Day 12: JP gets a tummy bug so JQ has a day of leisure

Well, what do you know, JP managed to get sick too whilst we were in Hoi An. This shouldn't put anyone off Hoi An, I hasten to add - I was sick en route there, and JP's appears to be a combination of things. He woke feeling rubbish, so I breakfasted on my own then returned to see how the invalid was doing. He was really rough by then, so I kept him company for a bit, catching up on emails etc. By lunchtime, he was on an even keel, so I took advantage of the lull and headed over the road to one of the many beauty salon/spa's there and had a manicure and a pedicure. Spa services (the legit sort!) are really popular over here, although I can't figure out if they are purely to catch the lucrative tourist market. Tourists are seen as hugely wealthy and can be viewed almost as walking ATM's regardless of how the tourist themself thinks of the goods or services on offer. Given how cheap things are here compared to home, it is easy to see why though. The two "-icures" together were only about £5.

I popped home and checked JP was still ok then went for lunch at the "Red Apple" across the road, where JP ate when I was sick. As well as trying the local speciality of Cao Lao in veggie form, I also tried a fresh coconut juice. They served the coconuts whole, with the lid sliced off and a straw to drink it. They sell them on the street, but I'd not seen any to buy at that point. It cost about 66p and was really tasty, and you can even cut it open afterwards and eat the coconut inside if it is ripe enough.

Having headed home, JP was starting to revive so after another nap, we headed out for our last evening in the old town. We headed for western food to keep things simple, so found a place called "Good morning, Vietnam" which was great. It is in an old chinese merchant house, so there is a courtyard in the middle of the house, which is where we sat, and totally in contrast to the italian food we ate - bruschetta and pasta, with ice-cream to follow. Fab food in fab surroundings, followed by a gentle stroll back to the hotel to pack for the transfer to Ho Chi Minh City.



The old town is lit up with lots of lanterns of different colours and types and it really makes it a pretty place to walk around. There are shops selling these silk lanterns all over the place and they are so cheap, but we've resisted so far.