The night was hot and sticky but we all surprisingly slept pretty well. The chirping gecko and the snoring of the other guests didn’t help, but our preparation for the mosquitos worked out well with none of us getting bitten.
All in all a successful but sticky stay which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Today was the first day of the trip without an alarm but due to the sun and the neighbours waking up early it was impossible to lie in.
We got up and took showers which we were a little hesitant about due to them being rather basic, however they were really welcome after the sweaty night.
Mrs Mai made us a simple breakfast of banana fritters, omelette, bread rolls and Vietnamese coffee. The banana fritters were delicious, sweet and moreish.
After breakfast we relaxed on the terrace while the children did some more fishing. They didn’t catch anything but still had a great time.
At eleven it was time to leave and head back to HCMC. We packed and said goodbye to Mrs Mai before walking along the dirt track back to the coach waiting for us on the main road.
An hour into the journey we stopped at the rest stop for a lunch of Banh Mi. The options were limited and we ended up with fried egg and fish Banh Mi’s which didn’t go down well with the children. They opted to skip lunch!
I tried a Mung Bean ice lolly which I had my eye on the last time we were here. It was actually really tasty, mostly coconut milk but with a hint of green bean.
Back on the coach for two more hours to return to our hotel in HCMC. Once we’d checked in and got organised we took a walk around the block to find a cold drink.
We found a nice hotel bar and sat outside drinking beer from the local micro-brewery. A football match was on which Alex watched intently.
We reminisced about the trip and the wonderful things we’d experienced, winding down as the trip was now nearly over.
In the evening we met up with Thuy and the rest of the group for our final meal out together. Everyone was starting to flag from all of the travelling, eating and drinking but we had a pleasant evening out to say farewell.
Thuy, our tour guide, has been great, everything you could want in a guide. Helpful and proud to share his country but not intrusive or forcing the conversation and everything ran like clock work.
We get back to the hotel and say our goodbyes to Thuy and the other family before heading off to bed, really happy to have experienced this wonderful country.