomorrow night. Ordered some ice for my ankle, and back to the room. Errol is pleased - the AFL finals are on Telly! The grounds here are lovely, but the room is very ordinary, and needs some work.

Puri Santrian

Just chillin'

Day 19 - Ubud

Feeling a bit sorry for myself this morning, time to get that positive thinking going. Left eye is blackening up nicely! My ankle is the main concern, but I really believe it is just a nasty sprain. The staff here are so attentive and very concerned for me. Had a visit from a lady from the office this morning, she wanted to call the doctor. I really don't think I need one, but feel it would put their minds at rest. Asked about crutches, will see what the doctor says.

Iced ankle for a while, then hobbled up to breakfast. The grounds here are beautiful. Breakfast was great, and the doctor arrived just as we finished. He confirmed my thoughts that it is just a nasty sprain. Having done the other ankle just before we left home, I know what to do!! So it was back to the unit and ice and elevate again. Had a quiet morning sitting on the front deck, overlooking the paddy fields, reading and generally relaxing.

Went down for an hour of massage at 1, it was lovely, but not the relaxing massage I had expected. Then caught the shuttle into Ubud. Walked around - lots of market type shops. Looked at several silver shops, but unsure about bargaining. Visited one bead store where the lady said she could 'do me a deal', so I guess it is okay to offer less than the ticketed price. Will try it tomorrow.

The footpaths are not helpful for an injured ankle, and I needed to stop regularly to rest both ankles. Found a place for afternoon tea where the dairy free coconut sorbet was so good that I actually ordered a second scoop. Next time we stopped we had an early tea, around 5:30. Then caught the 6:15 shuttle back to the hotel. Grabbed some ice for my ankle, and some honey (as recommended by one of the staff) for my lip. Quiet night in tonight.

Day 20 - Ubud

Lazy morning, slept in then went up for breakfast - don't remember the last time we were eating breakfast at 9:30!!! Talked to Recek at the front desk about the local traditional dancing shows, and he will organise a driver to take us to the fire dancing tonight. Decided to catch the 11:00 shuttle down to town, and just took it easy till then. Ankle still swollen, face looking a bit better, especially after a touch of makeup. Maybe the honey helped!?

Found the craft market - it was just on the other side of the road that we had walked yesterday. Another rabbit warren area, stacked with stalls selling silver, timber, sarongs, caneware, art etc etc. Had a good look at the silver earrings, purchased a lovely silver and mother of pearl dragonfly brooch for my new coat, bargained down to 100 000 rupiah, about $12. A good price if it really is silver!

Checked out a few restaurants, looking for somewhere for tea tonight. Had a cold drink at Cafe Lotus, which was built around a beautiful pond full of lotus plants in flower. But when Errol checked them on the Internet, their reputation for food is only so so.

Back to the hotel to rest up, actually had a nanny nap! Caught the 5:00pm shuttle back down to Ubud. Errol was looking for a particular restaurant, and one of the other guests gave us directions - not very good ones! After walking a while, we ended back in the same street as last might, and dined at Batan Waru. One dish was lovely, the other a little too hot. The lime and mint drink was good. Walking back via another street to our pick up point, we passed Ibu Rani (?) not sure of spelling now. We had walked a lot further than we needed to thanks to bad directions!

At pick up point, the arranged driver was already there, and he drove us around to Padang Kertha Temple, where the Kecak and Fire Dance performance was on tonight. It was on a par with the water puppets in Hanoi - okay, but after the first 10 minutes or so, very repetitive. Driver was waiting again, and delivered us back or hotel - charged 100 000 rupia (about $12.50), which was a lot for the amount of driving he did.

That's about it for our stay in Ubud. It has been relaxing, and the staff of Waka Di Ume have been lovely. I think they all known of my fall, and regularly ask how I am getting on.

Day 16 - Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)

Breakfast at the hotel in Hoi An. Collected by Tonkin driver at 8:45, to Da Nang airport. Call to board was roughly on time, but then we sat on the Tarmac for an extra 30 minutes while they dealt with some problem! Vietnam Airlines!!

Guide collected us in HCMC around 1:30 - we hadn't had any lunch, and he said it was too early to check into the hotel, so we started our tour of the city.

First stop was in the Chinese district, and, of course, we had to see a temple! But this one, the Temple of Heavenly Lady, was a bit different from any others we have seen, anywhere. Then we walked around the Chinatown markets. Boy, do they sell some strange looking foods there!

Back into the car, and off to see if the Reunification Palace was open. Apparently an army general had died, and his body/coffin had been lying in the palace, so it had been closed. But the funeral had been in the morning, so the palace was open again.

