Day 13 - KL to Penang

Looking out our window on the 23rd floor of Traders across at the Towers and KLCC, I can see a steady rain falling. Not a good day to be driving 4 hours north to Penang but that's the plan.

We grab the hotel buggy across to KLCC and have breakfast at one of the cafes. The shops don't open until 10am but already the cafes are busy. There is the Gobo Chit Chat cafe at Traders but like most big hotels, their charge for breakfast just isn't good value, notwithstanding the food and service is first class.

As we've done on previous trips, we've grabbed a cardboard box from the hotel, and packed most of the clothing and bits and pieces we've bought along the way. The tip is to buy a roll of strong packing tape and a felt pen and wrap it yourself as they don't have much in the way of parcel post here. Taking the box to the Post Office we pay $30 and save exhorbitant excess baggage rates when we fly home.  


After breakfast we head off in the rain to find the Hawk car Rental office which is located behind the Eastern and Oriental Hotel. But they are doing construction work and in the rain, we get totally lost until a kind cabbie stops and drives us 500 metres to the Hawk office which was in the opposite direction to where we were heading. He wants nothing for the ride but we slip him 10 ringits (about $3) for being so kind.


I'd not previously booked the car online but Farad organises a small 4-door sedan and says he will deliver it to the hotel for us. In future, we'll book online... much easier and you get a better choice of cars. We used Hawk last time we were in Malaysia when we drove 3000 kms and they were good to deal with.

So back to the hotel and pack again. After a while you get organised and know where everything is and can pack well. It seems that most of my bag is taken up with chargers for phones, cameras, ipods and all the conversion plugs and cables! If not for those I could get by with a small backpack!

Promptly at 12 noon Farad arrives at the front of the hotel with a black Proton Wira. It is raining hard and the hotel staff are busy with private cars and cabs coming and going. He needs photocopies of out passport and drivers licence, so our car causes a bit of a problem blocking the driveway while the concierge send the documents upstairs.

Soon enough we bid Traders goodbye and we stop just up the street and fit the new TomTom GPS I bought a few days ago. There is no way I'd be able to find my way out of the city traffic without it. Hey Ben... I wonder if this one will send us around the Twin Towers a coupleof times... LOL!

The GPS is spot on and despite the heavy traffic and rain, we are soon heading north on a 3-lane highway heading for Ipoh. The traffic is fairly light and it's just like driving back home except these freeways are much better. There doesn't seem to be any cops around as the black Mercs, Beamers and Ferraris spin past at close to 160 kph. They are impatient too... they fly up behind you with lights flashing... I just tootle along at the 110 kph speed limit.

We can't get over all the high rise apartment buildings in the outskirts of the city... and they are building more all the time. But the architecture of the buildings is different to back home. There is a kind of pleasant look about them. But it is obvious why all the roads are becoming clogged.

We drive north through occasional heavy rain and after about 2 hours we stop at an R&R... gas station, toilet facilities and small many food stalls selling traditional Malaysian food as well as the odd Western chain like KFC. We choose Nasi Nemak which is about $3 and very tasty. Liz finds 1... yes just 1, western toilet in the extensive ladies washrooms! Lucky that... she refuses to use the squat toilets. Amazingly, there are a whole line of western toilets in the cubicles in the mens washroom.

Continuing north we are suddenly stopped about 30 kms from Penang... seems there has been an accident as ambulances and police cars rush up the breakdown lane. After a half hour delay we pass 2 cars total wrecks. No wonder, the speeds they do on these freeways is insane. I wouldn't expect any survivors from this prang.

We are about 10 kms from the Penang Bridge when the low fuel light comes on. I hope and pray that we'll make it across without running out of gas... the bridge is 11 kilometres long! The GPS tellsus there is a Caltex just 3 kms past the end of the bridge so we gingerly drive to conserve fuel and make it to the Caltex. Over here you must pay for fuel in advance so I top the tank with 100 ringits ($30) worth of fuel... not bad for a 5 hour 250 km trip.

