sidenote

hello! Just to let you know the latest news. it's day 323, i've had the most incredible last two weeks where i went to songkran in chiang mai, the thai new year where you waterfight, met back up with the most amazing people i met along the way, went to pai for 4 days and had more fun, now in bangkok and fly out in 4 hours to Myanmar (formerly Burma). I have no plan whatsoever for Myanmar, no place to stay when i arrive, no idea what's over there, no-one as of yet to travel with (though i am armed with my smile for the airport, and i met a girl at the embassy who's going tomorrow), and i'm really looking forward to it. Myanmar seems 'the' place to be right now, everyone i've spoken to has just said magical things about the place. i have no return flight so who knows. i also have no concrete plans for what follows myanmar, i have to be in NZ before the 17th of augast, though no reason why i can't enter before that. Though there are plenty of other places waiting to be enjoyed. i'm planning on not drinking in Myanmar for the month as i have had 3 weeks of excess, i'm writing this at half twelve midday with the shakes. Myanmar doesn't have the best internet in the world so don't be alarmed if this blog isn't updated or emails go unanswered, though please keep sending me emails and messages as they are the only thing that anchors me to a consistent, safe, loving entity of home, nothing is too trivial, banal, unnecessary etc, and you've no idea how happy it makes me to know that people care.  When i do have access to the net i will post a sidenote. that's all from me, i hope you are well and happy. lots of love x

day 291, Sihanoukville

Found out that buses go to Snookville at 11 and three, attempted to make the eleven bus though during breakfast, which was served at Cambodian pace, realised it would be a no-goer so relaxed and got a cake, plus one for Bronwen as it were her birthday. Returned Michael’s scooter and spent the day chilling out at the hotel, playing a bit of pool, a bit of minigolf, watching Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll, andy serkis playing ian drury and it was excellent, plus talking to people hanging around. Our bus picked us up, it was air con’d which was nice as it was scorching out, had a chat with a kiwi lad and a German girl, put my ipod in and gazed out the window. We arrived in Snookville 2 and bit hours later, it’s a bit reminiscent of the thai party islands though smaller. We found a guesthouse that Sophy from Kampot recommended. We went out for some street food which was really good, back to the hotel to chill out, watch Armoured, a film with Laurence Fishbourne, Matt Dillon, Gene Reno and it was dreadful. We went down to one of the bars, Monkey Republic, ran into a dutch bloke we met in Saigon called Rich, not surprising really as he’s a bit of a party monster, he spent a week in Vang Vieng solid tubing and been here for a while, though he’s had five solid nights on the lash and was a walking zombie so he popped a valium and went to bed at 9. We played a bit of pool with money involved, a whole 100 riel (two and a half cents!), met some Swedish people and played the Swedish version of ring of fire. Got very drunk and moved on down to the beach, had a boogie and chatted some more and stumbled home.

day 290, Kampot

Woke up pretty early from my meat coma and lazed about. It was ridiculously hot outside, on an almost unbearable level. We decided to stay another day and Michael went with Emily, Michael, Jordan and duncan from antantica to some caves down by Kep. I wanted a day of nothing, out of the sun, so returned my bike, walked back and hung around. I watched the first half of the film Bronson before the dvd fucked up, then watched the first half of the grand prix before getting bored. Watched the Descendants which was alright and went off for afternoon cake. I wanted to be alone and read my book though a Cambodian man, who was very nice, came over to my table and started practising English on me, which I know thiis bad of me but I just didn’t have time for it, so wolfed down my cake and left, seeking solitude in my book. Two mins back at the hostel and I’m in a hammock happy as larry immersed, before a little kid with a space gun which makes noises at a offensive level started running around and raining on my parade. It just wasn’t to be, so went up to the dvd lounge and watched a couple of episodes of shameless from the 1st series which were really good, was cool to see characters who I was still watching when back in England yet back when it first started ten years ago. Michael and people came back, we went out for dinner, decided on some Cambodian, had Lak Lak, slices of beef in a sauce with rice which was very average, walked back and ran into Bronwen, the girl from Hue where we got drunk in the dorm and blindly emotionally invested in each other. Had a couple of beers and a lovely catch up before calling it a night.

