Thursday 9th November

Prime task for today was to get Tracy an x-ray so that she could get back on her feet. First we were fortified by an excellent breakfast buffet at the hotel, with prawn dumplings that were outstanding (I know, not everyone's idea of breakfast!). We wandered slowly into the heart of the city where two clinics catering to foreigners are located and found the first lacking the equipment. However the 2nd one did have facilities and Tracy opted to get the local orthopedist called for an opinion. Tim went off to do a little sightseeing while Tracy waited and returned to hear the good news, Tracy could get back on her foot!

To celebrate we took a walk, Tracy quickly discovering that crutching with weight on the damaged appendage was far preferable to keeping all the weight off. This allowed us to take in a few sights (the old post office, town hall, main market) and locate the major area frequented by tourists where internet and travel information could be procured. It was close by so after a return to the hotel Tim went out to scout for food and do internet duty.

HCM is a larger, busier city than Hanoi with less charm. The old colonial buildings have been nicely kept up but much of what we saw is a bustling middle city. The place also has a reputation for crime and hassle but we never encounted any problems or negative vibes. It's also a lot hotter than up north.

In the evening we braved a local restaurant where they did procure a sort of English menu but we were on our own with interpreting it. However we enjoyed good food with our guesswork. We did avoid the item labelled "Mud Fish (served Gobby)"! Fried dough at a stall across the road completed our culinary adventures.