My wife ate fried tarantula - and said it was delicious!

Our trip to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia involving a cruise on the Mekong River can be described in no other way.

To visit the Hanoi Hilton where American pilots were incarcerated, the tunnels from which the Vietcong fought the Americans gave a sharp edge to the delights of fine hotels and the usual first class hospitality provided by Viking River Cruses.

There were some personal surprises on the boat our bathroom was separated from that of the next cabin by a far from soundproof wall.

I realised this one morning when I was asked “John, did the frustrated gardener ever catch the annoying blackbird”.

I sing in the shower and have a limited but essentially local repertoire.

The question about the blackbird song was followed by “where is Oggie Land, and what is an Oggie?”

Ninety percent of our fellow guests were from North America and spreading West Country culture I saw as my duty.

One evening we were entertained to a Cambodian dinner.

In the morning I saw the chef heading for the market in search of Cambodian specialities.

We started the meal with a delicious soup, and then the chef moved among us carrying a laden platter, telling us that upon it were special Cambodian delicacies.

He named them as tarantulas, crickets, grasshoppers and whole baby frogs.

They were all fried in a light batter.

He had few takers.

However, when he reached Mrs Light she deftly took one of each and consumed them with the ease she usually reserved for a Winstone’s ice cream cone.

She pronounced everyone as “rather sweet but quite delicious.”

Needless to say I took her word for it.

There was one very special moment.

Travelling with us were several gentlemen who prided themselves on their knowledge of military history.

One joined me at breakfast. “John you are from Gloucestershire are you not?” was his opening remark.

He continued “let us both raise a coffee cup to Colonel Carne and the bravery of your regiment at the battle of the Imjin Rivers”.

He respected and remembered on of the “Glorious Glosters” finest moments.

My heart sang. I walked tall for the rest of this amazing trip.

Cotswold bravery in far off Korea was remembered and respected.

It must never be forgotten.