The Ghost of Thomas Hardy and Kamikaze Hookers

My last few days in Ho Chi Minh were a wondrous time. We took a day trip to the Cao Dai Great Temple, 100km north of HCMC. Cao Daism is a perplexing religion, something to do with seances and the spirit of William Shakespeare, Joan of Arc and Thomas Hardy. I've seen a lot of temples recently, but this one took the freaking biscuit. A cacophony of colours, music and a ceremony like I've never seen, they believe in "the existence of the soul, the use of mediums to communicate with the Aspiritual world, and belief in one god".

Blew my mind.

Onwards to the CuChi Tunnels, where I conquered my claustrophobia to get down and dirty in the 200km of tunnels dug during the Vietnam War and saw traps laid for the Americans with spikes up to your eyeballs. We ate a weird tunnel dinner of some kind of nutty sweet potato with sugar and peanuts and I lost my fear of dysentery.

Waving goodbye to Saigon, we headed up to the Central Highlands, this was the first time I've worn socks in a month. While the others took an early start in the mountains, I opted for a day in the city. It was cold. And if you thought I was shitting myself in a tuk tuk, you should have seen me on the back of a motorbike. Clinging. On. For. Dear. Life. I took a cable car up to a Chinese pagoda, and paid a visit to the local's "crazy house". Kind of like Disneyland but a but shitter. It felt good to not be sweating in 30 degree heat and I think it's at this point that I give a shout to my lovely travel buddies The Laxton-Badleys and Jo-Jo.. Thanks for taking me under your wing. Drinking vodka under a mosquito net will never be the same. I'm praying for immunity to Japanese Encephalitis.

A cramped bus ride later, we've arrived in Nha Trang.. THE BEEEEEEEACH! I sat today on paradise sands, burning my belly, reading my Kindle (I'm on The Help- nailed One Day in two bus rides- I heart you, Dex), drinking beer and fighting off kamikaze hookers. "You want pringles?" "no". "you want massage?". "no". "you want chupa chup?" "no." "you want bracelet?" "no". "you want ladyboy?" " NO!". I bought a lucky Buddha bracelet. It was the least I could do.

The Vietnamese are the cheeriest, cheekiest people I've ever met. The Beef Pho is to die for and the diversity of the country is sending me crazy. I don't want to leave but I've booked a flight for November 5th back to Thailand. I'll be sorry to say goodbye.