The Palace was originally built in the time of French domination, but was bombed in an attempt to kill the prime minister, so had to be rebuilt. It is a fairly modern looking building for a palace. Inside are rooms for meetings with foreign and local dignitaries, quarters for the prime minister and his family, various different meeting rooms and dining rooms. Also in the basement, which is bombproof, there are rooms from where the prime minister ran operations during the Vietnam war. An interesting place to visit.

By this time, we had accepted that we weren't going to get lunch! Boy, would we be hungry by tea time!

Next stop was the War Remnants Museum. Hai didn't come in with us here. The museum was full of information about the Vietnam war. There is no doubt that there were some atrocities during the time, and the Americans were responsible for many. But, everything you see here has that bias to it, you don't see anything from the other side. Personally, I just hate wars, we didn't stay long.

A few blocks further along, there is a scaled down version of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and across the road from that, the old Post Office building which is still used today. both are beautiful buildings.

Last stop for the day was the Ben Thanh Markets. Hai showed us through, then left us to our own devices for 3/4 hour. We picked up a few polos for Matt. Errol is becoming the super negotiator, with a great sense of humour built in!

Checked in at the hotel. Hai recommended a restaurant a couple of blocks away, then left us. The room is less than half the size of the last one, but comfortable enough. Looked at Errol's list of restaurants in the area, then went for a walk to find dinner. Just happens that number one on his list, Nha Hang Ngon, is the same one as Hai recommended. Lovely dinner, then home for shower and relax.

Temple of Heavenly Lady

Chinese food market

Reunification Palace

Old Post Office

Day 15 - Hoi Anh

Very early start to the day - we were booked on a sunrise photographic tour, due to be collected at 4:45am! The alarm went off on the iPhone to wake us ip, but although Errol has it set to local time, apparently the alarm wasn't - it was only 1:15!!! Back to sleep, eventually, and reset alarm woke us at 4:15. Picked up right on time, collected a few other people, then down to the river.

Etienne is French, but has been living in Vietnam for 10 years, and has been doing photography for a living for about 4. We caught a ferry over to a fishing village where he knows the locals - very authentic, his groups are the only tourists that go there. There were 6 people in the group, including 5 Aussies, and we were the only ones with 'point and push' cameras, all the others had fancy SLR jobs! The morning was interesting, but probably a little too long for us and our basic cameras. He knows his stuff, and was able to give us a few pointers on how to adjust settings to get the most out of what we have.

Ferry took us back again, then we had bikes to ride back into Hoi Anh. Now it has been a while since either of us has been on a bike, so it was an interesting venture. Errol crashed on kick off, much to the amusement of locals, then I found it really hard to get going again once we were stopped in traffic. We did make it, but had missed breakfast by the time we were back at the hotel (about 10:15)

Back to our room for a much needed shower - it was hot already. The tailor was due at 11 for my first fitting. Long story short - she didn't arrive till after 12:30, but there was good progress with the clothes. Although she didn't have all items to try, there were only minor problems to fix - she promised to be back at 3 this afternoon.

Off into town to find some lunch - ate at Citronella - another Internet recommendation. The food was lovely. From there, wandered through the old town, checked a few more tailors to see if they had anything different for trousers, but no luck. Back to hotel for a cold drink just before 3.

Lan was only about 10 minutes late this time - not too bad. Four items are now perfect, others still need adjustments. She will be back at 7 tonight.

Meanwhile, Vi An had arrived to take us to the Goian Cooking School. We stopped at the local market first, and saw the produce available, then walked around to their home/kitchen. Vi An took a little getting used to, she wanted to break into song about almost everything!! But she was good at what she was doing, and we soon settled into an enjoyable evening, and the food was beautiful - things that I am sure we could reproduce at home.

We had to pay for the taxi back to the hotel. The streets were full of kids doing lion dances as it is mid autumn festival day. There were drums and children everywhere. Lan arrived back pretty much on time, again a couple more things are just right, only 3 items need minor adjustments. Due to festival, we have agreed that she can deliver at 7:30 tomorrow morning.

We decided that it was hardly bedtime at 7:15, but we didn't want to venture out amongst the chaos either, so settled for a cocktail at the garden bar. There were a few other people there, including an Aussie couple we had spoken to yesterday. Enjoyed a chat over a few drinks, then decided to have a swim before retiring to our room.

