Sunrise on the Mekong - 12th June, 2007.

I was still half asleep.

Mekong River Morning Market - 12th June, 2007.

Just afer sunrise, we near the markets.

Mekong River Morning Market - 12th June, 2007.

We criss cross through the market boats.

Making Noodles - 12th June, 2007.

We stop off briefly to witness a family preparing noodles for sale.

Mekong River Morning Market - 12th June, 2007.

Nearing the market centre.

Noodle Drying Racks - 12th June, 2007.

After the noodles have been made, they dry in the morning sun.

Mekong River Morning Market - 12th June, 2007.

These geese are a little stressed.

Mekong River Morning Market - 12th June, 2007.

These geese are to be sold.

Mekong River Morning Market. - 12th June, 2007.

People are trading.

Morning tea break - 12th June, 2007.

The boat driver takes us to his relatives river house.

Morning tea break - 12th June, 2007.

After consuming rice whiskey, Ben is asked to leave his sunglasses as a payment.

Mekong Delta Boat Ride - 12th June, 2007.

Boat launching area.

Night photos of HCMC - 15th June, 2007.

Sam took some very nice pictures from our the top floor of our hotel.

Night photos of HCMC - 15th June, 2007.

Sam took some very nice pictures from the top floor of our hotel.

War Remnants Museum - 16th June, 2007.

An American Huey helicopter.

War Remnants Museum - 16th June, 2007.

An American F5 Freedom Fighter.

Chau Dau Temple - 16th June, 2007.

Exterior view of the temple. Ben and I arrive for midday prayers - very touristy.

Chau Dau Temple - 16th June, 2007.

We (like the other tourists) watch the religious proceedings from the vantage of the 2nd floor.

Cu Chi Tunnels - 16th June, 2007.

Spider hole. Barely wide enough for a man, the North Vietnamese would spring up from the hole.

Cu Chi Tunnels - 16th June, 2007.

A nasty spear trap that pierces your leg as you fall through it.

Cu Chi Tunnels - 16th June, 2007.

Ben and I go down the Cu Chi tunnel. We do not stay down there long!

Cu Chi Tunnels - 16th June, 2007.

Souvenir Trap. Once impaled on your foot, you have to remove the whole trap to escape. Hence the name.

Vung Tau Back Beach. - 20th June, 2007.

A nice beach, although the horizon is dotted with oil tankers.

Evening on Back Beach, looking south. - 20th June, 2007.

Kids play soccer and swim at the beach.

Walking into Vung Tau - 21st June, 2007.

Sam and I get wet walking into town. We are trying to find a tour agent.

Nui Dat - 21st June, 2007.

A shot from the top of Nui Dat hill.

Nui Dat - 21st June, 2007.

A shot from the top of Nui Dat hill.

Nui Dat - 21st June, 2007.

A shot from the top of Nui Dat hill.

Nui Dat - 21st June, 2007.

All that remains of the allies involvement 30+ years ago.

Nui Dat - Long Tan Cross - 21st June, 2007.

A memorial cross for the 18 lost Australians at the battle of Long Tan.

Sand Dunes - 23rd June, 2007.

Sand Dunes at Mui Ne.

Sand Sledding - 23rd June, 2007.

Sam takes a running plunge down the dune.

Sand Dune Tour Guides - 23rd June, 2007.

These wee kids take us sledding. Cost us $5 each.

Sand Dunes - 23rd June, 2007.

Fortunately we arrive early to avoid the tourist crowds.

Fishing Village - 23rd June, 2007.

We stop to take some quick photos at the Mui Ne fishing village.

Red Canyon - 23rd June, 2007.

We go exploring the canyon.

Red Canyon - 23rd June, 2007.

This shot looks back towards the sea—the way we came in.

Red Canyon - 23rd June, 2007.

Column details.

Fairy River - 23rd June, 2007.

Very unusual sand formations.

Fairy River - 23rd June, 2007.

Very unusual sand formations.

Fairy River - 23rd June, 2007.

This was at the end of a half hour walk.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

In the morning we visit the Dalat Crazy House. Opened in 1990.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

The house has bizarre hallways.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

Crazy multi-storey structure.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

Toadstool with hobbit hole like house in the background.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

Sam poses in the rain.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

I thought it was cool how the building forms and the plant life compliment each other.

The Crazy House - 26th June, 2007.

