The Water is Hue Deep

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Bonjour tout la monde!

Thank you for all of your witty reposts to my problem of being irresistible to both sexes. Me and my big biceps will take it in my stride.

From Hanoi we caught the night train to Hue (pronounced Hway) and being all romantic i paid for a 1st class sleeper cabin. We shared this cabin with a Turkish couple and there were stains on the sheets so it wasn't exactly the Orient Express. Louise was less than impressed with the cabin but i think it might have a racial undertone! The train took 15 hours instead of the 12 hours it should have been because a lot of the track was flooded and you couldn't even see the rails in some parts.

Our driver from the hotel was waiting for us and he took us to the end of the street that the hotel was on. We couldn't get any further because it was flooded. Our bags were transported through the water in a cyclo taxi and we were pulled along in a boat! We had booked two nights here and we were then going to go down the coast to Hoi An but that was badly flooded too. 'We' decided that I would wade through the knee-deep brown water to the travel agents down the road and buy plane tickets to Saigon. As all of the locals were just walking or riding through the water I decided it would be fine so waded through it a few more times to get to restaurants. The next morning my foot had about 10 red spots all over it. Rough Guide To Vietnam made it seem like it could be Bilharzia (aka 'river blindness' to make me seem tougher). It seems to have cleared up now though so you can all sleep tonight.

The next night we flew to Saigon. Our seats looked out onto the propellors. Yep, no proper engines. I don't really like small planes but I played the hero again and reassured Louise that it would be fine! The food on Vietnam Airlines isn't exactly Gordon Ramsey recipes so I declined their offer of a sandwich but Louise had mine and her's. We landed safely in Saigon, obviously, and we shall write again soon.

Much love,
Paul and Louise
xx

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Photos

Hotel in Hue
The water came right up to the door

Locals
They're used to it and found it very funny that we got a boat through it

Comments

[Emma]

How come I'm always the first to read these?! I need to start doing some work! How nice it was of you Louise to let him wade through the water, you're such a kind girl! xxx

[Clairee]

you're travelling!!!!
I didn't know you had gone!! So many wonderful miles away from HSBC. I'm so glad you are living your dream at last. I will have a job for you when you get back :) Have a wonderful time and enjoy every minute xxx

[lisa]

that's what i like to hear lou, never turn down an offer of an extra sandwich!xxxx

[Yam Yam]

Flooding!
Glad to see heggars you managing to lower the tone always! Glad Louise is putting you in your place having you wade through water! ha! sort out the first class though!!! x

[Lisa Hegarty]

Yo bro and Louise, You must be feeling flush Paul -1st class cabins and flights to Saigon! It wont last, soon you'll have spent all of your money and will have arguments about whether you can afford beans as well as cheese with your jacket potato and will be willing to walk an extra 5 miles for bread that is 50 cents cheaper than the shop down the road!! Only joking, its not really that bad. Me and Glynn are watching the pennies at the moment so we can live it up in Sydney in a few weeks time. Lx P.S. The locals are probably immune to all the nasties out there. Probably best that you dont attempt brown-water wading again!!