We had no sooner arrived back in our wet togs, but the phone rang - reception to tell us that the tailor was back. We dressed and went over. This time all was correct. Errol went to the ATM to sort out money, through the back streets of Hoi An, on the back of the tailors motorbike, in the rain, holding an umbrella at 9:30 on a Sunday night. The first machine said 'transaction okay', but gave no money. The second would only give half what he requested. Tailors shop was closed, so couldn't do credit card. Back to the hotel to scrape together enough Aussie dollars and Viet dong to pay the bill. All this took over an hour!!

Another eventful day, now it is definitely bedtime!

Day 14 - Hue to Hoi An

Collected at 8:30 this morning. Guide this time is Vinh. His English is pretty good, and he does a good job of describing the history and features as we drive along.

Our first stop is at a resort Langco where we check out the beach, then have a cold drink. Beach is very long, and pretty good, but no-one is out enjoying it. We then drive on through 3 mountain passes. The third and highest is Hai Van Pass. At the top there is the ruin of a monument built by an ancient emperor, plus a couple of American war bunkers. The view over Danang to the south is superb - it is on a large bay, you can see why it has been important for centuries. There is intermittent cloud to the north, but the glimpses through show a similar view back to Hue.

We drove on through Danang city, then to Marble Mountain. There are in fact several mountains, each containing a different type /colour of marble. We stopped at a showroom/shop with many marble items for sale from small figurines to large garden statues. Not really interested in buying.

We then climbed the 200 plus steps up the mountain. They were very uneven steps, and damp - we took them carefully. At the top was a temple, shrine to monks, and surprisingly a garden too. Up and down a few more steps, and we were taken into a cave that the Viet Cong used as a hospital during the war - it must have been a long climb for injured soldiers.

Hoi An was only about 20 minutes more down the road. Vinh took us to a local restaurant where we had lunch, and it was great. We then dropped our bags at the hotel, grabbed the details for the tailor, and Vinh dropped us there before he headed for home.

Pin Pin was the tailor we had decided on after a final look at TA and our notes last night. Lan was lovely, and I have ordered several items. Happy with the prices, all up,it took less than 2 hours. She will bring things to the hotel tomorrow at 11 for fittings (fingers crossed).

We strolled back to the hotel through the markets. Bought a Polo knock off for Matt - only one for now, wanted to check the quality first. Back at the hotel to freshen up, and then joined other guests for the free market food - local specialities that aren't always available even in the restaurants. Some lovely food, we had a drink to go with them, and didn't need any dinner after that. Had a swim, which was just wonderful. The grounds of this hotel are lovely - lots of gardens.

Organized some washing, but despite two phone calls, no-one came to collect it. Quiet night tonight as we have an early start tomorrow.

Lang Co Beach

Temple on top of Marble Mountain

Cave/hospital - Marble Mountain

Grounds of hotel - market food out

Day 13 photos

Incense bundles ready for sale

Errol and Quoc (I am sure he wore his helmet back to front most of the day!)

So many lotus plants - at the monastery

Inside The Citadel

Anne the intrepid bikie!

Day 13 -Hue

Errol has convinced me to be adventurous, today we are doing a tour on motorcycles. I did wonder what I had let myself in for, but needn't have worried, we have had a lovely day.

Hieu and Quoc arrived to collect us at 9. Helmets on, and away we went. Through the busy streets of Hue, down narrow country roads, past animals and tiny farm houses. First stop was at a monastery, but I seem to have lost the name. It is still a monastery today, and Hieu tells us there are many monasteries for both men and women around Hue. There were beautiful Lotus flowers in the ponds at the front of the grounds, the first of many we would see through the day. We walked around the old buildings, and Hieu explained what went on where.

Back on the bikes, and on to Vong Canh hill to see American bunkers built during the war, and enjoy beautiful views of the Perfume River. The river is called this because people used to grow flowers along it's edges. Then down to the village to see local ladies making incense and conical hats. Both of us had a go at making incense sticks with reasonable results. We were convinced to buy some incense, felt it was the least we could do, but I don't know what we will do with it!!

Next stop for cold drinks, then walked through the grounds of Tu Tuc's tomb. More Lotus flowers, huge grounds. It would have been good if they had some guide books to help explain everything. Like so many of the old sites in Vietnam, they are in a badly neglected state. Bought a Sandalwood fan from one of the vendors outside - $2. As we ride along the roads, we see rice spread out to dry in the sun (yes, on the road - the traffic just goes around it!), ladies are sweeping and turning it.

Back through Hue to see Thien Mu Pagoda on the banks of the Perfume River. There are recurring themes at these places. Here again we see steles with the names of honored students. There was also a display of bonsai trees, some of which looked particularly old.

Next Hieu took us through the back streets to a local vegetarian restaurant for lunch. It was a lot better than the meal we had at the monastery at Ngong Ping, but still would not have been our first choice.