A wooden tree trunk like stairway.

Meet Sang the Easy Rider - 26th June, 2007.

This is Sang, Sam's Easy Rider for the next 6 days. He is subtle hard-case.

Meet Peter the Easy Rider - 26th June, 2007.

Me and Peter. Peter has a thing for American rap culture...

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

A line of workers unraveling silk from the silk worms.

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

These are all the doomed silk worms. They are in a silk cocoon.

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

Silk worms are dropped into hot water, killing them. Then their threads are attached to a spinning machine.

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

Worker attaching more silk worm cocoons.

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

A large silk machine which was mesmerising to watch in action.

Dalat silk factory - 26th June, 2007.

Very fine quality silk.

Waterfall - 26th June, 2007.

After the silk factory, Sang leads us down to a waterfall.

Waterfall - 26th June, 2007.

Sam and I got drenched. Good thing being on the back of a bike dries you out quick.

On the way to Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

We visit as silk weaving shop.

On the way to Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

Sam buys a scarf for his Gran from this lady.The lady was a sweet talker.

Lak Lake - Water Buffalo kids - 26th June, 2007.

Kids look after the animals and use them as taxis.

Lak Lake - Peter again. - 26th June, 2007.

Peter is "macking it."

Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

An enclosure for ducks.

Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

We stop to take pics of the up coming village.

Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

This is a Minority People taxi.They are coming home from their agricultural work.

Nearing Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

These poor pigs are for the chop.

At Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

We stay near this lake overnight as part of a homestay.

At Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

It is very peaceful here. Nothing for miles.

At Lak Lake - 26th June, 2007.

It is very peaceful here. Nothing for miles.

Leaving the Lak Lake area - 27th June, 2007.

We stop briefly on a hot day to watch the boat builders.We encounter a cobra shortly after this.

Pleiku Area - Musician with bambo kit - 29th June, 2007.

We are invited into a French speaking Vietnamese person's home to watch a performance.

Pleiku Area - Sam plays - 29th June, 2007.

We watch while Sam gives it a go.

Pleiku Area - I play. - 29th June, 2007.

Even with some musical experience, I find it hard to co-ordinate my limbs.

Pleiku Area - traditional meeting house - 29th June, 2007.

There are some similarities to this house and Maori traditional architecture.

Pleiku Area - 29th June, 2007.

Peter and I stop for a stretch.

Pleiku Area -Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

The Easy Riders take us to an Orphanage. Sang finds a friend.

Pleiku Area - Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

Unfortunately these cute kids have a bleak future.It is really sad.

Pleiku Area - Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

Some cute kiddies pointing at us.

Pleiku Area - Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

The orphanage survives on donations from the community and tourists such as us.

Pleiku Area - Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

Sam makes some friends too.

Pleiku Area - Bahnar Orphanage - 29th June, 2007.

The kid wants to use the camera. Sam finds it funny.

The Ho Chi Min Trail - 30th June, 2007.

Tiered rice plantation. We see more of this in Sapa.

The Ho Chi Min Trail - 30th June, 2007.

Minority People collecting wood.

The Ho Chi Min Trail - 30th June, 2007.

A very common obstacle. This was my worst fear-colliding with a water buffallo.

The Ho Chi Min Trail - 30th June, 2007.

Cut Throat Shave - 1st July, 2007.

While we are waiting for our passports to return;Sam gets a shave

Cut Throat Shave - 1st July, 2007.

Sam is bleeding a little.

Close to Laos - 1st July, 2007.

We are on the HCM trail, in the middle of the Central Highlands.Laos is a left turn.

Back on the road - 1st July, 2007.

Sam (cleanly shaven) is relieved to have his passport back after waiting to 2pm.

Back on the road - 1st July, 2007.

I too am relieved to get back on the road.

Motorbike under burdon HCM trail. - 1st July, 2007.

We got used to seeing bikes overloaded like this.

In pineapple country HCM trail. - 1st July, 2007.

Water Buffallo pulls a pineapple sled.

In pineapple country HCM trail. - 1st July, 2007.

Later we stop and we have half a pineapple each. Yum!

Group Shot on the Ho Chi Min Trail. - 1st July, 2007.

This photo we gave to Peter to keep in his feedback book.

Minority people gathering wood - 1st July, 2007.

Small children do it tough over here. But we did not see a child upset.

