Nigel: The route that we were taking through Vietnam was mainly along the East coast, with the only exception being Dalat. The town is high up in the mountains and is a lot cooler than the rest of the South. For this reason the French, during there time of occupancy, built many holiday chalets so that they could escape the summer heat. The change in temperature was noticeable as the locals were wearing very thick coats in the evening. For us the weather was still hot so our shorts and t-shirts still sufficed. The main attraction in Dalat is a group on motor bike riders who have set up a club which runs special tours. They are called the Easy Riders and they are very popular. The only downside to this popularity is that there are other people that have latched on to the idea and are also calling them selves by the same name.Before we arrived in Dalat we decide that we wouldn't go on any of the tours , as we had been on one in Cambodia. We did, however, meet one of the the riders who as it happened, was the same guy who took Alison's friend on a tour some months earlier. He came across very well and wasn't to pushy when talking about the tours. He gave us his card and if anyone is going to Dalat his details are. Name - Phan Phu Chung, Web site – www.dalat-easyrider.com.vn Phone – 0902 310154.

The next place that we went to see was a place called the crazy house . It is set in a middle of a residential area and it was built and is still being built by a Vietnamese architect. The guide book sums up the house very well by saying “ Doctor Hang Viet Nga has, over a period of years, built up a hotel in organic fashion. Rooms and gardens resemble scenes from the pages of a fairy storybook; guest sleep inside mushrooms, trees and giraffes and sip tea under giant   cobwebs”. When we arrived people were still in there rooms so you weren't able to see all the rooms but the ones we did see were very strange. We believe that the pictures do it more justice than words can.