day 289, Kampot

The morning was spent mooching and chilling out, we hired some semi auto motorbikes and met up with Sophie and Emily, the Canadian/aussie girls from yday, and drove out to Bokor National Park, it was a bloody hot day and caught the sun abit, even with factor 60, so fucking british, though was really good fun. The road was brand new and was good to get on back on a bike, though didn’t have the emotional connection as I did with Martha. It was a solid ride up, at the top offered really cool views and old French villas, though the Chinese are building a hotel so no doubt soon to be ruined. We drove down and hung around the mid-afternoon, playing a bit of pool, going out for a cake. The evening we went back to the place that did ribs, us four plus the 3 yanks from Antarctica. I didn’t want to but I undertook the Dino Ribs Challenge as I said I could, if I didn’t finish it I paid, if I did, Michael paid; it was 15 bucks! Out came 3 full racks of ribs, one and half kilos and it was meat heavy, plus a separate plate of chips. In brackets on the menu it said it will feed four. I knew it was utterly pointless and wouldn’t end well, but a challenge is a challenge, and one which I’m not too proud to admit I completed. Only one other person had completed the challenge before, and he was a big, big man from Liverpool who polished it off in 24 miutes. It was a ridiculous amount of food though ate steadily though it, it helped that it was damn tasty, it means I get my picture on the wall of fame! It also meant I went into a bit of a meat coma and straight to bed, while the others went for beers and minigolf, so no-one won really. Also I will never do any sort of eating challenge again as it is just pointless, especially as I’m trying to slim down a bit, but was good fun and banter was plentiful.

view from bokor park

Michael was official photographer for the day as i forgot my camera,  hence why i'm in this photo

spaceship

the waterfall around bokor, with no water

Add caption

reluctant and nervous

meat heavy

relieved

esteemed company

day 288, kampot

Yesterday evening we waited for the electricity to cut out before heading back out into the ocean for a swim with the algae. It was very, very cool. In the morning we packed up and checked out, had a pancake for breakfast and sorted our boat back to the island. It wasn’t for another hour so hung around and read some more of 1984, which I’m really enjoying, and jumped on our boat. We were met back at Kep by our tuk tuk driver who drove us back to Kep city and arranged the bus to Kampot, 30kms down the road. That wasn’t for a couple of hours, so more reading and on the bus. Once at Kampot we had a look around and found a guesthouse, we’re in the dorm which is really well laid out, open plan and takes the whole of the top floor. We went across the road to the curry shack which was a little disappointing before borrowing some bikes for the guesthouse and going for a cycle around the town. It’s pretty quiet and laid back here, next to a river which is nice, we stopped for a brownie and ice cream which was really, really good, and back to the guesthouse to play a bit of pool. For dinner we went to a place which has won awards for it’s ribs, and they were fantastic. They have a rib challenge which stupidly I said I could do, so Michael has bet me that I can’t, so we’re going back tomorrow. Back at the guesthouse  got some beers and met some people around the pool table, some americans who have worked in Antarctica for six months who were really interesting, a Canadian girl and a Aussie girl. We had a few beers and played some minigolf, then more beers and played pool till the early hours of the morning listening to music.

day 287, Koh tonsai, (rabbit island)

