After chatting with Gordon at Customs (who had the same surgeon to 'do' his ACL reconstruction a couple of months after mine), it was apparent that the hamstring harvesting to reconstruct the cruciate would weaken what remained. Everything was going fine when I was returning to running in the States, but once I was stricken by the dreaded lurgy, things went south, weakening not merely my constitution, but also the recovery of my depleted hammies; resulting in the !PING-ing each of the last few weeks.

At least on Friday, pulling up lame after 20 metres brought me to an immediate stop, instead of 'walking through it' for too long. While hobbling on Saturday, an immensely pleasurable long lunch with fellow runners on Sunday ended rather late in the evening, after a neighbour rattling sing-song ("The Runners Lament") rounding out the evening by citronella candlelight and meticulously home printed copies of "Richard's Songbook". Good Fun.

I spent the 9-odd hours sitting down, only getting up occasionally and being a little stiff. After sleeping in for my sins (even when I'm going pretty well at the moment, I still need a good 13 hours + sleep a night according to Bob), coffee with Bob at the Botanic Gardens, and a visit to the library, I used the opportunity of a stunning early autumn/late summer afternoon, and walked a slow paced lap of Lake Ginninderra, then home. I was able to keep the hamstring and knee under control, and felt as though I was developing some. Early days yet, but I can can (and will) dream!

Tomorrow it will be three months before Bob and I depart for Vietnam for our winter 2008 journey. The plans are deliberately vague and flexible.

We arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, with our bikes and laptops and as few clothes as necessary. We'll stay for a couple of days before flying north to Ha Noi, where we shall look immediately for an apartment to rent for around three months. I'm a little nervous about this, however the one's we saw when we were there were terrific and a good price, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will not be too stressful.

Apart from our Great! Nephew Sam coming over in the July school holidays for 11 days, we have no firm plans, although we hope to travel in the area, both in the north of Vietnam, into Cambodia and, ideally into southern China through to Tibet (by train). Health and all things willing it will be wonderful, and whatever comes along, we'll just play it by ear.