Sunday 31st July 2016 (Hoi An, Vietnam Day 3)

I had the most horrible night feeling ill with flu - very little sleep, and drenched with sweat. I hoped in the morning I'd be feeling better and that the temperature would have broken, but I didn't feel a whole lot better. I spent most of the day in bed.

Scott took Lucy, Jack and Tom for a bike ride, with bikes rented from the hotel. It's probably a good job I didn't see what roads they cycled on!

Later on, fully drugged up, I ventured out with everyone back into Hoi An for a final clothes fitting, and to get tea. We counted 44 honks of the taxi's horn on the way - all time record for a 3 mile journey!

I remember sitting on the front steps of this shop, just quietly absorbing the heat and and feeling very Zen (or just fluey/doped!) while the boys shopped for ties.

Back at the tailor's, we tried our clothes on again. My dress had been taken in - perhaps a little too much, but I didn't feel up to coming back for another fitting session, so said it was fine as it was. The boys were extremely happy with their suits! They could be collected the next day.

We then walked a different way to the river and along the river front, taking in more of the wonderful, different sights.

We found a little restaurant overlooking the river, where I gladly sat down. It was incredibly hot.

We wandered back over the bridge to the open air market.

Back at the river we decided to go for a boat trip. Harry made a huge fuss about not going home straight after our meal, and did not want to go in a boat, but as soon as we got going, he loved it!! There are women wandering up and down selling the boat rides - we just approached one, then waited by the river edge for a few minutes (watching a rat!) while she sorted it out. We walked along a couple of slightly precarious planks over the muddy bank to the boat.
We were given paper lanterns to release onto the river.

The river was beautiful with the setting sun and lights everywhere.

The whole area is just so busy and alive at night.

We also saw a few newlyweds in boats. (We nearly crashed into this pair!)

The Japanese Covered Bridge, where a bridge has been since the 1590's, linking the Japanese community to the Chinese quarters.

We then walked back to the busier streets and got a taxi home (which once we'd hailed it, did an impressive U-turn in heavy traffic, and pulled onto the pavement to get to us!)
A billboard we passed on the way home - reminder that Vietnam is still a Communist state.