Well apart from trawling round the Big Supermarket and going to the Parkson Mall with concessions and a bowling alley and a cinema, there is little else to do but eat and drink.

We have noticed the Vietnamese go to Big C en masse around 8pm, to just go and walk round a big store, it is like a tourist attraction, with its KFC and coffee bar.  As for Parkson, that is full of western goods, way too expensive, so is like a museum, to all but the very affluent, and it seems us westerners are in that category.  No-one buys the tv’s fashion goods or furniture, only cosmetics or the food in the food court before going to see a movie.

Then there is a 20km trip to Do Sun and the beach, which by comparison to other beaches in Vietnam is poor.   No wonder the Americans didn’t get this far, they must have heard how poor the beaches were up north.  Far better at Vung Tau, Mui Ne, China Beach et al..all in South Vietnam.

We had a little R and R with Tam’s parents and extended family in Chu Lai last weekend.  Alan and carme joined us for a very wet and thundery weekend, but we still managed a trip to the beach and sank many beers in shop tv, karaoke, food and cards.  So a very full weekend, the only thoughts on Monday was would we be able to get back to Da N ang.  The rain was flooding all the fields and some streets.  Boy oh boy was it heavy rain.

We arrived back, only to find most of our afternoon classes were cancelled, we keep missing lessons because of monsoons, strikes (once) and the afternoon school has inter school competitions cancelling days in the week.  All disruptive and so we are not really getting the hours of teaching we want to earn that little bit extra money to keep us going.

I am flying solo on the moto - only because Tam is with her family in Chu Lai, so she cannot criticize me…ha ha ha! freedom at last.  I am scooting here and there, just as if i have been on a motorbike for years.  I never realised how thrilling driving a bike could be albeit only a 125cc, but it is more powerful than many bikes here…what’s that advert?…. Zoom Zoom!! so true. Alan and I were bth cauht speeding today…clocked at 49kph (30mph) on a triple highway, a big dual carriageway, I should have been doing 40kph. (24mph)

Tam is back on Friday, so I guess I have to boring again…..no freedom, except I do now have a bicycle, I can exercise at last.  The bike was bought in Da Nang for half (yes) the price of an exact same Giant Bike for 5,400,00VND.  As a comparison, Alan’s moto cost the same, no comparison is there?  I am so out of condition, hamstrings and stuff are feeling the strain after my firstride out to the airport here in Hai Phong, a guess of 6km away, I did two laps, somaybe 10-12km.  There are no hills here to getthe challenge of using the bikes gears - all 24.  The gearing is very weak, I am able to cycle comfortable in 20th gear.

Here are a few pics of what’s been going on..

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With Tam, Tom (American), Alan (Eire) and Moi and cake!