It is between 35—38 degrees here in Ho Chi Minh. It is stifling.

What fun last night. We arrived at the hotel May - really posh place - lovely grand piano in the foyer. I couldn't resist playing a few chords to the delight of the reception staff. Don followed me in and went to the desk - only to find we were supposed to be staying at the hotel Mai 200 metres down the road. So we trudged down to this place - which is fine.

Church this morning - the largest Church in Vietnam. Then a very helpful meeting with a local Christian worker for lunch.   Don has a meeting this afternoon and we are both meeting someone else - not sure who for tea. Hope it's cooled down by then. I shall have a bit of a rest from the heat and then take a walk along the river.

Dinner was interesting - I had beef noodles which was actually sweeter than the dessert. There was loads of sugar in the beef! I really don't get Vietnamese food at all.  What is interesting is that lunch can be any time from 10:30am. They all get up so early.

I'm leaving the hotel at 4:30am, yes that's right 4:30am on Tuesday morning.  I have to check in at 5:15 am for a flight to Brunei at 8:15am. It gets in to Brunei at 11:15am. Then I wait at Brunei airport until 8:00pm (!) for the flight to London (via Dubai of course for 1 hour stopover). It is two lots of 8 hours with a 1 hour stop in the middle. Now you know why it was a cheap flight.
 I am due to land in London at 7:25am on Wednesday then I have to go to Waterloo by tube - then have a 3 hour journey to Axminster.

Don leaves the hotel for Manilla at about 8:00am on the same day - but he is going via Hong Kong. His check in time is more civilised.
 
2^nd email

Have just sent a prayer letter to the deacons.

Poor Don has had his wallet stolen this evening from a market place in Ho Chi Minh. 

Had an eventful evening at the police station.

 We had enjoyed a delicious tea but as we were walking down the road he was distracted by a (probably Cambodian) girl begging with a baby. A motor cyclist then brushed past his leg, and while he was distracted by that another person took his wallet from his other pocket. It was all depressingly quick and easy.

He will be quite inconvenienced by this loss and he would be grateful for prayer as he is preparing to move on to Manilla. The police were helpful, and two of Don's Vietnamese translators were on hand to help out - which they did.

It won’t be the end of the world for him, but he is very irritated by the loss and wasted time. He had actually warned me to be careful in this popular area of the city with tourists, but full of pickpockets!!

Apart from this all is going well.