Me and Michael piled into a tuk-tuk laid on by our hotel to drive down to the pier, where we got a boat over to Koh Tonsai, otherwise known as Rabbit Island (apparently the island looks like a rabbit). It’s a quiet island about 5km away from Kep, it was a glorious day and we arrived 20mins later to a stretch of sandy beach littered with small bungalows and cafés. We found a bungalow easily and sat down for breakfast with two Quebecois girls, Mary and Alex. From there we walked around the island looking for a quiet secluded beach, though weren’t in luck. Apart from the main beach there wasn’t any sand to find, and we walked all the way round in vain. We did find a slightly sandy spit so we dumped our bags and went for a swim, though after 100m of walking we still weren’t up to our knees so gave up. Once back at the main beach we went for a swim though the water was super warm, chilled out, read some more book and listened to some music while lying in the shade having a kip and a bit more swimming. We walked down the beach to make sure there wasn’t a bar/restaurant full of people, there weren’t, though we ran into Mary and Alex again so had dinner together. We all had seafood which was divine, a couple of beers and good company, was really nice. Me and Michael had heard that you can go swimming at night andyour movements disrupt a plankton/algae that glows as a result, we left the restaurant to the beach (all seven metres of it) though it didn’t look like there was anything happening. Unperturbed I stripped off and waddled in, and to my delight, once you got out of the beach lights) there was! You move you hand/foot and it was almost like a phosphorous trail coming out of your hand/foot, like fireflies. Was really, really cool. I shouted to Michael who came out, then he shouted and went back in and grabbed Mary and Alex who came out. There is electricity on this island between six and ten, it’s nine now, just waiting for ten to strike and darkness envelopes us and we go back out for more swimming as it’s so cool, even though I’m knackered and want to go to bed now!

Michael doing his Jesus thing...

day 286, Kep

In the morning got our stuff together and walked to the bus station to go to Kep. The bus was delayed so got a Khmer Sandwich and an ice coffee before boarding on the bus and wasting away 5 hours listening to some music and staring our the window till we arrived in Kep. Kep is a really nice place, super small and chilled out, has a beach and is famous for crab, reportedly the best in Cambodia. We found a really nice guesthouse, it was either a guesthouse or bungalows though they were further away and we’re just here for one evening, treated ourselves to a room each and headed out to the Crab Market. We had a seat right on the water front, watched the local fishermen unload their days catch and ordered crab. Half a minute later the bloke who took our order is wading out into the water and fetching the crabs. It came out and looked marvellous, and tasted even better. There was quite a bit of it, and we ate solidly and picked at it for a good 45 minutes, the crab was cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious. We walked back round the sea front and went into the national park to trek up to sunset rock, it was a pretty standard path though with the heat and my foot was a bit of a struggle, though the views when we got there were amazing, you can see Phu Quoc, the Vietnamese island, plus the gulf of Thailand. Unfortunately the sun was blocked out by a cloudy haze, turned out not an awful thing in the end as it was quite dark walking back, had a much needed shower and crashed out.

the before shot, simply stunning

our waiter off to fetch them crabs

the after shot, 

sunset rock

day 285, Phnom Penh

Met up with Michael and after a bit of negotiating found ourselves in a tuk-tuk to visit the Killing Fields. Our tuk-tuk driver was called T, and as I have found with almost all of the Cambodians, his level of English was very high. He’s 41 and has 4 kids, “because he likes bom-bom”. The Killing fields were 15kms out of PP, and while the traffic isn’t as volumous as Vietnam it is equally mental, maybe more as there seems to be less rules here, it made me glad I wasn’t on my martha. We went past the Olympic Stadium, which the Cambodia government has sold off to the Taiwanese in a murky deal, and arrived at the Killing Fields 45 mins later. Upon entry they give you a headset and a little radio and you walk around the site listening to information read aloud by a survivor. I didn’t know a lot about the Khmer Rouge and Cambodian history before coming here, and I was only aware of the outline after the s-21 prison, though I thought the radio-headset thing was fantastic. The Killing Fields was a place that the Khmer Rouge bought people to be executed after the s-21 prison, figures vary between 14,000 and 20,000 people dying in that exact field, they have since discovered 300 other similar killing fields. It was a very personal and private thing, walking around and having the choice to listen to more information or not, and while there were plenty of people around felt very secluded and isolated. It was incredibly informative and at times shocking, particularly the brutal-ness of what happened, including smashing babies into the “death tree”. It was also shocking to learn that between a quarter and a third of the Cambodian population were murdered in the 4 years that the Khmer Rouge were in power, and that the modern world powers, The UK, the USA, France, Germany and Australia recognised the Khmer Rouge as the Cambodian government in the UN up till 1993, 18 years since they were overthrew. Once we were done we jumped back in with T and he drove us back, he dropped us off at the central market which was a very cool building, it was perfectly symmetrical, as good functionally as it was aesthetically, then went in search of food. We ended up at a Mexican place on the recommendation of people from our hostel and it was very good, incidentally there doesn’t seem to be a lot of standout Cambodian cuisine like on a scale with Vietnam, there are a lot of western restaurants around as a result, then walked back to the hostel. We met up with Sophie and Pirman, they had been out on a scooter going around the city and had an accident, Sophie was cut up pretty badly. We hung around the hostel in the air con then played a couple of games of pool waiting for the swimming pool to fill up again after being cleaned before having a dip and chatting to some people. Evening came and booked our bus tickets to Kep for tomorrow from the bus stop then went back to the Indonesian restaurant from the other day as it was bloody brilliant. Walked back to the hostel and chilled out in the evening, I hit a purple patch while playing pool, never played so good and against so good players, I beat one of the locals who is a right pool shark twice, before it all went pete tong and I turned shit again, puffed a bit and went to bed.

