Happy New Year ... From Vietnam ...

Day 137 ... After a slight panic at not being able to get a taxi from our hotel to the airport for 30 minutes, we decided to try and book an Uber. After a 10 minute wait he arrived and we got to the airport in time to grab a sandwich just before we boarded. It's New Years Day so a lot of shops are closed, people on holiday and taxi fares bumped up! When we landed in Da Nang we went to get a taxi to our hotel in Hoi An. We had an idea it would be around 400,000 dong as we had searched Uber for the distance and cost. But we stupidly got in a taxi outside the airport after asking the taxi guy how much it would cost and him telling us it's a metered taxi, which was fine by us. Well, it would have been if, after less than 5 minutes he turned the meter off. As soon as he did we asked him why and how much it would cost and he said $30 or 650,000 dong. So we asked him to turn the meter back on. The fact he didn't speak English apart from saying 'Happy New Year' which was him trying to explain to us that its New Years Day prices and him saying 'money'. So I said turn the meter on or take us back to the airport. We were told we were getting into a metered taxi. He said maximum 500,000 so his price has gone down. I still think we're getting ripped off but what can we do now we're 5 minutes into the journey and he doesn't speak English. So we finally arrived at the hotel which was down a lovely little lantern lined road. When we checked in we were brought some lovely ginger tea and some snacks because it was NYs day. We were also given a free room upgrade because we were staying for so long (8 nights). She seemed surprised we were staying for so long but it's the best place we can get to by plane which isn't a big city in Vietnam and we do not want another big city for a while! We were also given a free 'Romantic candlelit set dinner' and a 30 minute foot massage each. Best freebies and perks from a hotel so far! As soon as we had got settled in our room we decided to go for a ride on the free bikes we could borrow and find the old town. After riding in the wrong direction for 5 minutes, we arrived at the old town which is less than a 10 minute ride away. We had a little walk around but in a straight line so we could remember where we had locked up the bikes and found somewhere for dinner. I had a lovely chicken curry with a bit of a kick but super tasty never the less! We decided to ride back to the hotel as it was pretty dark and also, randomly, it was now quite foggy too. I think we made the right decision with staying here longer than anywhere else in Vietnam, the area seems lovely and plenty of places to eat and things to see.

Day 138 ... We headed down to breakfast at 9am with our fingers crossed there would be a good spread and choice! Thank goodness there is, it's a buffet style breakfast and it's lovely. Plus they have brown bread, an omelette station and fruit, muesli and yogurt! Yay! I'm a happy girl! Along with the fact that they have a half decent gym with brand new equipment. After breaki and the gym we had a walk into the old town to have more of a wander and get some lunch. I decided to try a Vietnamese iced coffee with my lunch. It's pretty strong for my novice coffee taste buds but lovely too. Apparently the coffee beans are soaked in butter and fish sauce!!!! Yes, fish sauce, to bring out the flavour of the coffee beans which gives the coffee it's chocolatey flavour. No trace of fish sauce flavour in the coffee what-so-ever, thank goodness! But oh so good, so we'll be popping into

one of the many coffee shops selling bags of coffee to take home and make iced coffees with this summer at home! We decided to walk back to the hotel and catch the spa happy hour and book ourselves in for a Balinese style massage. We were both struggling with tights neck and shoulders, wether that's from the super soft spongy pillows or the shock to our systems from the gym session this morning, I'm not sure but we needed it! Plus we get a 30% discount with our room booking apparently, winner! Apart from the massage feeling as though she was using chopsticks instead of her hands in parts (boniest fingers ever!) the massage was really relaxing. Bonus that the spa is in the hotel too (and dangerous!). After our massage we borrowed the bikes again to ride into the old town for dinner. It was heaving!! More than likely because of the 4 day national holiday for New Year. So after Monday it should quieten down I would have thought.