The GPS is programmed to take us to the Yeng Keng Hotel in Chulia Street which is right in the heart of Georgetown's Chinatown and after winding our way through the narrow back streets lined with old Chinese shophouses we arrive at our hotel. It's a refurbished old heritage building and is an oasis in the middle of the bustling hive of activity of Chulia Street.

It's about 6pm and the old town is coming to life with the street hawkers setting up and the night lights blazing. There are people everywhere, many walking the streets and many more sitting on plastic chairs enjoying the amazing flavours of Penang's street hawkers.

We choose to eat at the Tek Sen Restaurant, a famous old Penang eatery down in nearby Carnarvon Street. A 5 minute walk and we arrive to find it packed but they quickly find us a table. No plastic chairs and tables here... only low, 3-legged metal stools and metal tables. I've not been here but I've read about it and they say the food is sensational so we order friend rice and a couple of other dishes and find they were right. This is Haianese cooking at its best and a couple of cheap Tigers washes it all down.

Back out on the streets and we watch the street hawkers whipping up dishes at the speed of light. The smoke from some of the woks is overwhelming as the cooks wield their flat cooking spoons with dexterity and skill to produce amazing, and cheap food. 

We pass by Love Lane on the way back to the hotel and ironically a couple of working girls are standing nearby. Some may call all this seedy but it's life in an Asian city and adds to the charm and excitement of it all... the street hawkers, the street girls (and some boy/girls too!), the tourists and the locals who often go about with a bemused look, makes it an adventure and one that we love.

Liz falls into bed and is immediately asleep... the torrential rain starts outside and turns into a tropical storm. I look out the window by the yellow light of the street lamps and neon signs, see water spearing off the roofs and the gutters overflowing. The streets will get a good cleaning tonight.

Day 12 - Kuala Lumpur & Kuala Gandah

All the times we've visited Malaysia, and KL in particular, we've never been to many of the must-see sights... PutraJaya is a case in point. But there never seems to be enough time so this time we particularly wanted to visit the elephant sanctuary and orphanage at Kuala Gandah, about and hour and a half east of KL.

Rahmat has recommended a driver who he uses, so at 11am we are met by Saran outside KLCC and head off to see the elephants. As I've said before, these people really know how to build freeways (they are not free, but you pay a very low toll) and the Eastern Freeway to Kuantan is mostly three lanes in either direction. Liz and I have driven this road before and it winds its way up through the rugged jungle-covered mountains before running across the green palm-oil plantations which stretch as far as the eye can see.

We turn off the highway and wind our way through traditional Malay villages before arriving at the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary which sits amid an untouched rainforest which covers a large area. The heat is almost unbearable but we are shown to a theatre room (air-conditioned thank god!) where we, along with a swag of other tourists, watch a quite disturbing documentary about how the Sanctuary experts relocate rogue wild elephants, from all over the Malaysian peninsular, which are destroying plantations. It reminds me of that old Peter Finch/Elizabeth Taylor movie, Elephant Walk. The elephants lose their traditional grazing forests to palm plantations and other human activity and they rebel, causing problems. So, rather than kill them... which somevillagers do if not stopped... the Sanctuary relocates them to the forests of Kuala Gandah. It is a sobering documentary.

The elephant activities start at 2:45 so we have an hour or so to wait so we try and stay cool under the trees near the fast flowing jungle river where naked local boys are diving off the observation platforms and generally having a fun and cool day off school.

The young elephants are brought out first and the tourists are able to feed them peanuts and bits of fruit... they are very tame and they have learned the routine well. We get some shots and then they bring out the adult elephants, each with a mahout on top.

They put on a bit of a display... the usual stuff you see at a circus, and then they are brought forward to a number of low bins on the ground filled with cut fruit. Everyone is invited to feed the elephants up close and personal as the mahouts stand by and assist.

Liz takes a bit of convincing but she finally steps up and grabs a piece of pawpaw and the elephant opens its mouth... she places the fruit right on his tongue! The elephant obviously loves the fruit and looks pleased but Liz almost faints when she brushes her hand across its tongue!