day 284, Phnom Penh

The morning we walked to Wat Phnom, a temple (which was like most other temples) but did have a cool massive clock to one side, followed the waterfront and found a small Indonesian restaurant and had a really tasty meal, then to the S-21 Prison, otherwise known as the Tuol Slang prison, where between 14000 and 20,000 people were held and killed, around 179 people left alive during the Khmer Rouge period. It was a long walk in the heat, so we got on a moto taxi back to the grand palace which was just alright, quite similar to the palace in Bangkok though not as good, it did have a room with a silver tiled floor though, which they covered in carpet. We walked back and chilled out, wanted to go for a dip in the pool though was drained so hung around, then went out for dinner with Michael and an aussie, to  a French bistro place and had a steak which was amazing, before back to the hostel to chill out and go to bed. My foot is starting to resemble my foot again, instead of a club/bear foot which is good, though still hurts like fuck.

day 283, Phnom Penh

Snuck in a couple of jobs in the morning before the bus, got some water and a new headset for skype and a sd card reader as my one is fucked, before rushing to catch the bus down the road onward to Phnom Penh! Michael was emailing back a couple who showed interest in the motorbikes, sods law. The bus was really nice, air conditioned and with nice people running it who spoke good English. They handed out visa forms for Cambodia and drove the 2 hour to the border. They took care of everything, we just waited in a room for our names to be called with all the exit stamps, I was relieved to get out of Vietnam, a tiny, tiny paranoid part of me was turning over the boom pole/the collision with that girl/the truck in my mind, but I was out! The Cambodian visa was really easy, they took care of everything and we were away. Funnily enough the border at Cambodian side was a lot more complex then Vietnam, they took our finger prints and everything. Back on the bus and my first impressions of Cambodia is that of casinos, they were lining the streets, turns out Vietnamese on the weekends come to Cambodia to gamble as it’s illegal in Vietnam. We stopped off for lunch which was very average, had some Khmer Noodles and a delicious coffee before carrying on. It was a 3 hour drive to PP and they put Fast and Furious Five on, with the Rock! I put my ipod in and looked out the window instead, then we drove onto a ferry and crossed another part of the Mekong (randomly I found out that from 2015 there will be a bridge built so the ferry will be redundant, at 2008m it will be Cambodia’s biggest bridge and will be a ‘gift’ from China…) We arrived in PP and it was hot, the streets are grid numbered so we walked to street 88 and found our hostel of choice. Checked in and met a danish girl called Sophie, she was going down to the pool so joined her, didn’t swim as my foot has gone a bit scabby so read my book (just started on 1984) before heading in a nauseating tuk tuk to the night market, had some street food on rugs on the floor and looked a bit half heartedly for some shoes. We walked back and chilled out in the evening, tried calling home but didn’t have any luck so went to the common area, which is also a sort of pub thing, sat on my own away from lots of people socialising and drinking,  watched the England france rugby game and had a blast, was marvellous.

