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Published: February 15th 2009
Hi readers
We have been in Hoi An for a day and a half. Our "sleeper" coach trip took 12 hours and what a night! Started off on unmade roads for about 20 miles - very, very bumpy. Had a pee stop in basically an open field - not toilets so everyone just peed where they were (it was very dark). Back on coach and off to sleep - well lots of passengers (Vietnamese) talking very loudly, cell phones going off and loud music from the driver's radio - good start. Both put on eye guards and ear plugs and must have eventually gone to sleep. Rude awakening around 12.30 for another pee stop - didn't bother this time although Bob did as he could not pee at the first stop (Bob is piss shy!). Must have slept as felt quite awake when we arrived around 6.30. Hotel was just a five minute walk, the hotel was called "Trade Union Hotel" - okay clean room, bathroom a bit daggy but clean. Both had a shower unpacked a few bits and then walked around the whole of Hoi An. Very interesting but pestered a lot by street traders. Stopped for a coffee (Lyn can't get used to the Vietnamese coffee - so bloody strong and a tiny bit of condensed milk. So she took her own packet of decaf and asked for hot milk - much better although condensed and very sweet. Walked through a very bustling marketplace but pulled and pushed to buy their goods - really pisses us off as if they didn't do that we may look and buy. Lyn was accosted by a woman called Mai who looked at my nails and insisted that I have a manicure - tried to say no but when she said only 1$ I thought okay. Once she had me in there she rubbed her hands along my legs and insisted that they were too hairy (bloody cheek). Anyway succumbed to having my legs threaded - for those of you who do not know this procedure - like men it involves a piece of thread wound around the hands and they pinch every hair out! Obviously didn't go for the Brazillian! Pain factor out of 10 - about 8!!! but I do have lovely hairless legs. Onward around the town - extremely hot. Stopped for more refreshment and continued back to hotel. Later booked our tickets for coach to Hue - thank goodness only 3 and half hours. Also booked flight from Hue to Hanoi and then flight from Hanoi to Bangkok (do not want to do what Jaymes did and overstay our welcome and get a bollocking from the Airport Commandant and maybe spend a night in jail). Decided against Laos and Chiang Mai as we saw on the TV that there were heavy slash and burn fires and the pictures were quite scary - so didn't really fancy that.
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Shirley & John
non-member comment
Laos and Chiang Mai
As we are two pensioners one disabled, we did these trips the soft way . Laos is one of the best countries in the world to visit...a bit of slash and burn should not have put you off. We have visited Laos twice now and absolutely loved it and its people. We were invited to a wedding and was offered Lao Lao....their rice whiskey. We drank it and it certainly put smiles onto our faces......we visited the bride the following morning in her mother-in-law's house preparing a meal for them all. We visited many families in their houses......the most fabulous place of all is Luang Prabang a World Heritage Site......beautiful temples......fabulous food and of course the river trips on a rice barge and fast speed boat...fantastic. We certainly did "live a little" and would go again given half a chance. Happy holidays.