I miss the shot so she has to do it four more times before I get a good one... abit out of focus but it all happens so fast. Everyone is really loving this part of the activity and we can see where our donations go... entry to the Sanctuary is free but donations are appreciated and go towards the cost of feeding and caring for the elephants.

These are the tame ones but there are many out there in the Sanctuary rainforest... hopefully living happily without any interference. It is a real eye opener for us and we thouroughly enjoy the day, despite the bloody heat!

We then head back to KL and along the way Saran spots a roadside stall selling Durians. Rahmat has told Saran that I like durians so he stops and we dig into a couple.

 Liz and I have both had durian before and we like them. People ask what they are like and I tell them it's like eating a custard apple in a toilet! Some people hate them, some people like them.... I love them... the King of fruit!

Back on the road and we strike Friday afternoon traffic jams. The freeways are great but like any big city, there are so many cars even super freeways cannot cope. Saran drops us at Traders and we freshen up before deciding to head for the food nextravaganza of Jalan Alor. My sister Jan reckons she found a good place amongst the mayhem so we are keen to try it. 


I have some unpleasant memories from the last time I was at Jalan Alor (long story and those who know it will  know why I am a little gun-shy of the place!) but despite being stuck in solid traffic all around the Bukit Bintang area, we finally arrive at the famous KL food street. It's raining heavily so the umbrellas are out on the tables which are moved out onto the street with just enough room for one car to pass by. There are people everywhere and the sights and smells are something everyone should experience at least once.

We stop at the Tasty Corner Restaurant where the crew guides us to a table in the street and takes our order... fried rice, steamed Kailan with Garlic, Fish Balls in Broth, and BBQ Chicken Wings... plus a large bottle of Tiger and a Diet Coke for Liz. The dishes arrive like bullets from a gatling gun ... hot, fresh and delicious. It may be street hawker food but it is the food of the gods! Well maybe after being to Hoi An and Vietnam I might change my food priorities but for sheer dining excitement you cannot beat a night at Jalan Alor.

The streets are packed at 10pm and the traffic is at a standstill so we grab a coffee at The Coffee Bean at Low Yat Plaza and watch the world go by... and from where we are sitting... that's not very fast! Typical Bintang night gridlock! There is a bit of excitement in the street when a local lad, dressed in jeans, a white sleeveless Harley Davidson T-shirt, Marlon Brando sunglasses and a set of chains hanging from his leather jacket, thunders up to the front of the Plaza on a brught yellow Harley. It sounds like a B52 bombing raid as he guns the engine and the sound echoes through the narrow street. He certainly gets the attention of the slim Asian girls, dressed in not much more than something the size of a handerkerchief, who fall about with wide-eyes as they watch the guy park the hog. Even the parking attendants are impressed.

The guy heads off down the street with a gaggleof girls in tow headed for the night spots... but this old bloke is gonna grab his honey and try and get a cab back to the hotel... with any luck the traffic might ease up and we might make it back for breakfast!

We are off to Penang tomorrow and I am driving so it should be interesting. Take care all.     

Day 11 - Kuala Lumpur & PutraJaya

After a late night out with Rahmat, Zai, Zol  and Sharifah we oversleep... the alarm was set for 7am but a quick look out at the Towers and it's still dark so, just a few more minutes. 

An hour and a half later we are woken by a text message from Rahmat... he is free to take us for a tour of the Malaysian capitol, Putrajaya, about an hour south of the city. He'll pick us up from the hotel at 10am! We rush getting ready and organise clothes to be washed and find we have no time for breakfast. A quick coffee in our room will have to do... how miss my morning bowl of hot steaming Pho!

Rahmat is right on time and we head through busy city traffic on the way south. In no time we are on one of the freeways which are like a spiders web across the city. The RTA could do worse than send some of their morons up here to learn how to build transport infrastructure... the freeways here are 3-4 lane either way and are fabulous to drive on. Sure they get traffic jams but even then, it's better than sitting in a car park on Parramatta Road!

