Three old ladies in Vietnam

Thought I would let you see a photo of me so you know I really am here. The three old ladies are aged 72, 70, and 66, and I am not saying who is who! People are enormously friendly here, even in North Vietnam where I had heard they don't like Americans. The kids are adorable, and as we pedal through the tiny communities they shout hello, hello and we shout hello back. They love it!

Many children can't go to school because their parents do not have the money to send them, and especially in the countryside there is a lot of poverty. If you see a nice house, it was usually built with money sent them from relatives in another country. Even in the cities, owning a home is for most people just a dream, especially as there are practically no mortgages - it is a cash society. The same goes for cars, which because of taxes, cost three times what they do in the USA. When you see a BMW or Mercedes, you know the owner is hugely wealthy.

Today we are heading towards the Cambodian border. My bicycle seat is not shaped like mine, and believe me I have a sore butt, but there is no turning back!!