Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Crossed the border by bus into Cambodia, and instantly saw a difference. The script and buildings resemble the florid styles of Thailand, as opposed to the Greek based letters and narrow utilitarian block buildings of Vietnam.
Phnom Penh feels like a very chilled capital city. People seem friendlier and more relaxed (that implies that Vietnamese weren't, which isn't true, just that the Cambodians seem even more relaxed!).
Poverty is more visible - people living in the streets, disabled beggars, and shoe-shine boys offering to clean my flip-flops for $1. Maybe that's why there are so many charities and NGO's here? But there's obviously some money too - the main transport is still the motorbike, but there are more cars on the road and they're nearly all huge luxury 4x4's: Lexus, Land Rover and even a Hummer pick-up. Cambodian status symbols or playthings of the ex-pat workers?
After two abortive attempts we finally made it to the Royal Palace, which even the boys said was beautiful. It was well worth the effort: ornate gilded 'King & I' style palace buildings, a silver floored pagoda, saffron robed Buddhist monks, a shrine, temple and a museum to the King and to traditional Khmer lifestyle. A huge portrait of the King faces out from the front of the Palace, which we've decided makes him look like a Cambodian version of Ted Heath or Alfred Hitchcock.

Saigon

We were warned that Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as the locals still call it) would test our patience, but we all think it's great. Found a cheap room down a warren of charismatic, full of life, alleyways. The city has a busy vibe, but doesn't feel as hectic as Hanoi. It's wide streets only filled with chaotic traffic for the evening rush-hour, but was entertaing to watch.
Sampled durian flavour ice-cream (still can't compare it to real thing yet), on our way to the War Remnants Museum, with it's collection of weapons and graphic evidence of atrocities commited by the US. Interesting to hear about the war from the other perspective, and a chance to dispel the boys glamourised image of soldiering.
Took an organised tour to the start of the Mekong Delta, to paddle down narrow canals and visit some lo-fi cottage industries (honey farming, rice paper production and coconut sweet making) on the shallow islands. Tasted rice wine from a bottle that had a dead snake bobbing around inside, and Ned made friends with a python. It was all a bit neatly wrapped and touristy, but it was an interesting day all the same, and an area we wouldn't have time to explore properly otherwise.

No Free Lunch

We're really proud of how the boys are coping with all the traveling. Bar the occasional tantrum from Ned over keeping his diary (strangely he doesn't mind doing work from the textbooks we've brought, but he begrudges the diary as it's not something he's used to at school) they've been brilliant. They turn heads everywhere, especially when they use the few Vietnamese phrases we've picked up, and are full of interest and questions. Even the days on the beach provoked discussions on what causes the wind and tides, the economics of being a fisherman, and the differences between the English and Vietnamise alphabets (they have several variants of the letters d, a and o) Am feeling vindicated that education can mean more than just sitting in a classroom.
I just need to convince Ned that a diary will be something he'll want to look back on... 

R&R

£15 a night, for the four of us, and right on the beachfront - bargain!

Parking

Sand Dunes and Streams

Hired an ex-army Jeep and driver to explore around Mui Ne. Saw a local fishing village sorting their catch on the beach, then went sledging down huge desert-like sand dunes, before walking barefoot up a shallow stream to it's waterfall source, where we couldn't resist a dip. Were stopped by a TV crew making a documentary about tourism in Vietnam, so Kim thinks he really is famous now.

Mui Ne

After the cool (and rain) of Dalat we headed to the coast for a few days R&R. Mui Ne beach is a picture perfect stretch of white sand and palm trees. We weren't expecting it to be quite so full of luxury resorts and Russian restaurants -it's obviously a prime destination for the Ruskies, but what a sour-faced humourless bunch they were, even on holiday!
Found a cheap bungalow right on the beach. Boys loved just playing in the sand and waves, and we finally got to use the hammock we'd brought.
Had one of those travelling coincidences, when we met a guy who's Dad had a business in Holmes Rd, just around the corner from my old house, and we discovered we used to hang around the same places and even played in the same scrap-yard. I found a barbers and had a haircut for 50p. Unfortunately it also looks like a 50p haircut, but it'll soon grow back.