In an hour we take the exit to Putrajaya. We have often been past this new city, built about 12 years ago out of jungle and palm plantations, but have never actually been there. The tops of spectacular bridges and other buildings have looked inviting and now we are going to see what it's really like.

Once we start getting into the city environs we are presented with scenes of jaw-dropping architecture, a man-made lake, amazing bridges and wide streets. It's been well planned and some serious money has been spent here building structures that showcase the Moorish architectural influence. It quite simply is unbelieveable that all this was jungle just 12 years ago!

There is a cycling event taking place today so many streets are blocked by Police but Rahmat navigates his way to the large mosque which stands imposingly beside the lake.

There are tourists everywhere, mainly Japanese and people from Middle Eastern countries. Rahmat leads us down to the lakeside where he books a cruise on the lake and then we go and have a coffee. It's a typical Malaysian R&R... many restaurants and shops selling Malaysian food and it looks and smells delicious.

We board the cruise boat along with a rowdy group of Middle Eastern guys who should be thrown overboard... they completely ignore the guide giving his talk about the city sights and they insist want to go out on deck. Some people!!!

The cruise runs along the length of the lake and you get a great view of the architecture and buildings not to mention a close up view of the bridges which are stunning. Rahmat and Zai have bought a house in Putrajaya and will be moving there next year.

Rahmat then takes us to the club by the lake where we grab a bite to eat before heading back to our hotel as Rahmat has to pick up his daughter from school at 3pm.

Liz and I freshen up... it's hot and humid outside... and then we grab a cab to Cap Square where I find a camera store that sells camera straps. After almost losing the G2 in Vietnam I need something more substantial. CapSquare is a new shopping centre and half the shops are empty but amazingly one of the camera stores has just what I want and at a good price. While there we also visit the Tom Tom GPS store and buy a GPS to guide us on the next leg of our trip to Penang.

Rahmat and Zai have invited us to join Zol and Sharifah for a Brazilian dinner and arrange for us to be picked up at 6:30pm. Right on time, a flash Mercedes pulls up at the hotel lobby and to our surprise the driver advises that he is there to pick us up and take us to dinner. It turns out that this is Zol's driver! Zol holds a very senior position in a large health company and one of the perks is a new car and a driver on call. Talk about doing it in style!

We navigate the evening traffic and drive to Zol's gated-estate apartment where Zol givers his driver the night off and he and Sharifah drive us to meet rahmat and Zai and the restaurant.

We've never tried a Brazilian restaurant before so it turns out to be a real experience. The servers hover around with various meats on skewers and deftly wielding long knives, like Errol Flynn in a buccaneer movie, they carve off a slice of lamb or chicken or fish. It is absolutely delicious and all halal of course as our hosts are strict Muslims. 

We start with the stories and before long we are laughing and joking in between tasting the food which comes thick and fast. Zai recommends the Mango dessert which is just heavenly but will no doubt send my BGLs to the moon!

After another wonderful evening amongst perfect hosts and good company, Rahmat and Zai load us into their BMW (top of the line model no less) and drive us back to Traders. Maybe we'll catch up with them before we head back home... they have been marvelous and have made us feel very welcome. Malaysian hospitality at its best.

Tomorrow we're off to the elephant sanctuary so stay tuned.

Day 10 - Kuala Lumpur

We wake early and are greeted with one of our favourite scenes... the Petronus Twin Towers from our room on the 23rd floor of Traders Hotel. 

Shopping starts at 10am so at this early hour there are only cleaners and morning joggers and walkers below in the park and the front of KLCC.

We have some chores to do so we get ready and head for the Gobo Chit Chat restaurant at the hotel where we'll have breakfast. Wendy and Jan will know how busy this place gets in the mornings and it is packed with people from all over the world. I'm after some Pho but the closest I get is noodle soup so I go with Roti Chennai instead... not as good as Ben or I make but it will do for now.

It's then onto the hotel buggy and across to KLCC. As usual it is busy and there is always a lot of people out the front taking photos of the towers. The fake watch sellers are absent ... seems the cops or security are doing their job.