day 282, HCM

Me and Michael wandered around looking for Banh Mi for breakfast, basically Vietnamese sandwiches which are supposed to be super yummy, though as it was gone 10:30 they were all shut, so using people power ended at a point and eat place which was really good, including a delicious coffee. On the way back we stopped off at a motorbike dealer to ask about selling the bikes, he said to bring them down for him to look at, so went back, hopped on the bikes and did as we were told. He looked them over and wasn’t too impressed with Martha, offered 100 bucks and I took it. My attitude was considering before my latest breakdown and the 100buck engine rebuild she was in shit state, I was gonna leave her anyway, I just re-couped my 100bucks for the engine rebuild, plus I don’t have to worry about selling a traveller a potentially shit bike and them having a bad time on Martha. Michael had a bit of negotiating to do and kept on saying no and ended up getting pretty much what he wanted, job done! Decided there wasn’t a lot keeping us in HCM, it lacks the charm of Hanoi, so decide to leave tomorrow for Cambodia. We research Cambodia for a bit and bits and pieces then watch Invictus, the nelson Mandela film, before going in search of the best Banh Mi HCM has to offer. It’s 4kms away, my foot is feeling better thank god and the walk isn’t painful and the sandwich was delightful. Between us we share four of them, with a cake, then walking back get some milk and a roti (from the father of all buns, Papa Roti), buy our bus ticket to Phnom Penh (is it sad I’m looking forward to sitting on a bus, imagine not having to spend attention or energy getting somewhere?!) and chill out in the hostel watching a bit of football and planning tomorrow.

day 281, HCMC

Spent the morning lazing away, took some washing to be done and went out for an Indian as brunch with Michael plus two blokes we met in Hue staying in our dorm, Sam and his mate (who’s name I’ve forgotten). My foot is feeling a bit better and I’m not limping as badly. We walked to the War Remnants Museum in the heat, it was bloody humid and spent a couple of hours there. They had a recreation of the ‘tiger cages’ and prisons, plus a few US military vehicles, tanks, weapons and helicopters outside. Inside was a collection of photographs of war atrocities undertaken by the US, including those involving Agent Orange, there were some very powerful and moving images around. The Museum for me though was too busy and my foot was starting to play up, so we walked back and spent a couple of hours mooching around, Michael went to pick up our washing then straight into the shower and clean clothes which was great. Me and Michael headed off to dinner to a ‘point and eat’ place which was really good, then went out for a couple of beers. I really fancy a nightout, a few beers, a boogie and meeting some people, though one beer through I started not to feel too good, really hot and tired, plus my foot hurts so called it a night, left Michael to continue for the both of us, I stopped off at a shop and bought a litre of milk, some digestive biscuits and a water and now writing this listening to my ipod on shuffle with my frozen bag of peas on my foot. Oh, and the two blokes who looked at the bikes yday have found different ones.

day 280, Ho Chi Minh City

Slept very well and woke up with my foot not hurting at all…until I moved it and had to get out of my bunk bed, of course I was on the top bunk. I could put weight on it and was less painful then yesterday so fingers crossed. Me and Michael put up an ad for the bikes on the internet, had breakfast (which was rubbish) and met two dutch girls during breakfast staying in our dorm, Mariana and Ellie. We had a walk around to find a laundry place, stopped off at a barber’s for a shave, a face pack, a hair wash and shevell, a hair cut and a brief massage, then back to the hostel to find a good place for lunch. We walked there in the sweltering heat, my ankle was struggling though had a glass of milk and some Bun Thit nuong and all was good with the world. Walked back just in time to start watching 21, the film, then we met up with two blokes staying in our hostel who were interested in the bikes. Told them everything about them and they took it for a test drive, thank fuck Martha behaved herself, then Michael went for a drive around, I did a water run and sat in the park watching the kids play football eating an ice cream, before meeting up with Michael, Mariana and Ellie and going off for dinner. Mariana had a sushi craving though the restaurant had a 40min wait so went to a street restaurant and had a good meal, I’m knackered and my foot hurts so am back in the hostel while the others have gone for a drink. Bit bummed as I would love to have a night out but alcohol thins the blood and would only swell my foot more, plus after a few drinks I’d know I’d just want to dance. Grr

day 279, Ho Chi Minh City!