Day 139 ... We can barely move this morning after our first gym session in months yesterday morning. A taste of whats to come when we get home and back in the gym! So we're having a relaxing morning in the hotel as it's cloudy outside. I've started a photo book of all our travel photos, thought I should make a start as there are a few photos to get through! Then we're off to Banh Mi Phoung for lunch which is a place Tom and Fiona have recommended. There were plenty bikes outside the hotel to borrow at

lunchtime today so we hopped on one and pedalled over to the ancient town. We went to the Banh Mi Phoung but it was closed for the holidays until Tuesday, so we'll go back then. We went back to the place we found yesterday as it was yummy and then went for a walk and did a little bit of shopping. Hoi An is known for selling silk and leather. So we got the mums a silk and cashmere scarf each for Mother's Day as it's the Sunday after we get home and I got one for Robyn's Birthday present too, they're lovely so I think I might treat myself to one too! We also go some lovely pop up handmade cards for Mother's Day and Charlotte's first Birthday which are something a bit different to the standard mass produced boring cards at home! So all in all another good day.

Day 140 ... I decided to have a ride into the old town on my own this morning so I could do a little bit of shopping without feeling like I was dragging Adam around every shop! The shops in Hoi An are lovely, lots of silk, cashmere, leather and tailor shops too. I didn't end up buying anything as we got a couple of things the other day for Mother's Day pressies and Robyn's Birthday pressie. Adam came and met me for lunch after an hour or so and we relaxed at our favourite cafe on the side of the river. Another relaxing day in this cosy little town. We're really enjoying it here, it's so busy but that's because it's still the New Year/school holidays so it should quieten down tomorrow apparently. We thought we would stay local to

dinner tonight so we walked to what we thought were restaurants along the river nearby but turned out to just be really big cafes which didn't do food. Plus the fact that on the other side of the river, there was some questionable Vietnamese karaoke going on that was so loud there was no getting away from it no matter which cafe we went to. So we decided to walk back to the hotel and use the bikes to go into the old town.

Day 141 ... We booked on to the shuttle bus to An Bang beach this morning. So after breaki we were picked up and dropped off at one of the beach restaurants which have sun loungers. It was a lovely sunny day and the sun is so strong so I got a little pink, opps! After a few hours in the sun on the beach and lunch at the restaurant we were picked up by a taxi as the shuttle bus didn't arrive and taken back to the hotel. Then it was time for a mini gym session as we didn't have time after breaki this morning. We're also booked in to have our free 30 minute foot massage this evening and then our free romantic set dinner in the hotel restaurant...it's a hard life! Another lovely day.

Day 142 ... We are turning in to beach bums again but it's a nice change from the cities! We spent another relaxing day at the beach. Unfortunately, I had another epic salad fail today. I ordered a Greek salad, when it arrived it was a plate of lettuce, tomato and some funny tasting

feta cheese. I officially give up trying to order a salad in SE Asia, apart from Nando's and Bali, they cannot make a salad to save their life! So I'll stick to Banh Mi sandwiches at lunchtime! Naughty but nice! Since I was so hungry, we went for an early tea at our favourite place and I had the chicken curry again and Adam stuck to his favourite chicken and cashew. So good! Now time to sort out our plans for Hanoi/Bangkok and book our flight/hotels.

Day 143 ... Having a day off the beach today as the forecast isn't as good and we need to let our pink cheeks recover a little. So we're having breakfast and then a mini gym session before I go back in to the old town for another mini shopping trip then meet Adam at Vy's Kitchen & Deli for our favourite tasty sandwich and Vietnamese iced coffee. After my mini shopping spree and lunch we had a stroll along the river and then went to one of the coffee shops to buy some Vietnamese coffee to take home. We are getting a little addicted to the Vietnamese iced coffees over here! There is a slight taste of chocolate along with the condensed milk, they taste amazing! So I'll be making some at home this summer!

Day 144 ... Our last full day in this quaint, cute old town. We’ve loved our time here! After not feeling 100% for the last day or so and super tired. Putting it down to the rock solid bed! We had a lazy morning as the weather wasn’t looking great. For lunch we cycled into town back to our favourite little cafe for our favourite drink, a Vietnamese white iced coffee (blended!! makes all the difference!) Then we went to one of the numerous coffee shop shops on the way back to the hotel to purchase some coffee to take home with us along with a mini metal filter hey use on top of the cups to straight the coffee! Bring on British summer time and some Vietnamese Iced coffees! When we got back to the hotel, Adam went for a full body massage as we’re still aching from starting back in the gym at this hotel and I updated our diary and photo book. For dinner we went back to our favourite restaurant too as we have learned that when we find somewhere we really enjoy the food, we are going to stick to it for these last couple of weeks. It can be so hit and miss between restaurants! Then it was back to the hotel to pack!