Cảm ơn, Hoi An

I've had a rather lovely couple of days! Yesterday the morning was spent chillaxing by the pool before having a phenomenal lunch of what was like a Vietnamese version of calamari (essentially calamari but SOOOOO much better!) and then everyone except Jonny and Vy, who wanted to stay behind and organise wedding gubbins, went into town (which is upriver from our hotel) and got on a boat that took us back downriver for about an hour to the hotel, where Jonny and Vy jumped on and we went all the way back, enjoying the sunset and seeing all the fisherman throwing their nets, people driving cattle on the banks and white cranes paddling in the shallows! Beautiful. Then a slightly nerve-wracking navigation of the river by night without any lights on any of the boats anywhere that were still buzzing around. They actually keep fishing by night, suspending a light over their nets to keep the fish awake and to draw them towards their chilli and lemongrass doom.
We made it back to the dock in town and hopped off in search of tailors. We went up to where we'd been having things made in the hope of a good fit and to find it all in good condition. My jacket looks absolutely phenomenal, really really amazing except that when I tried it on, the material didn't feel like what I asked for. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassive drama ensues. They had to get a new roll of material to make the jacket from what I'd picked, so I was wondering if maybe, just maybe there might have been a mix-up in the composition of the fabric because it looked so similar. I was extremely gracious and diplomatic, as you know I can be, and as you know I cannot bear conflict of any sort, and they took immense offence, even with Vy kindly translating for me. Anyway, lots of frustration and 24hrs later it's pretty much finished and I get to keep it tomorrow. But I haven't really described quite how literally hot and extremely bothered we were. What made us even more suspicious was that she got so extremely defensive so extremely quickly. And now, let us never talk of it again, except to say how amazing my jacket and trousers look))
Today was quite lovely, if rather busy. I dashed to town and back first thing in the morning and then got an AWFUL haircut. My head looks wonky and bumpy and I hate it and I might just get my head shaved when I get to Saigon tomorrow for simplicity. I simply can't bear it. I don't think the hairdresser really knew what she was doing, but she was quite sweet and gave me an amazing head massage as she washed my hair. Come the afternoon we got on a bus that took us up into the hills to an ancient set of ruins, what used to be a temple. We timed it perfectly!! The journey took about an hour to get there, we then turned up just as four coachloads of schoolchildren were leaving, making us the only people in this amazing place. We walked up to the ruins surrounded by butterflies, all sorts of birdcalls and animal noises and a rather soporific sound of running water coming from a brook. Alas, also present was the sound of an exclaiming grandmother, so I hung back and let the others go on ahead while I had fun with butterflies and the forest/jungle around me - speaking of which, when does one become the other? Hmmmm..... - I felt rather like the little girl at the beginning of Pan's Labyrinth, just completely lost in my own world)
Long journey back and I have a humungously splitting headache by the end so once we had episode 3 of the tailors we started wandering aimlessly, dropped into a place where they show you how silk is made with silk worms and all sorts of incredible embroidery, followed by more aimless wandering - both more wandering AND much much more aimless, which I rather grew tired of so I excused myself and my sore head and came back to the hotel, which is where I am now! I might have a cold shower and a co-codamol to celebrate a saving of 200,000 Dong by my not having supper.
My immensely wise father thought it was an inspired idea to run a kitty for this trip. That would be fine if we were all earning similar amounts, but when everyone's ordering loads of beers, cocktails, massive amounts of food, etc etc it means that my savings are being depleted far more quickly than I had anticipated. It's very demoralising because as well as not thoroughly enjoying my company, I'm having to pay for the privilege. And pay more than otherwise. With each day that goes by, that's even less I can spend on things that I actually want. I don't want to be paying for Granny's third daquiri when it could be spent on a trip to the Vietnamese highlands or around Ha Long Bay. It's utterly ridiculous and I hate it immensely. I also think it's rather inconsiderate when it's well known how little money I have. I'd far rather just pay for the food that I eat and the beers that I drink. But still, I've had my grumble... That's the way it's going to be until the 29th and I just have to accept that. Maybe I should have the more complex operation afterall, more time recovering means less money spent. And to be honest, I really have no grounds to complain. That's right, I'm afraid Fred has had his rather clicheed travelling epiphany that everyone gets)) As we drove through these more suburban and rural areas, I was probably getting much the same thoughts as most people do get, so I shan't go into them now, nor shall I ever condescend with such lines as "oh look, they're so happy despite having so little", but I think that one, despite being aware, can empathise much much more when it's all there infront of you. Certainly it dissolves ones arrogance, of which I have plenty! And from a political point of view, one can start to see how something like communism can become so popular, because in situations like these it does start to make sense (if you take away the corruption, the single-party system, the restriction of media AND FACEBOOK, etc etc). Thisafternoon was a little like watching The Motorcycle Diaries in a way) It's just a shame that the theory and the practical realities are so different. And even then, the people of this country seem so detached from the political system, everyone just gets on with it while the place is governed around them. Afterall, how seriously can you take a man with a wonky beard? Although I'm told that means he's been stroking it while deep in thought!
What's more is that I've spent the last paragraph just pontificating, thinking aloud and just having one of those internal debates that one has with no real conclusion, as well as getting an extreme case of mosquito paranoia so I might finish now! Tomorrow afternoon we return to Saigon, my teeth return to the dentist and I will now return to bed :)

It's now the next morning, and I was wrong about the group in the hotel :) Fred just met a laaaaaady!! A lovely girl called Anna who was very interesting and down to earth, as well as rather pretty :) But it was a short-lived romance, she's leaving in 30min and has gone back to her room to pack. Never miiiiiiiiind!

Anyway, thank you Hoi An for a lovely stay - despite some ups and downs I still love you very much!


oh, and photo-wise.. I know I've repeated the coracle, but it was much prettier with a red flag :) and there'll be more to come when I can get the computer to be a bit happier with me.. But it's just a couple of butterflies, and I wasn't able to capture the REALLY amazing ones afterall.

Lots of love xxxx