Da Lat, Vietnam

Da Lat is up in the Central Highlands (at 1500m) and is lovely and cool. Cliff was able to do a good training run here (24 miles) away from all the heat and humidity. It's also a popular honeymoon destination for the Vietnamese. There's a huge lake which was unfortunately drained and being cleaned when we were there (although there were a couple of sunken- in- the- mud JCBs) . We were only up here for a couple of nights but had found a great hotel; huge clean room, hot showers, a great owner and good breakfasts.

After Cliff's training around the lake, we had hired some Easy Riders (motorbike guides) to take us out on our only full day. Hiep, Sao and Danh were great; experienced bikers so we felt safe at all times, even in the mad Da Lat traffic. We were ridden out first to the Dragon Pagoda, where they had an incredible many-handed Buddha statue .

In the gardens they also had some statues of the Monkey King and his sidekicks Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy the Water Monster. The characters are from classic Chinese literature, Journey to the West, popularised by the cult TV series. We are big fans. Then it was onto the many flower and vegetable farms. Fruit and veg is exported from here to the rest of Vietnam.

We went onto a coffee plantation, which Cliff particularly enjoyed and the Elephant Waterfall (we climbed right down to the base of it) . Whilst having a coffee at the top, Hiep had an argument with the owner of one of the two restaurant owners in the village because she was upset that he didn't bring tourists to her place. Well, I say an argument, she shouted at him a lot.

We travelled onto a silkworm factory, a mushroom farm and a rice wine distillery in the back of someone's house. They had a genuine Vietnamese pot bellied pig in their garden, along with a multitude of other animals. We found out that property is sold by the width and not the length so that explains the really narrow houses that stretch way back from the roads. Hiep was also telling us about education and healthcare in Vietnam - they have to pay for both. He has two children in elementary school which costs the equivilent of £70 per month each.

We also visited the Linh An temple with an amazingly huge happy Buddha.

On the way back into town we went to the Crazy House, a Gaudi-esque building that you can stay in, although I found it a bit creepy. Liam liked it and would have stayed.