Ta Phrom, Cambodia

We weren't so energetic today and caught a tuk tuk around the temples. It was much easier and faster so we got to see a lot more sights.

My absolute favourite is Ta Phrom which is a temple that has been totally overgrown by huge trees. 

Angkor Wat on bicycles

Elaine and Mark have now joined us and our first outing was a cycle ride to Angkor Wat and the surrounding area. We set off in the mid day sun for the 7 kilometre ride to the temple, but couldn't find the ticket office.

It was hidden quite a long way away so we had to retrace our steps, get the tickets and eventually get inside the complex. To get to Angkor Wat we had to cross a floating bridge and Darren was pleased to find that he was still the tallest of our group. 

It was very quiet inside and at times we had it all to ourselves. We stayed for ages, just wandering around taking in the sights. 

We stopped in the temple grounds for late lunch at a street restaurant, and the food was really good.  A chicken family including a large rooster pecked around our feet as we ate. 

The owner was lovely and after lunch she took us down to the best viewpoint of Angkor Wat and did a little photo shoot for us. 

After lunch I took us on a very long wild goose chase trying to find the Ta Phrom temple, and by the time we got there we were exhausted and it was getting very late. 

Elaine was refused entry as her shorts were too short, but we didn't realise so went inside. I met up with Mark who told me about Elaine, but then we couldn't find Darren, and we spent our whole time trying to find each other and then the exit.  Ironically, the guard changed their minds and let Elaine in, but we never saw her so, so she had a lovely time on her own. We got outside, couldn't find Elaine so had a mini panic. 

Once this slapstick was over we fought our way back through the traffic and collapsed into the hotel pool to cool off. 

Cycling around Hoi An

I am a bit amazed by this first photo as it is a panoramic shot made from multiple photos taken by Darren, but I am in it three times! Poor old Daz having to see three of me.

We had another lovely time today, this time cycling through the centre of Hoi An and out the other side on a very bumpy metal bridge. 

We arrived on another island that was much less touristy and found lots of fishing boats tied up at the end of jetties. In the photo they look just like a fence, but actually the fishermen get to the boat along the branch on the bottom, holding on to the bamboo rail on the left hand side. Also nice Vietnamese flags. 

Afterwards, we sat at a cafe enjoying excellent hot and iced coffee, served with wonderful condensed milk. 

Beach and paddy fields

Lovely day today as we borrowed bikes from our hotel and cycled to the beach. It was a beautiful beach with nice sized waves so I went out and did my best to jump over them.

I noticed a little coracle style boat make it's way along the coast and there were lots along the shore. 

On our way back Daz worked out a fantastic long cut and we cycled along a sandy track through the paddy fields and mini lakes. 

Hoi An

We set off in the daylight today to explore Hoi An. It is as pretty as I remember and is full of beautiful old buildings, lots of flowers and thousands of lanterns. 

We came here in 2011 with Margs and Dave and it has definitely got a lot busier and more touristy since then, although you can still buy a glass of fresh beer for 12 pence if you know where to look. 

We didn't find the right place until too late, so we look paid 24 pence in a nice little place overlooking the river, but you can't really complain about that! 

The Vietnamese currency is a bit of a problem and today we got down to our last 500,000 dong, so had to visit the cash machine. There are about 32,000 dong to £1 so everything sounds unbelievablely expensive, but is actually very reasonable and it is easy to use the wrong sized note. 

People carry everything with them on their motorbikes, and photo four is just a nice example of how to move a plant pot across the town. 

Vung Tau to Hoi An

We had quite an interesting start to the day as our hotel had booked us on to the 8am limousine bus from Vung Tau to the airport about two hours drive away. At 7.45am a taxi turned up for us and we assumed that it would take us to the bus station. However, we drove quite a way into the back streets as the friendly driver chatted to us, and just before 8 o'clock we stopped to pick up a Vietnamese family. 

Time was passing and we drove for a few minutes, then parked in the fast lane of a three Iane highway. Vehicles were whizzing past us, but less than a minute later our bus pulled up behind, we transferred to it and set off for the airport! 

What a great bus it was too, with large leather airline style seats and only one seat on each side of the bus. It had a wooden panelled interior with a large clock by Darren's head and at the press of a button it turned into a massage chair! All good fun for less than £6 each, although the driver's driving was a cause for concern at times and a seat belt would have been welcomed. 

The flight went well and we arrived at Hoi An this afternoon. We went out into the town after dark as it is the first full moon after Chinese New year and apparently a cause for celebration. The streets were packed and it was all very pretty on the waterfront. 

People were launching hundreds of lucky floating lanterns into the water and I thought that they would float away to the sea, but no, they were collected by a bridge and were hauled out to be carried upstream and sold again.