I’m back! Sorry, it’s been a bit of a silent week – we’ve had extremely sporadic internet access and I wanted to wait till I had a little down-time to update you properly.

It’s been a lovely week. Ever since my bad health day when we first arrived on Phu Quoc Island I’ve been feeling heaps better (thank goodness!) due in large part, I think, to my secret to travelling with diabetes (which I reveal in this week’s video diary… to be posted tomorrow).

We had a really fun couple of days in Phu Quoc – the first two nights we spent at an eco-friendly resort called Mango Bay, right in the middle of nowhere surrounded by stunning views and beautiful beaches. Then we moved to town (we were craving shops and snacks and easy access to things), although still with a beautiful sea view and a mere 3 minute walk from the sea. What a stunning sea it is! Clear and bright blue, no waves, warm… heavenly! (You can see some footage of it in our video diary and in our best moments… Be warned, though! You might get jealous.)

We had a fair amount of work to do – catching up on hotel reviews for Just the Planet and real work, to try and earn some money as we travel (turns out travelling is rather pricey, who knew?) But we made time each day, usually around sunset, for a long swim in the sea, just as the sun dipped into it and turned it golden-pink-and-purple. Incredible.

It was during one of these late sunset swims that it hit me (once again) how lucky we are to be this age, living this adventure. I feel like there’s this small window of time in life – when you’re old enough to be able to have a clear head and look after yourself overseas, but not so old that you have a mortgage and responsibilities – and we are lucky enough to not only be in that stage but be living it to the full. Some days I find myself longing for a slice of familiarity or to see my family or my friends, but most of the time I feel (quite rightly) like the luckiest girl in the world.

The feeling was heightened by finding this fantastic little restaurant right on the beach where we could sit at small, lantern-lit tables, our feet in the sand, and eat delicious fresh seafood and yummy barbecue, while sipping on iced fresh lemon juice (my new favourite drink – about as diabetically friendly as you can get with something resembling fruit juice). This place (whose name I can’t remember) became our regular hang-out for its’ really reasonable, really fresh food. If you’re planning a visit to Phu Quoc, pop me an email and I’ll give you directions J

We also spent a day scootering all over the island on a hired motorbike, exploring little side streets and beaches, and picnicking right next to the sea… And we popped into the night market for some authentic Vietnamese food (delicious! Although a little strange, I was served flat squares of vermicelli noodles with my pork. Hmmm… How many carbohydrates would that be?)

And then we jetted off to Ho Chi Minh, or Saigon, as it is still known, on our first aeroplane in months! Turns out it was only $20 more expensive to take a 1 hour flight than a 2 and a half hour ferry and a 7 hour bus ride, so we treated ourselves… And what a treat it was. I’ll fill you in on our delicious time in Saigon so far in the next day or two – looks like we’ll probably be more connected this week… If you have any tips for us for Ho Chi Minh, let us know asap (please!)

Any suggestions for us as we head to the North of Vietnam?