The food last night was so good and so cheap compared to what it would cost back home - anyone who comes out to visit is being taken there whether you like Japanese food or not! We ended up at Derry's again (of course) where a week on me and Calder can still mine some decent comedy out of the article below:

Push for aerospace research centre

(10-04-2009)

HA NOI — Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan wants a quick completion of the Hoa Lac space technology research centre.

The request was made on Wednesday during a meeting with leaders of the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology and the Space Technology Institute.

Space research was necessary, and the centre was an opportunity to develop the country’s science and technology sector, Nhan said.

The centre would have a key role in developing the space technology research industry and was a foundation for the co-operation with other countries in the sector.

Deputy director of the Space Technology Institute and the project’s managing director Pham Anh Tuan said he expected Viet Nam to have one of Southeast Asia’s leading space technology research and application centres when the construction was completed, Viet Nam would be able to design and produce small optical technology-using satellites to observe the Earth, he said. — VNS


We love the fact that Vietnam is hoping to have on of the regions leading space technology programs! Calder reckons it will be a honda motorbike with some jet packs strapped on the side - given they all drive like lunatics on their bikes the one that hits space will no doubt flying around crash inot anything else up there and knoking all the other satellites out of space!

I mixed with the lunatis on their bikes today. Alison came by and drove with me to some of the places I'd go to most frequently eg work, her house and we spent a good hour or so on the roads. I also learnt how to get petrol and put air in my tyres today. I'm feeling more confident on the bike now and we might go out again tomorrow. If we don't I'm still gonna try and drive to their place tomorrow night and provided that goes well I'm gonna risk drivin to work on Monday morning!