Lunch over, we went to the Old Citadel, also known as the Purple Forbidden City. This was the seat of the Nguyen dynasty of emperors, construction began in 1804. Sadly, a lot of the buildings were destroyed in the war against the French in 1947. Much of what is left is not yet restored, but you still gain the idea of what once was. It is a very large site, and a model of what used to be there is amazing. Because the destruction was so recent, there are also photos.

Our last trip is out into the country, around the rice paddies. The bikes can go along the narrow country lanes, where a car could never take you. We see people in their conical hats harvesting the rice by hand and tying it into bundles. It is put through a threshing machine to remove the rice from the stalks. The rice is then bagged. We stop for cold drinks beside Thanh Toan bridge - built in 1776 by a local lady who did well. It now contains a small shrine so people can pray for her.

Back to the hotel for a rest. Errol used the gym while I had a snooze and got started on the blog.

Day 17 - HCMC and Mekong delta

Breakfast is included at this hotel, and it is okay, but not as good as Hanoi. Collected on time at 8:30, and off for the drive to the Mekong Delta.

First stop was at Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tao and it was absolutely beautiful. The two pagodas that Hai has shown us here have been very different to those in other areas, the lines of small statuettes around the top are amazing. From here, we go down to the river to catch a boat, and meet our local guide.

The Delta is about 3 km across at this point, and there are 4 islands in the river: Dragon, Phoenix, Unicorn and Turtle. One is quite small (only 3 km long), while another is quite large (11pm long). Each has a resident population, ranging from a couple of thousand up to 6000 (I think I remembered the figures correctly).

Our first stop is to see Coconut Candy being made - all natural, and made and wrapped by hand. They do have a small machine now that does the whipping, but that is all. It was really nice, and we bought a packet. Errol and Hai also tried a sample of another local delicacy, snake wine - yes, there was a large jar of rice wine, and it had a reasonable sized snake soaking in it.

From here we walked through the back around a few paths through heavy vegetation, and past some very basic houses. We met a local lady who took us for a ride in her pony and cart. Through a few more paths, beside small channels that link up with the river, checking out all the different vegetation, we finished back at the river, and the boat again.

Off to another island, where we were going to a local restaurant for lunch. The local speciality of the area is Elephant Ear Fish, which we ordered, along with some spring rolls. While this was being prepared, we looked around the area - some information about a local called the Coconut Monk. Lunch was okay, although the spring rolls were a bit ordinary.

Back on the boat again, and another island. First stop was for honey tea. The local beekeepers say that the bees are very fond of the rambutan flowers. They use the honey in a special tea. Honey, bee pollen, lime juice and green tea - it was delicious.

Then a little further on we tried tropical fruits: rambutan, longan, dragon fruit and pineapple. While we ate it, a couple of the local men played traditional instruments, and two girls sang songs. At the same place, there was a python which Errol had draped around his neck. We then walked down to a small jetty on yet another channel through the island. Here there was a small flotilla of canoes. We climbed onboard, and with a paddler front and back, set of for a ride through to the river again. You had to be very careful not to upset the balance of the canoe, so taking photos had to be done 'gently'!! At one point we were passed by another canoe, racing to catch up with friends, and there was much calling out and joking.

Back into the boat again, and back to the dock. The driver met us there again, and we headed back to HCMC, arriving around 3 - 3:30. Freshened up, then headed around the corner to the market.

First had to try to get HK and Chinese money changed. We kept asking different people where the money changers were, but seemed to go round in circles. Finally asked a gay jeweller, and after running back and forth between a place unknown to us (around the corner somewhere), and making several phone calls, he changed the money for us. Moved on, looking at different things, but before long, our jeweller friend caught us up with a problem - apparently he shouldn't have changed the smaller Chinese note, so we had to do a swap back.

Errol was looking for a top that he had seen yesterday, and it took us ages to find the right stall. After a little joking and bargaining, checking sizes, colours and quality of fabric, he finally bought a top, then asked what they had for me. So we started again. I found one that I liked, but was not convinced that their largest size would fit (tiny Asian ladies!!) So the lady said I could try it on behind her counter. Hilarity followed as the stall owner held up a few shirts for cover, while I ducked down behind the counter, in a space barely big enough for a child, pulled off my hot sticky t-shirt, and tried on the new one, while trying to control fits of the giggles. Luckily, Errol had forgotten that the camera was in my handbag which he was holding!!! Anyway, the top fitted fine, and we bought that too.

