Up by 5.30am to get ready for our bicycle trip with Monika and Jean-Ann. We met them at the water taxi place near the market at 6.30. We boarded a boat to take us to Cam Kim Island which we have been to before as part of a tour group. Monika and Jean-Ann have a tandem bike and it causes quite a bit of interest as you ride around. We weaved in and out of side streets, along the river banks and into the outer regions. It was a lovely ride where we were in the part shade for a lot of the time. Monika took us to a house she visits as part of her food tour where the lady makes rice noodles. Well, we had to try doing that, didn't we. I went first and was moderately successful. Kevin followed and then Jean-Ann. We all had a reasonable result. The lady then took a crispy cracker and folded the rice noodle between it and made us a snack with soy dipping sauce. Well it was yummy. We caught the boat back to HoiAn at about 9.30 and then headed back to the Homestay for a late breakfast. From here it was a lazy day. I dozed for a while before heading to An Bang for teaching. Today we had 7 volunteers and so I left after the first lesson as I wasn't needed. I rode back through Cua Dai and went down to where the boats leave for Cham Island just to see what new developments there have been. I could see the new big bridge but still wasn't sure how to get to it. I rode back through Cam Thanh. Kevin went for a bike ride across to Cam Island and also to the market to get a new key lock for his bike. We went to Vang and Duc for dinner and had a nice beef curry with bread roll. Kevin had riden his bike to show Duc and he was duly impressed. They were surprised at the price as a basic bike that all the Homestays have costs VND $2M. They say we got a good price for a copy. Vang and Duc did not hesitate to say we can leave the bike with them until our return next year.. Kevin rode his bike back and went to Betel to show them his pride and Joy. Dong was impressed. Don't says his house will be ready in 3 weeks so hopefully we will get to see it before we leave. Unfortunately Dung thought Kevin was home and he locked the gate and so Kevin couldn't get back in. He tried ringing me put I had the ring turned off. He ended up climbing the neighbours fence and doing acrobats to land safely. He then came banging at our side door for me to let him in. Frightened the beejeebees out of me. Dung very apologetic when Kevin came walking through asking for the gate to be opened so he could bring his bike inside.
