I am pleased to inform you that Vietnam is embracing the bank holiday Monday spirit with an afternoon of grey drizzle. Likewise, I am calling on the old English remedy and having a pot of tea in a deserted cafe a stone's throw from the beach.

This is Nha Trang, a small beachside town with vast amounts of hotels, restaurants, deck chairs and fairly few tourists.

It hasn't really grabbed me, but that could be because I arrived this morning at 7am after 13 hours of attempting to sleep in a claustrophobic 'berth' wedged between the low ceiling and the engine, sandwiched between two huge tattooed Aussie men who popped some valium and snored the whole way.

Nha Trang is also pitted against my two previous ports of call which were marvellous. I spent Friday staying at Hoa's Place, a tiny guesthouse on a scrubby track just two seconds walk from a deserted stretch of beach.

Hoa is a small Vietnamese man who sits around all day chatting and playing poker with the chilled-out backpackers while his wife bustles around making food.

Any question is met with "Hey, Saa-rah, no problem, take it eeeasy." I played cards, read my book, swan, chatted and took it very eeeeasy indeed.

It is a beautiful undeveloped spot. I dread to think what will happen to it in five years time! KFCs and reggae bars all over the shop.

I managed to drag myself out of my chill to move to nearby Hoi An, a very sweet old place on the banks of the river.

It is picture perfect, with colonial houses grazing around an old town, wooden traditional houses, tiny roads and little old women rowing up the river with baskets of bananas.

It is very twee and stuck in a bit of a time warp. I stayed in a lurid-green hotel and zipped around on a bicycle, wearily turning down endless offers of pedicures (they must be desperate my feet are dirty and sweaty!) and tailor-made clothes - Hoi An is THE place, entire suits cost 30 pound.

It was roasting at 36 degrees Celsius so I drank sugar can juice on a plastic stool by the river and nibbled on Cao Lau, the local speciality.

It was pork, noodles, salad and crotons, and was heartily disappointing. (I didn't get too depressed, it only cost me 50p) And so now on to Nha Trang. I'm sure it all sounds like a whirlwind but it suits me - I want to see as much as I can and am eager to keep moving through, comparing and contrasting and enjoying the constant unfamiliarity (although a new bed every night has caused many night-time panics!).

I will spend a few days here in Nha Trang though, before heading inland to a place that is supposed to be more akin to the Swiss alps (?). We shall see!