Over the hills, and far away

A lovely bus ride up into the hills, first past steep hillsides with waterfalls and hairpin bends, then onto a plateau where the forest had been cleared for coffee plantations. Approaching Da Lat (about 1500m high) we came on miles of greenhouses and fields of vegetables and flowers - seems like the garden of Vietnam. Da Lat is much bigger than we expected, a sprawling city in a lovely location, if you ignore the deforestation. Fellow travellers get easily lost among the locals so it doesn't feel very touristy. Quiet season for escapees from the heat of Saigon.

Great walk today to the highest point around, Lang Biang mountain about 2200m. Walk was 5.5 hours. Last half-hour before top was very steep and sweaty; needed hands on way up, bum on way down. Great views but hazy so no good pics. Recovered in the steam room and jacuzzi on the hotel roof.

Still amazed at how much vegetable growing and greenhouses, every inch terraced and planted. Apparently the best climate for this in Vietnam.

Next morning walked to the "Crazy House", an architect's fantasy started in 1990 and not yet finished.

Have been staying at Dreams Hotel which is brilliant; wonderful breakfast and real Marmite.

Next day our bus packed with Vietnamese and their bags and boxes, lurched and rattled down the hills, stopping occasionally to let the smoke disappear from the brakes, past an enormous new dam and over badly damaged roads to Mui Ne. This is kite-surfing heaven, a huge bay, very long beach and (probably) constant breeze, turning to wind. Not really a town, just a strip of resorts, hotels and places to eat. Two days lazing on the beach. There are loads of beach-side fish and seafood stalls so Chris is enjoying this. Lots of Russians here, many signs in Russian, even had to decline a Russian menu.

The bus to Saigon passed miles of dragon-fruit fields then a series of towns with little space between. Every town had a church near the pagoda, some still being built. The sprawl of Saigon started about 50km out and the bus crawled in, but dropped us near the place we had booked. Wandered around Saigon which was not nearly as nice as Hanoi, wide busy streets. Tasty meal to the strains of the Beatles then saw our first drive-by bag-snatching. Saigon is the thieving capital and everyone is on the make.