Day 3 Hoi An

Computer access here very temperamental - have not been able to get into gmail and getting banking details very difficult. However, that does not stop us spending!

Day 2 in Hoi An included a cycling/boat tour and a barbecue lunch. We moored the boat and disembarked (with difficulty as far as I was concerned!). We unloaded barbecue chairs and tables and - the downpour started. We re-embarked, reloaded everything, set up for barbecue on board - and the rain stopped! We stayed on board and partook of marinated beef, marinated chicken, mackerel and stirfry vegetables, barbecued tiger prawns and finally pineapple. We returned to Hoi An for fittings and as we started the 1 mile walk to the shop - the rain started forcing us to buy rain capes which were no good really as we were already soaked. Talking about being wet - I think we spend the time in a constant state of wetness ranging from damp to absolutely saturated. Undressing and dressing when you are damp or more than damp is difficult as is trying on shoes - having been wiped by a pair of shop-assistant-proferred socks! I thinkI will definitely appreciate feeling dry whenever that happens! We had our first free evening and enjoyed a French style pizza by the river looking put at a vista of lanterns and lit up dragons, fish and tigers. In the background was a live performance of traditional music. On our way back to the hotel, the heavens opened and once we were uncomfortably wet we took refuge in a shop where we were not hassled to buy - what a surprise! We might go back there today and buy.

Today we went to M SonWorld heritage site to look at remains of Hindu and Buddhist temples from the 7th to 14th centuries. The 12th and 13th century ones were bombed during the war because the Americans thought the Vietcong were hiding there. It involvd a walk in the jungle and much more wetness.

Tonight we celebrate Trevor's birthday (one of the group from Australia) and tomorrow we are going to Hue which we have been told is flooded - wet, wet, wet!