Michael is determined to go to Phu Quoc so we drag ourselves out of bed at half six, pack up and go down the ferry port for tickets, though they’re all sold out for the day and we can’t be arsed to bike up to the northern ferry port about 75kms up, so we head back to Ho Chi Minh City. It’s a shit narrow road with life on either sides, so numerous emergency stops courtesy of bikes, trolleys, kids, adults, animals and buses. We stop for lunch after an hour and half for my favourite Vietnamese dish, Bun Thit Nuong, so simple but so tasty, and perfect for the scorching weather as it’s served room temperature. Back on the bikes and we finish highway 80, turn right on highway 91 to Can Tho, get a bit lost in Can Tho before finding our way to the fabled Highway 1a. The road is actually really good and there isn’t too much traffic about, so we zoom along eating the Kilometres away, soon it vanishes from 164kms to under a hundred, and the countdown begins! About 50kms out the traffic is getting a bit heavier and we stop at Tan An for an internet café to find out where to stay in HCMC and how to get there as Ho Chi Minh city is a concrete labyrinth. 15kms down the road I’m on the inside lane next to a big load bearing vehicle (luckily it isn’t loaded) and a bus pulls out from my right hand side, so subconsciously I edge out to avoid it and brush the side of the truck base with my shoulder, no biggie I think, then the wheel follows it and it runs over my ankle/foot which I put down to make sure I didn’t tumble.. Shocked I yank it away and get it out before the other wheels gets it, I hear shouting and manage to carry on driving and zoom off. It fucking cained. Michael catches up with me, we stop, I whimper into my helmet and my foot is killing me, though I can move my toes and my ankle so think nothing is broken. We turn off earlier then we thought it would be and find our way to the hostel we were after, all the while my foot is slowly becoming more and more painful. Check into the hostel, have a shower and ask Michael what happened. Turns out it was probably my fault, with my over eagerness to avoid the bus, once I made the move to avoid the bus what happened was almost unavoidable. I’m so fucking mad at myself. It happened in the last half hour of riding, after doing over 5000kms for fucks sake. I realise it could have been worse though,  and took solace in that bloke from east 17 who ran himself over in his own car while fetching a jacket potato that he dropped. We go off for dinner and get a western fix which was wank, it’s what I imagine a lasagne to be like if I were in space. have a tiny walk around but my foot isn’t up to it so back to the hostel with water and frozen peas and laze about the common room/reception with my foot up  getting my five a day.

day 278, Rach Gia

After the previous night on the tiles, (actual fucking tiles, not the disco kind) I slept like the dead and woke up to my alarm doing it’s thing,  still tired,  somehow ended up watching the film ‘Valentine’s Day’ which continued our tradition of watching feel good films early in the morning before setting out to complete our somewhat pointless task of driving from the northern-most part of Vietnam to the southern-most part. After a bit of a palava finding 1a we were rolling, it was 51kms south to Nam Cam, we reached a roundabout with an option of left or right, followed the compass to the southern-most one, followed a tiny footpath and reached a river, there were no bridges! For authenticity’s sake we backtracked and took the other option for a kilometre and then the road stopped, we reached the end of Highway 1a, all 2301kms of it! There were no bridges so we had reached the southern-most point accessible by road! (we think there are ferries across as there are roads souther then Nam Cam but still, it’s bloody fantastic). To celebrate we stopped and had lunch and a coffee which were excellent and made our way back to Ca Mau. From Ca Mau we headed onto highway 63, a narrow bumpy road aiming for Rach Gia. About 40kms out of Rach Gia, shortly after a heavy downpour of rain, Michael gets a flat, we walk 2kms down the road to a mechanic but the bloke ain’t there, so his wife pumps up his tyre and points him down the road, where this is repeated once again. Finally we arrive at a mechanics with a mechanic in and the kid sets to work replacing the tube. He wasn’t very good and took a while to sort it, by this time it was pushing five and the sun was on it’s way down. Following highway 63 it suddenly stops and we have to take a ferry which meanders around different rivers and finally lands about 15mins after we left, then another 15km to Rach soi, we carry on up the road as the place is a shithole and end up in Rach Gia driving in the dark. Also my bike is conking out when not in gear, for fucks sake. We find a hotel, I’m glad to be off the bike as don’t like driving when it’s dark, shower and out to dinner which was really good, have a really nice pastry and back to the hotel room to chill and sleep.