First job is to get sims for our mobiles at Maxis and it proves to be an ordeal as usual. A long line of other travelers wanting to get a sim aqnd only one slow-working guy serving. Here's a tip for anyone wanting a sim card here... head out to the Maxis office at CapSquare, about 10 minutes away by cab, and there is an office there with no waiting.

Now we are "on the air" again I can let everyone know our mobile numbers and check in with Ben and Rahmat. Ben is having car problems but Rahmat invites us to dinner with his wife Zai and their friends Zol and Sharifah tonight. Jalan Alor will have to wait Jan! 

The rest of the day is taken up with Liz looking at the shops (seen one you seen 'em all I reckon!) and I head over to Times Square to chase a lens for the 40D. By 4pm we are done so we grab a nap before Rahmat picks us up at 8:15. He's been battling horrendous traffic to get here to Traders and the situation is compounded by the arrival of a Police-escorted motorcade which flashes past our hotel... we thought Rahmat hadput it on specially for us but it was probably just another VVVIP (they don't just have VIPs here... they are VVVIPs!)

Anyway, Rahmat and Zai pick us up and we navigate the traffic to the Lala Restaurant where Zol and Sharifah have claimed a table for us. They have all been here before so we let them order the dishes which we share and meanwhile the stories tall and true start emerging. At one stage I thought we would have to recussitate Zai she was laughing so much. Ian, you know what it's like when we get started! We took a few shots for posterity and Rahmat and Zai drove us back to the hotel... it was almost 11:30pm. 

What a fabulous evening we had. Rahmat and Zai were wonderful hosts and at first meeting them, Liz immediately fell in love with Zai's infectious smile and happy nature. They chatted away like old friends while Rahmat and I gave Ben no mercy as we compared notes. Zol and Sharifah were great too and we must have all had a good time because they invited us to a Brazilian restaurant for dinner tomorrow night. 
 
 

Twin Towers at night from outside our hotel.
  

Day 9 - Hoi An to KL

We are sad to be leaving Hoi An and Vietnam after such a short stay but it has given us the incentive to come back again. We were both a bit unsure how it would be but it has exceeded our expectations and we both love it. Hoi An was special but we'll explore more of this wonderful country next time.

We have 12 hours of traveling to do today what with the flight from Da Nang to Saigon then a 5 hour wait for our Malaysian Airlines flight to KL. It's not as bad as it sounds but I am already tired of waiting at counter ... checkin, customs and immigtration and the inevitable but necessary security. Not counting our checked baggage we've both got 2 pieces of cabin baggage plus I've got my walking stick. It is a constant job keeping track of everything so nothing gets lost or left behind.

Eventually we arrive in KL at 7:45pm and knowing the drill here we grab the KLIA Xpress train to the city... 28 minutes exactly and smooth as silk. I wish Ian and I had known about this when we first came here in 2006 on transit to India.

Reaching KL Sentral Station we grab a cab to Traders Hotel. It is Valentine's Day and the traffic in central KL is a car park. Apparently it's like this all the time now.

We check into Traders, our favourite hotel almost anywhere and we are in room 2307 which looks directly out onto the Petronas Twin Towers. We never get sick of this view since we first stayed here in 2007.

The shops here are open until 10pm so we grab the hotel shuttle buggy to KLCC, an enormous multi-storey shopping complex beneath those big towers, for some essentials like bottles of water etc. The hotel provides 1 small bottle of water but changes a fortune for it or other soft drinks from the mini-bar. 

All the Beautiful People are on their way to the famous Traders Skybar for Valentine's Day and we meet many of them in the lift... spunky young Asian and Western girls with boyfriends or husbands...but for us oldies, it's an early night...  

Day 8 - Hoi An

I'm up at the crack of 6 and as I lay in bed, looking out to the palm trees and the sea beyond, I can see that the weather has not improved for a sunrise shot. But I have other fish to fry... literally... as I have to be at the Morning Glory restaurant in Hoi An by 8:30am for Ms Vy's Cooking Class. I'm really looking forward to this as I've become addicted to Vietnamese food. So fresh and different... it's a taste sensation!

