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Published: November 18th 2012
So when I said it was going to be a 20h bus ride from Danang to Dalat, looks like I was being a little optimistic! Thanks to a supposed "big accident" involving the bus that was supposed to pick us up from the transfer stop at Nha Trang, we were delayed by almost 5h as we awaited the next available bus that the company could send us. As we were stranded at the transfer office, I asked them whether I could change my ticket and take the bus the next morning, thinking I could at least explore the beach resort of Nha Trang for one day instead of waiting around. The guy said no, and when I asked why not since the bus was delayed through no fault of mine, he merely said, "Your bus late, not my bus late". Ah Vietnam!
So from about 7 a.m. when we were dropped off at Nha Trang we waited, first till 11.30 a.m. which was when they told us the bus would arrive, then till 12.30 p.m., until it finally came past 1 p.m. You won't be surprised to hear that some of the other tourists were absolutely fuming by this point,
Xuan Hoang Lake
Complete with Swan pedal boats, and the heart of the city. Many a hand-in-hand strolling, honeymooning Vietnamese couple found along the 5+ km perimeter.and they let their feelings be known to the transfer office. It is situations like these that make you wonder what your avenues of recourse are, especially for such "open bus" tickets shared between multiple companies, with apparently little ownership. I thought one way might be to "protest" by not spending at the obligatory over-priced rest stops/ restaurants that the companies receive commissions from, and to get the other passengers to do the same, but then I thought ah forget it, I wasn't really in a big hurry anyway.
So some 24h after I set off from Danang, I finally arrived in Dalat, a pleasant, pretty city in the Central Highlands with very agreeable weather, particularly popular amongst honeymooning locals. Still flooded with hordes of motorbikes during the day, but definitely a welcome change from the likes of Hanoi, or even Danang. Still considered a major city, nevertheless Dalat seems to be a little more off the beaten track for westerners, who don't seem as prevalent here, especially compared with what might be considered its northern highland counterpart Sapa. Dalat definitely seems a bigger hit amongst the domestic tourists.
Thus, after three days of cool, refreshing mountain air,
Crazy House
Yes that's what the Hang Nga Guesthouse is more commonly (and appropriately!) known as. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, it's Vietnamese Tim Burton architecture I guess! Designed by one of the scions of the last royal family (a woman I must add), it's some kinda exteriorisation of surrealist expressionism (how does that sound!). You just have to see it for yourself! I think I'm now ready for the smog, noise and heat of Saigon. Looking forward to seeing how it's changed since my last visit in 2005, and also to comparing it with Hanoi. Until then, stay tuned!
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