OK - found one bad thing about HCMC - the computer just crashed when I was writing the last entry and I lost 30 mins work...ARSE.
Anyhoo, back to describing the last couple of days - you can tell when we're enjoying a city as we don't update this that often - we really love HCMC and will be really sad to leave - it is only the 3rd city we've felt this was about - the other 2 being Sihanoukville and Chiang Mai. Hopefully it'll be a case of 'We'll meet again don't know where don't know when...' (Sorry - wrong war...)

Yesterday we visited the tunnels at Cu Chi. Cu Chi is an area just north-west of HCMC where the Viet Cong built a series of tunnels and from these led the resistance to the Americans in the war. They have now built a replica of these tunnels, making them wider so you and I (and the Americans - ironically) can all now get inside and try to understand what life would be like. They were incredibly enterprising, with all manner of traps, smokeless chimneys, and small, camoflagued openings. It gave a fascinating insight, and our excellent guide adding fitting stories and anecdotes where appropriate.

We arrived back and promptly showered, changed and went out for the night. There were a couple of footy matches on, so we watched the first in the company of a Welsh couple who can only be described as utterly mad. However they were great company for the evening, and whilst Jen joined Sarah for pasta, I went for a curry with Colin.

Today we got up late (well 10.30am) and met up with our cyclo drivers from the other day who were to take us on a tour of Chinatown. It was fantastic! We saw a few pagaodas, and also went to the biggest market in HCMC. The sights and smells were fascinating and different to any other market we had visited. Some stalls had over 20 types of mushroom, other, herbal medicines it really was great fun to walk round for 30 mins or so. With it being a little off the beaten track as well there were very few Westerners so you got a real glimpse of the Vietnamese-Chinese culture. Wanting a souvenir of HCMC we decided to get a stamp made (rubber not postage) with our name on and the Vietnamese star in the centre. Now as a 4 year old Mrs. Schaniel told me my handwriting was poor, but until today it had never really cost me anything...(maybe a couple of dropped marks in English apart). Well today my utter inability to make a 'C' look like an 'L' made us Daniel & Jennifer Lornwell. However, when we pointed out the error (clearly mine) they added a top to the 'L' to kind of make it into a 'C'. Certainly unique!

We thanked our drivers by paying them (obviously) and buying them a couple of beers - they then said that they'd got a 4km ride home...I was knackered just sitting in the bloody things so God only knows how they felt. Cyclo Kim and Cyclo Hao - thank you - you were great guides (not that they'll ever read this...)

Back to 'Good Morning Vietnam' cafe tonight and then onto the train in a couple of hours or so...'it's hot, damn hot' so should be a 'fun' journey....although we're travelling in the best berth we can we still have to share it with 2 others....

We got an interesting email about diving in Nha Trang so w're almost certainly going to give it a go. Chest infection is not getting any better so upping the penicillin dosage tomorrow. It might just be the pollution as it is really bad here - looking forward to the beach!