Made to measure

December 21

After a short flight from Hanoi to Danang we arrive in Hoi An. Flying is a great option here, it's cheap and prevents ulcers and grey hair from being a passenger on the same roads as the maniacs that drive here.

Hoi An is a great place to be. It's a small historic town that does not allow cars in the old part of town (getting bumped by a scooter or a bike is a lot less painful). This town has brought out the inner clothes-horse in me. It's famous for making cotton and tailoring. I can hear the clatter of the cotton looms from where I type, they use old machinery that wouldn't look out of place in the era of the industrial revolution.

I didn't really expect to get any clothes made but once you get here it's like a fever and you can't stop yourself. The town is full of small tailor shops loaded with bolts of cloth. You pick a style out of the pile of catalogs and magazines, the material and then they measure you up - everything is custom made. I ended up getting a wool suit, a cordorouy sport coat, 2 pairs of pants and a dress shirt ... for $140!!! All custom made to fit. Lucy got a few things made as well. It's a good thing that you can also get knock-off bags here incredibly cheap as well, North Face packs for $6. We're going to need extra luggage space.



We also had to spend time looking for the tackiest possible material for an (un-named) friend that provided a shirt to copy. You're going to love it!

We love the hotel and the town so we're extending our stay for an extra few nights.

Paul