I just wanted to add...

.....,with reference to the mountain climb, that there are times in our lives when we really want to see things through to the end. And times when you wished you'd stuck with something and not given up. I experienced none of these feelings having decided not to go all the way up. I'm afraid the mozzie bites (how the hell do you get 17 in 30 seconds!) and comments like 'well the view is nice but you've got a long way to go yet' were enough. Michelle and I realised that sitting at the bottom, local beer in hand was definitely the more worthwhile option. I guess the decision was also backed up by the fact that I suffer from vertigo and that I wasn't exactly looking forward to the walk back down. The fewer people there were to see me sliding down on my backside the better. I do however take my hat off to those who made it - they all looked throughly exhausted by the end but I'm sure they felt a sense of achievement.

The glass of local beer for 15pence tasted great after all that sweating and we were having a lovely chat with the locals until in a moment of merriment I leant back in my rather small plastic chair and broke it. Oh how we laughed - luckily, as I did wonder if they might escort me from their village. But no, they were probably just thinking, silly big western woman!

Anyway I also wanted to say that having been to most of the places we've visited the last time I was here in Vietnam I have obviously noted the changes. Mostly that more tourists are coming and places are getting busier and more shops etc are appearing. The biggest change however was on Cat Ba Island where the quiet little harbour now looks like the beachfront at Clacton (for those who don't know Clacton, think Blackpool only a lot smaller!) complete with light show. It's all good for the Vietnamese economy I guess but a shame all the same.

Well, we've now been in Saigon for 4 days and have done very little, Mik kindly passed his cold onto me and we have both been moping around and sleeping most of the time. We did visit the War Remnants Museum and that woke us up - some absolutely horrific photos telling the story of the war and the devastation it left behind. Our generation can never comprehend what it must be like to endure such atrocities.

Tomorrow we head up the Mekong Delta by boat and in a couple of days will cross the border into Cambodia - our first border crossing, will let you know how we get on.

Cara