NOW IN CAMBODIA

We're here, at Lotus Resort & Spa Hotel, in Cambodia. Big day - 5 hours car travel, 3 hours waiting in airport, 1 hour flight, 1/2 hour getting out of airport, no driver to pick us up so got a taxi but we're here and dining at the restaurant on a FREE 5 course Asian dinner. Pool looks fab, weather is in the thirties :), looking forward to organising our itinerary tomorrow.

LAST DAY IN PARADISE

Seeing the sun rise makes my day :)















I cheated yesterday and "borrowed" a photo from the internet because I couldn't find the camera.

But these ones are mine which I took this morning.

Isn't it beautiful?

Wouldn't it be nice to wake up to that each morning?

Today was like the past couple of days in paradise with the addition of kite flying.

Unfortunately, the string wasn't long enough but Jayden still had fun which is all that matters.

We leave paradise (Phan Thiet) tomorrow :(. Another 5 hour drive back to Ho Chi Minh, straight to the airport and fly to Siem Reap in Cambodia.

More photos here.

THIS MUST BE JUST LIKE LIVIN' IN PARADISE

This must be just like livin' in paradise.
And I don't wanna go ho-ome.

It's been a glorious couple of days in paradise.

- Sunrise walks on the beach.















- Hearty buffet breakfast.















- Beach play - sandcastles and dams. See movies here and here.

- Bodysurfing.

- Smashed

- Smunched.

- And just looking pretty.

- Pool fun.

- A bite to eat.

- Romantic interludes, I mean nap time.

- Delicious dinners.

- Heavenley massages.

Time to call it a day. Where are the days going?

More photos here.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' BOUT

Blue Ocean Resort, Phan Thiet

Clear blue skies and kite surfing:

The sun:















The sand:

The surf:

The pool:

And two separate rooms ;)

If you're looking for me I'll be poolside or at the beach :)

AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE

What better way to celebrate Australia Day in Vietnam than with a packet of Anzac Biscuits. Can't believe we found them in a little street side shop. Jayden ate most of the packet for lunch.















As most of you were having the good 'ol barbie we dined at Pho 2000, famous for President Bill Clinton's visit.

We heart noodle soup so much that we've bought some Pho seasoning to bring home. Yeah, I know - slack! We could make it from scratch but......

Vegetarian Pho

Add a bit of this and voila!

Anyway, throughout our travels we come to realise that no matter where you go or what you do, there's simply "no place like home." And Australia definately is "the lucky country." Happy Australia Day all. Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi, Oi, Oi.

We've spent the day with foot massages, hair colours and hair washes and just a little bit more shopping before we leave Ho Chi Minh city tomorrow for Phan Thiet, and a beachside resort :)

BIRTHDAYS AND TOOTH FAIRIES

Happy special birthday Mummy/Nanny Trish/MIL. Hugs and kisses when we get home.














As for the Tooth Fairy, Jayden received 50,000 dong. I took him shopping this afternoon to spend it and of all the things he could have bought he bought Fruit Loops. I had to lend him 2,000 as they cost 52,000 ($2.60).

Yes, that is Dave in the background in bed reading at 8.30 pm.

CAN THO AND FLOATING MARKETS

Can Tho city was buzzing with activity last night, especially at the Night Markets. Everyone wants new clothes, accessories, cookware and household plants for Tet. It was a walk at snails pace but gave me plenty of opportunity to look. See movie here.















I was up early this morning, just as daylight broke, for a stroll along the river

and to say "Hi" to Uncle Ho.

At 7 am we were picked up from our hotel to view the Can Tho Floating Markets. The markets start around 3 am where the locals bring their produce for wholesale and shop owners come to buy their stock. See movie here.

You can buy pretty much anything from here including fruit and veg, snacks, and plants. We didn't happen to see any field mice for sale though which are on the menu in some restaurants. Luckily (for me) Dave still wasn't 100% so didn't get to indulge.

Coca Cola has saved him for the past couple of days. Look how little this boy is out working with his mother and selling from a floating bar. The markets are just about over by 9.30 am.

A 3 hour drive and we're back at Tan Hai Long 3 for 2 nights.

More photos here.

VINH LONG

It was bumper to bumper traffic with everyone heading to their homeland for Tet as we set off for a drive through the Mekong Delta to the town of Cai Be.















A 15 minute stop before

boarding our private boat for a cruize along the maze of waterways and canals to Vinh Long.

On the way we stopped in at a coconut candy factory and watched the candy being made from start to finish, all by hand. This stuff is like a mouthful of condensed milk. See popped rice being made here.

We checked out a salt factory also before boarding our boat again.

We then stopped at the home of a bonsai gardener for a sumptuous Delta lunch of elephant ear fish.

Whilst there freak Sofie got up close and personal with a 10 year old python and said it weighed a tonne.

Boarding our boat again, towards the end of the day we arrived at Hai Dao, our homestay in Vinh Long. With the tide being low we weren't sure we would make it. Luckily, with some forward and then backward motion we made it otherwise it would have been a four hour wait till the tide came in. See movie here.

A bit of a snooze and some rest and relaxation.

The kids were seriously bored as they put it so they played by the river bank with sticks and in the mud. Poor Dave (aka ex-cast iron guts) soon after arriving came down with a belly bug and was disappointed he's missed out on all the beautiful food since. He's still only marginally better now.

The mekong is a known malaria zone (we're taking Malarone) but we needn't have worried about the mozzies annoying us (mozzie nets over our beds). It was more the hundreds of Roosters on the island that gave us a wake up call at 3.59 am and didn't stop till just after 7 am. Needless to say it was a light sleep from early hours. After breaky we cycled around the island.

And then boarded our row boats for a cruise to Vinh Long town. Talk about peaceful. See movie here.

Stopping along the way to visit a local brick factory.

We then met our vehicle for transport to Can Tho. At lunch Jayden was courageous enough to pull his front tooth out which had been loose for about a week. Looks like the tooth fairy will be paying him a visit tonight in Vietnam Dong.

Checked in now to Kimtho Hotel.

Photos here.