oddly the only picture of me and Michael, right before we got shoo-ed on out of there by some blokes from a school/government building(?)

my compass pointing south toward the river, no more road!

where highway 1a ends, it changes to a gravel track and is heading east.  Martha and Martin taking centre stage here,  wonderful bikes

a random picture Michael took while I was busy being Mapman.  and yes, people actually wear those hats in real life

day 277 Ca Mau

Woken up around half six by Minh, most people of the family are already up and about, though doing nothing in particular. Minh takes us for breakfast, a noodle soup with offal which was really good and the bloke from yesterday who spoke a bit of English joins us. We then move round the square for coffee which is different to normal Vietnamese coffee, not milky but still very sweet. They say my bike isn’t ready till five, and after lots of waves and smiles from the locals back to Minh’s place and to a hammock. Michael gets called inside and five minutes later calls me in. Minh’s sat down with a pen and paper listing down what money we owe him. This is a bit of a shock to us, as every time we’ve had something (coffee, tea, food, football…) we’ve got out wallets out and money in hand and Minh has downright refused our money, sometimes forcibly. What’s more shocking is the amount is outrageous, nowhere near what it has cost. Immediately things take an uncomfortable turn and people are hovering about. Football has gone up from the 10,000 VND to 100,000VND, him going off to register ‘costs’ 200,000VND, he writes down 500,000vnd. (Later, after we sorted this, Michael said he wrote it down to begin with, Michael took out his wallet and handed him 500,000vnd, he saw more money in his wallet and started pushing for more.) We’ve been watching him pay for things whenever he has and we work out it is no more then 200,000vnd for the both of us. We get him to phone the bloke who studies banking at HCM and explains this is what he has spent on us and we need to pay it back. We finally settle on 500,000vnd for the both of us after some painful negotiations. Let me say this, it’s not the money that’s fucked me off at all, fuck the money, its £16 for the both of us for lunch, dinner, breakfast, coffee and sleeping, what’s pissed me off it’s just plain lies, deceitful, dishonest and damnright cunt-y-ness. I feel taken advantage of. It’s also ruined the brilliant, spontaneous, authentic, one-time experience,  eating with the men, playing with the kids, going through their English books, grandma popeye smiling her gums out while shelving my overgrown rat-tail Mohawk,  people being nice just for the sake of being nice has disappeared, it was really disappointing and created an uncomfortable atmosphere. I was so fucking angry. What frustrates me even more is both me and Michael were going to give him money as a token of gratitude for the wonderful time Minh had been showing us, we talked about it the night before and agreed on 200,000vnd each.  I go to check on my bike and it’s still being worked on, having to replace the front casing as it was fucked. Back to Minh’s place and have a walk around with Michael though it is too fucking hot. Back to Minh’s and they don’t really want anything to do with us, it’s amazing how much things have changed. We sit in the back and read in hammocks, I finish The Tiger’s Wife (which I have mixed feelings about, bits were bloody marvellous while others just bored and frustrated me, for a bit of chick lit it was far to attrition-al.)  About 3 Minh comes in to say my bike is ready. We go down, I ride Martha, she sounds so much better and back to Minh’s to pack up and get the fuck out of there. I can’t get out of there fast enough. There are also no pictures of these two days as the first day I was just enjoying it so much I didn’t want to bother or do anything to disrupt the groove, I wanted to take everything in, live how they lived and not highlight any differences between us, though after this morning I don’t want anything to do with them at all. I drive angry down the road 50kms to Ca Mau, instead of carrying on we’re both knackered (emotionally and physically) and want our private space, so find a hotel which was actually really nice, shower and have a good Vietnamese dinner (where all the people involved were lovely, smiling and patient, plus didn’t charge us whitey prices), then back to the air con’d room in nothing but a towel for sweets and movies!