We spent a week and a half on the Central and South Central Coast, taking in Hue, Danang, Hoi An, Dong Ha and the Demilitarized Zone. The travelling was done by a mixture of train and bus, the former being very pleasant and the latter at least bearable. Train Trip Phu Ly to Hue We rose early,...

The project has come to an end. As I write, we are waiting to head off to Trung Luong Village (the other job) for a hand-over ceremony. Our job, at Ma Nao Village, was completed yesterday and handed over amid much speech making, dancing girls (5 year old ones), karaoke singing and beer...

I am writing from the hotel, having spent the day resting up with a “touch of belly”. After the things we have been eating, it’s not surprising. Christine, as usual, had a quick bout of mild illness then straight back on deck while I seem to take a couple of days to get over...

We spent 4 wonderful days in Langkawi, en-route to Vietnam for this year’s Project Vietnam undertaking. Our visit last year to Langkawi was all too brief and we promised ourselves a return trip. We still didn’t allocate anywhere near enough time and we are determined to come back for a...

Day 20-21 24-26 Hanoi 13-14, 17-19 March 2010 Getting back to Hanoi has been one of the main aims of the whole trip and our memories of this wonderful city have not disappointed us. Many people do not see the beauty in Hanoi, finding the narrow, dirty and horribly crowded streets of the Old...

Day 16 – 18 Hoi An 9-11 March 2010 We used a hotel transfer from Danang to Hoi An, approximately 30kms South. Danang seemed like just another Asian City, whereas everyone raves about Hoi An and says it is a “must see”. It proved to be so for us. The love affair with the old-world charm...

Day 13 Ho Chi Minh City 6 March 2010 Arrival at Ho Chi Minh was on time and we cleared immigration without a fuss. I’m not sure that the man even looked at the passport or visa properly. He seemed to be half asleep anyway. Once outside, we prepared for the onslaught of taxi touts. To my...

Travelling from Shenzen back to Hong Kong to board the Virgo proved uneventful. Perhaps we are getting used to trains, border checks and immigration. We had to slwo Bill down a bit as he raced ahead with his 30kg luggage on wheels but otherwise the trip was pleasant enough. Boarding the ship...

Hanoi has proved to be a real treasure. Our small boutique hotel is situated in the Old Quarter, an area rich in colonial French architecture, narrow winding streets and crowded night-life. The food is VERY cheap but outstanding in quality. We have tended to follow the recommendations of the...

We have finally mastered the business of crossing the road in Ho Chi Minh City. It is just like the guide books say, go slowly and make eye contact. Remain calm and say “shit” quietly to yourself as you go. We took a tour of the Cu Chi tunnels. This is a network of over 250km of...