The traffic on the way to town is a lot less than yesterday but there are school kids on bikes and villages we pass by are already busy. The countryside at this time of morning is just fabulous... I want the cabbie to stop but no time. Maybe I'll hire a bike and ride out here taking my time to photograph everything. I don't think we'll have time though, we head back to KL on Tuesday.

The streets in the old town are almost deserted, except for a few dogs and the odd fruit seller. A far cry from the busy crowded streets of Sunday and the charm of the town just piles up as I wander about watching the people come and go.

Right on 8:30 a pretty young lady appears at the front of the Morning Glory and half a dozen people who have been mingling around gather together... this will be my class. A retired English couple from the East End of London (he with a very broad Cockney accent), a young Australian couple from the Eastern Suburbs, a young Vietnamese lass, (from Cabramatta of all places!), a lovely French girl Caroline and yours truly.

My rusty schoolboy French passes muster and she and I chatter as we head towards the markets at the other end of town. The streets might have been deserted compared to Sunday, but the markets certainly weren't! It was absolute bedlam as the fruit, herb, meat and fish sellers went about their business. In Malaysia they would call this a wet market with all the fresh produce ready and on display. 

 

Our guide tells us that the restaurant buyers get here at 4am to get the freshest produce. As the day progresses, the produce becomes cheaper as it is not as fresh. We all look aghast when we reach the meat section... every type of meat, chicken, pork and whatever else is right out there with no covering and no refrigeration. Our health inspectors back home would close the place down in 30 seconds! But, and we all found this really interesting, we saw maybe 2 flies the whole time... and I think they were only there because they got lost on the way to the town dump!

The fish section was equally amazing with the fish all spread out, both whole and in pieces, with prawns, squid and other seafood all available for sale. Out guide spends about 10 minutes at each section pointing out what is what and what to look for when buying it back home. The Cockney couple can't believe the range of fruit on display and didn't know what most things were... things we take for granted back home.

After an hour we wander back to the Morning Glory and head upstairs where benches are laid out with gas stoves and all the implements of construction. Our teacher is one of the ladies who has been working with Ms Vy for 17 years. She gives us a talk about how important cooking skills are for young Vietnamese girls and that it is the number 1 priority when she gets married. Mothers tell their daughters... “You good cook and husband will never go out from home!” Now I know why there are 80 million Vietnamese...!

Several groups are now together making about 30 in the class and we don our aprons and begin cooking the first of 5 dishes we will prepare today. The ingredients are all laid out and with some guidance from the assistants when required, we all manage to create our masterpieces and enjoy eating them. The class lasts 4 hours and I came away confident that I could replicate the dishes back home. Frankly, I was stunned at how easy and tasty the dishes are and the course cemented my new found love for this style of food. At the completion of the course, Ms Vy thanks everyone and personally signs her cookery book for those who want them. Altogether an amazing experience and one I can highly recommend.

Back on the street and I wander around the river and get some more shots without the crowds, then head back to the hotel where Liz has been lazing in the sun and relaxing. It has turned into a bright, warm sunny day and the beach in front of our room looks amazing as it stretches away 40kms to the north. The sea haze makes it difficult to see the islands off the coast but I can just imagine them on a clear morning with the sun coming up behind them. Maybe next time.

We decide to head to town and have dinner at The Cargo Bar, another restaurant owned by Ms Vy. Her cooking schools have been so successful she owns 4 restaurants and one hotel in Hoi An. We are led to the upstairs dining area which is open and looks out on the river with the lights of the town sparkling in the still water... only broken by the occasional boat taking tourists for a night view of the river and town.

Oh by the way, did I mention that out the back of our villa is a small enclosed private garden with tropical plants and an outside shower. Liz was going to sit in the sun while she read her book but decided against it when she spied a green snake slither across the grass!

We end another day in this beautiful old town after taking a few hundred shots of the lights and buildings along the riverside. A group of local street performers put on a show in the square by the old bridge. It's all very magical you have to pinch yourself to make sure you are not in some fairytale! We are both very sad at the thought we'll be leaving Hoi An tomorrow.