By this stage, most stall owners were beginning to pack up, so we headed back to the hotel, freshened up, and went back to the same restaurant as last night for dinner. Took a longer look at the menu this time, and ordered different things. Again it was lovely. Boy they pack in the customers, it was a Tuesday night, and there was a constant stream of people in and out.

Day 12 - Hanoi to Hue

Explored the Old Quarter this morning for a few hours, but it was VERY hot and steamy, so back to the hotel to freshen up. Pickup for airport was at 11 am for a 1pm flight.

Unfortunately the plane was delayed by 35 minutes, so not a good start to the 1 hour flight. Then as we were preparing to land at Hue, the engines suddenly roared, and we gained altitude again. Long and short, we went through to Da Nang, landed, waited, refuelled, then back to Hue, finally landing around 5 pm. There had been a bad storm in Hue, and at the last minute, they decided it wasn't safe to land. Completely lost an afternoon :(

About 6pm by the time we had checked in and found the essentials in our room. Lovely view, but no wifi in the room. Went off to find Hang Me restaurant as recommended on another blog. Genuine local food: bahn beo, bahn nem and one other - based on glutinous rice. One was even wrapped in banana leaf, and the ladies had to show us how to eat them! Dinner cost a total of $4.50, including 2 soft drinks.

Back at the hotel, trying to sort out Internet yet again!! A family down in the lobby tell us they can access wifi from another source nearby from their room. Success at last!

Hong Kong

As I finally seem to have sorted out the blog, rather than now post all days, thought it better to do a summary and include photos.

Our first stop was Hong Kong. Highlights included:

VICTORIA PEAK - beautiful views, and the haze wasn't too bad. Ate lunch at Mak's Noodles - apparently Mak invented wonton noodles, or so the newspaper clippings around the walls claimed, and it is recommended by the Michelin star people. Anyway, it was great. The tram ride up to the peak is amazing, and the houses do look like they are built at an angle.

NGONG PING VILLAGE and the giant Bhudda on the island of Lantau - yes, we did walk the 260 steps up to the top, and it was a hot and humid day. We also walked on to see the Wisdom Path, a set of very tall timber posts set out in the shape of an infinity sign (every maths teachers dream display). We also ate a vegetarian lunch at Po Lin monastery (well, some of it); rode the glass bottom cable car for 5.7km/ 25 minutes - amazing and we saw the fishing village of Tai O.

STANLEY, Aberdeen and the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island- very pretty area around Stanley and Repulse Bay. Very windy road to get there! Aberdeen not so interesting anymore, there are still a few sampans around, but not many. Stanley has by far the nicest market in Hong Kong.

Deep Water Bay, taken from the bus

Stanley foreshore

FOOD - apart from those already mentioned, we found Tim Ho Wan - the cheapest Michelin star restaurant in the world. We didn't have to wait even 5 minutes for a table, had the good fortune to sit next to a mother and daughter who had lived in Sydney for years, and helped us with suggestions from the menu. The food was delightful, total cost about AUD$11!!

I must admit that a lot of the time we weren't very hungry, it was just too hot.

MARKETS - visited Temple Street Night Market, Ladies Market, Flower Market (all in the Mongkok district), Western Market, Stanley Market. Many stalls sell the same things, but Stanley had good quality and a greater variety. Did a little buying, and coped okay with the currency.

TRANSPORT - as this part of our journey was done without a guide, we had to manage the local transport ourselves. We managed the ferry without any problems at all, buses were okay too. The MTR (train) took a bit more getting used to, but we did master it, even managing to change lines. The octopus card made things very easy, and getting to the airport was a breeze. The Airport Express train has a terminal in Kowloon, here you can purchase your train ticket, check your luggage, and get seat allocation. Then just have to go to the airport and find the right gate.

Tai O fishing village - fish out to dry in the sun. Not hungry!!

OTHER - these are things that just didn't fit into one of the other categories:

Symphony of Lights - saw the light show over HK harbor on the first night. Okay, but not super.

Walked along Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, along the foreshore, including Avenue of the Stars. This is just like the stars in the pavement in Hollywood, but for Asian stars.

Spent a few hours wandering around the Museum of Art - some very good displays. The age of some is just amazing.

On our last morning, we walked down to the Bird garden. Locals bring their caged pet birds down and hang the cage from hooks in the trees. The birds get outside time to chat with other birds about feathery stuff, while their owners catch upon human news!!

Explored the western district of downtown HK, including: Hollywood Road, Cat Street, Man Mo Temple. Caught the Ding Tin Tram (we can do any type of HK transport now!!)

Day 10 - Hanoi - photos

Lunchtime - beautiful food

Goodbye gorgeous girls