So the day finally came when I left the safe harbour of my employment to embark on my new journey of discovery as a volunteer in Vietnam. The experience at Varian Medical Systems was great, working for a company that does so much good in the fight against cancer by producing state of the art oncology equipment to treat the disease, was in itself a fabulous journey. The people at Varian are superb and their send off was lovely, my easily packable guide to the countries of the mighty Mekong will stand me in excellent stead. So thank you Varian for a wonderful journey and to any colleagues reading this good luck and all the best for your future.

However, as Mark Twain says, it is not the things you do that will disappoint, but those you don't. The opportunity to live and work in Vietnam will not come around again, so it is time to catch the trade winds in my sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Tomorrow, the preparations for this adventure continues with the completion of the legalisation of my documents. My passport should be back with me next week complete with visa and over the remaining two weeks the flat is being cleared in preparation for my new tenants. The date has been set for departure, September 6th, and the initial arrangements for my arrival have been supplied by the VSO programme in Vietnam, the first 3 weeks will be exciting indeed.

Finally the Prestonville Arms threw a great leaving do for me, with a super band the Butchers of Blues, the night was well attended and raised over a £100 for VSO. I have nearly hit my target, but please keep the donations coming. Many thanks to everyone.

The Prestonville Arms... the best pub in Brighton ..there certainly won't be one like this in Hanoi