Well we're off to Vietnam next week for what has become our annual pilgrimage.

As usual I will try to get lots of photos while I'm there.

Apart from visiting the relatives, we plan to visit Can Tho in the Mekong Delta for a couple of days.

Unfortunately there is currently no rail connection to Can Tho so I'll have to put up with one of those sleeping buses which I love so much (see previous blogs). There used to be a connection with Saigon but for various reasons it was closed and taken up many years ago. I understand that the station building might still exist so maybe a photo of that. Plans have been announced to restore the line but I don't think any work has actually started yet. Such a large city (1 1/2 million people) with no rail connection to Saigon does seem problematic.

You may have noticed that the no 5 issue of Re-Unification Express is now available. I'm trying to catch up with No. 6 (December). My aim is to get it out before I leave, so that I can produce the March edition close to on time when I return. We shall see.

I've been doing a bit of work on the layout. My main project has been building a "Co-OpMart" supermarket. It's built out of card and signs printed from the internet, so cost me virtually nothing to make.This is now close to completion. It's not a copy of one particular building but more a 'composite' of several I have seen (see photo). The building still has to be 'planted' properly into the layout.

For those that don't know Co-OpMart is a large supermarket chain throughout Vietnam.  Sort of like Woolworths or Coles (Aussies will understand), and most of the buildings include other shops such as bookshops (Fahasa) and Korea's answer to MacDonalds 'Lotteria", which is all over Vietnam.

I had a bit of a problem whether to put the 'new' logo or the logo from several years ago and eventually went for the older logo. I still have to add more motor bikes and customers and hope to site a small street stall outside as well. The main round section is made from a toilet paper roll but if I ever do this again I think I'll cover the roll with paper to hide the 'spiral' marking.

Oh well I'd better get back to preparing for my trip.

I'll try to post while I'm in Vietnam.