Super Mega King Size Bonus Bonus Super Update

ALRIGHTY! Finally some internet time on a computer that works!!!

First up - Photos from the first leg in Vietnam...

Michelle relaxing on Long Beach on Phu Quoc Island - well earned after the supreme mission to get there.

Some boats at An Thoi Islands

Us enjoying the picturesque little bay

FISHIES!!!! Snorkelling.

Coral


Michelle catching a Fishie! They kept that one.

The first ever fish I've caught. Had to throw it back...

Beautiful beach at Phu Quoc

Floating Market on the Mekong Delta... which coincidentally looks nothing like a Francis Ford Coppola movie...
The infamous Saigon Traffic!

Ok, new stuff...

From Ho Chi Minh City we headed out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, where the Viet Cong had their base, only 70kms from Saigon. Although the trip was very touristy, we still enjoyed seeing the tunnels and having a crawl through, as well as learning about the VC resistance to the US war. It was very interesting seeing some very clever home-made weapons that the VC developed while remaining hidden from extensive US Army searches. Again a sad reminder of the horror and pointlessness of war.

Onwards north, we headed to Mui Ne (no idea on how to pronounce that one, everyone has a slightly different take on it!) where we were greeted with the surprising sight of a Desert, in the middle of Vietnam. We hired a jeep (Ginny - the only method of transport we haven't used so far is Cyclo, which we're saving for Ha Noi) and hit the dunes, explored the red canyon (which on closer inspection turned out the be caused by the drain off in the wet season), checked out the beautiful Fairy Streem, and watched dozens of Vietnamese tourists gape in awe and pose awkwardly for photos in front of the giant sand dunes.

Then it was a bery bumpy 4 hour mini bus ride to the Hill Station of Dalat. At 1500 meters elevation it gets rather cool there - something which after 3 months of steamy south east asian heat Michelle and I really enjoyed. It was even cool enough to warrant putting on long pants! Yes the chilly 27 degrees was welcome relief.

The next day we embarked on a tour of Vietnamese Kitch - Dalat is home to about the cheesiest set of attractions you could imagine - beautiful waterfalls decorated with Fibreglass Deer, Giraffes and Elephants. Elephant and Ostrich and Pony rides, Wooden frames to pose for photos in. Yep, to a Kiwi, whose appreciation of nature tends to be.. well... NATURAL, it was all very fake, though enjoyable and humorous none-the-less. So, 2 waterfalls, a gorgeous Gondola ride over the hills, the "Valley of Love", a strange flower garden, a so called Embroidery Village which turned out to be a complete tourist trap and a Tacky Art Deco palace and Michelle and I were ready for the next adventure...

Which brings us up to present.

Currently we're sitting in Nha Trang - killing a few hours before our overnight bus to Hoi An. The bus here was amazingly bouncy - sometimes we were jolted more than 10cm off our seats as our driver hit every pothole on the 120km journey with as much speed as he could muster. Its going to be a very long day, but hopefully (and without doubt) Hoi An will prove to be as enjoyable as the rest of Vietnam.

Since my last lot of Shout Outs were so well recieved, and its my blog, I'm going to go right ahead with round 2...

a big WASSUP to Paul, Scotty and Brendan. Missed the bbq's and beers a lot. Talking sh#t with myself doesn't cut it. Wassup also to your respective wahines, for putting up with you b#stards. A big YO (which is also Vietnamese for "Cheers") to the Courtier's, old and new. Hi to Mum and Dad, hope mums birthday went well, looking forward to updating you in August. Word up to Niv - Happy birthday to you also bro, see you in just over a month...

Ok thats me.. much love till next time...