More on Hoi An - A most beautiful town

This town is a genuine treasure. It’s protected, and long may it stay that way.

The streets have a lovely French colonial feel; shops full of exciting bespoke shopping opportunities, sumptuous silks and jewelled temptations; Handbags, coats, copies of the latest whatever’s from Vogue, it’s all yours for the asking. Little coffee bars and wonderful restaurants nestle between them.

This chap plied an interesting trade, just walking around with a set of bathroom scales offering to weigh you. I wonder if he ever gets any takers!

I saw the pictures of Guys 40th on facebook which made me feel dreadfully sad, as I remembered that I had made him a present for this occasion, almost 2 years early as I thought we'd be celebrating together. It looked like a great party though.

I shouldn’t have looked at them all really - but like picking a scab, you just have to do it even when each little bit hurts and you know you will regret it afterwwards. Wish this pointless pain would just stop though, surely its gone on enough now!

Still . When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping and get their hair done.

I decided to have a dress made to cheer myself up.

And also to get my hair cut as it's been about 4 months and frankly I look rather revolting. I decided that don’t like being a brunette as much, but in the end decided to just get highlights, as less high maintenance.

It was not very busy and so all 5 hairdressers seemed keen to pitch in....

Got perfect manicure and pedicure also.. the whole lot came to £16. You have to pay for luxury!!

Unfortunately got absolutely soaked to the skin in a massively heavy downpour on the way back to the hotel, which kind of made the nice blow dry pointless, but the rain is so warm, and our hotel room actually has a hairdryer which is a bit of a novelty on my trip so far, so it wasn’t so bad... met up with the others for a few drinks later.