Day 7 - Hoi An .. Vietnam

Hoi An... Vietnam. Wow.... what more can you say about this place on the east coast of Vietnam about an hours flight from Saigon! There is so much to tell to try and describe all the accolades Hoi An seems to get from everyone who has been here that I'm going to wait until we get to KL on Tuesday evening. Typing on this small notebook is hard work so I'll wait until I can get to a decent keyboard. So stay tuned folks. 

And thanks to those who have kept up with our travels via this Blog... we'll try and catch up shortly. Hope all are well at home though as we've heard of big storms again out around Penrith.

Just now waiting at Saigon airport for our flight to KL are we able to have a bit of a breather and catch up on the Blog. The wi-fi here doesn't work so I'll send this later.

Our hotel is on the coast about 3 miles from Hoi An and we catch the hotel shuttle. The drive to the main town is amazing and I'm wanting the driver to stop so I can take photos... this is real in-your-face Vietnam as we pass through busy villages and markets, green rice paddies, temples and over a bridge which has the most magnificent view of the river and fishing villages. So much photograph and so little time... I'm already wishing we could spend two weeks here.

The old town of Hoi An is a heritage town so no cars allowed but push-bikes and small motorbikes are everywhere, as well as the bike rickshaws touting for business. It's a Sunday and full of tourists as well as locals with small stalls and street sellers everywhere. Charlie would go ballistic as they are very persistent like in India!

The streets look just like those in downtown Melaka, quaint old Chinese shop-houses … restaurants, galleries, clothes shops, jewelery, you name it and it's here, and of course, the street sellers are never far away. It's a photographers paradise and I'm glad we don't use film anymore... I would have run out before we got to town!

My old school mate Lionel Adams-Acton (who I haven't seen for 43 years, but we caught up on Facebook) is currently in Siem Riep and our paths won't cross on this trip, but he was in Hoi An 2 weeks ago and recommended the cooking class at The Morning Glory Restaurant, so we make our way through the crowded streets and finally find it... crowded with people. I book a course for the next day, Monday, at 8:30am. Another early start!

It is starting to get hot and I'm indire need of a cold beer so we head for a restaurant down by the river called The Mango Rooms. Apparently Mick Jagger dined here so they just might let us in. We choose a seat by the window overlooking the broadwalk and the river.

There are old men and women in small boats who hang around the edge of the river touting for business. I'd love to go for a ride down the river but after my Apocalypse Now episode in the Mekong Delta... I kept hearing those haunting words... “Never get into the boat!” Besides, Liz said she'd divorce me on the spot if I even thought about it! I got some good shots of the people anyway.

Our lunch is simple Vietnamese food we've come to love and washed down with a cold Tiger. I can't believe that here in a communist country, Tiger beer is just $1 a can! It is $8 a can in KL! We could sit here all day watching the ever-changing scene... the boats on the river, the tourists riding bikes along the quay or the street food sellers. All the locals have definitely embraced capitalism in a big way.

I'm wanting to catch the sunset from the Cam Ram bride so we hang around the town until the sun starts to set over the misty mountains in the distance. Others have the same idea so the bridge is mayhem... photographers setting up on the narrow walkway, the locals getting the shits as they try and get past and avoid being run over by the constant flow of bikes, rickshaws and taxis.

There is a big cloud bank on the hills so the sunset is pretty tame but I get a few shots anyway. Tomorrow might be better.

We head back to the hotel in a taxi as we've missed the free shuttle bus. There is an opportun8ity for someone to make a lot of money here selling AeroGuard to the cabbies. The cab is alive with mosquitoes and the driver doesn't seem to notice but we don't want to risk malaria or one of those other nasties so we jump around in the back of the cab swatting the bloody things!

Back at the hotel and with the sound of the surf in the background we have a light dinner in one of the restaurants while Ross and Mandy, the musical duo, cover all of Liz's favourites... you know... all those soppy love songs!!!!

Off to bed with the surf raging a few metres away. I've got another early morning at the cooking class which starts at 8:30am.