Minority people gathering wood - 1st July, 2007.

Small children do it tough over here. But we did not see a child upset.

Da Nang-Pagoda at the Mountain - 8th July, 2007.

Already hot, we know to reach the top is going to be a tough walk.

Da Nang-Pagoda at the Mountain - 8th July, 2007.

A postcard shot. We had reached the top.

Shots at the top - 8th July, 2007.

Da Nang's sprawling suburbs.

Shots at the top - 8th July, 2007.

Da Nang's sprawling suburbs.

Shots at the top - 8th July, 2007.

Da Nang's sprawling suburbs.

Me - 8th July, 2007.

This shot looks south toward Hoi An.

Mac Daddy Sam - 8th July, 2007.

We take a few pics standing outside a cave entrance.

Inside the Caves - 8th July, 2007.

Sam spent an age setting up this series of atmospheric shots.

Inside the Caves - 8th July, 2007.

Sam spent an age setting up this series of atmospheric shots.

Inside the Caves - 8th July, 2007.

A Confucian Sculpture.

Tran Quoc Pagoda - 14th July, 2007.

Another pagoda with numerous Buddha in the windows.

Hoan Kiem Lake - 15th July, 2007.

This is the main lake in the Old Quarter.

Hoan Kiem Lake - 17th July, 2007.

This is the main lake in the Old Quarter.

The Water Puppets Show - 15th July, 2007.

Musicians.

The Water Puppets Show - 15th July, 2007.

Puppets.

The Water Puppets Show - 15th July, 2007.

Dragon breathing fire.

The Water Puppets Show - 15th July, 2007.

The puppeteers at the show's conclusion.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

On the bow of the Junk.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

Karst formations.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

More nice scenery.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

Me watching the scenery go by.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

This helmsman steers the boat by feet only...

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

More interesting karst formations.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

More tourist boats (Junks) follow us to the cave.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

We pass by a shellfish farm.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

At the cave entrance, there is quite a crowd of boats in the bay.

Inside the cave - 16th July, 2007.

Walking into the well lit caves.

Inside the cave - 16th July, 2007.

Sam and I look as natural as possible.

Inside the cave - 16th July, 2007.

Sam attempts some long exposure shots inside the cave.

Inside the cave - 16th July, 2007.

More cave shots.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

On the way out from the cave we see there are more Junks now arriving.

Ha Long Bay at night - 16th July, 2007.

That night we share the unique experience with forty other boats.

Ha Long Bay - 16th July, 2007.

More people doing what we are doing. Very touristy.

Sapa With a View - 22nd July, 2007.

We climb for 20 minutes to reach a look out to take this pic.

Sapa Gardens - 22nd July, 2007.

A private garden in Sapa.

Sapa Landscapes. - 22nd July, 2007.

Sapa is surrounded by many mountains.

Sapa 3 Day Trek Tour - 23rd July, 2007.

Hmong people follow us.They would try and sell us their wares. We did buy walking sticks as it was slippery.

Sapa 3 Day Trek Tour - 23rd July, 2007.

This Hmong woman followed Sam for the whole of the first day.

Sapa - 23rd July, 2007.

Rice fields worker.

Sapa - 23rd July, 2007.

There was about 30 other tourists all walking on the same tour.

No Thanks - 23rd July, 2007.

This little kiddie wants me to buy a braclet. I have plenty thanks.

Sapa - 23rd July, 2007.

We alongside a stream for a few kilometres.

Sapa - 24th July, 2007.

It rained on and off on day two. I nearly slipped down a bank.

Water Buffalo - 24th July, 2007.

This water buffalo cools off in a mud pool.

Sapa - 24th July, 2007.

We wonder down to the valley below for the end of our second night.

More kids - 24th July, 2007.

Some kids we met playing on a nearby road.

More kids - 24th July, 2007.

Some kids we met playing on a nearby road.

Sapa - 25th July, 2007.

The guide and I are nearly dead on this hot day walking uphill.

Sam and Zao woman - 23rd July, 2007.

Sam bought a few braclets from this woman.She did not speak English.

Nice muddy roads - 22nd July, 2007.

There was a bit of a traffic jam with the bus ahead getting stuck.

Sapa waterfall - 22nd July, 2007.

Sam and I rode up a hillside to see this waterfall.

Sapa - waterfall - 22nd July, 2007.

Waterfall.