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Published: October 9th 2009
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Not sure where to start because when the rain and wind started here we had very little communication at all and a lot of 'word of mouth' that we weren't sure was reliable or not.
Unfortunately for us we were out on a fishing trip on the river the night the first of the storms commenced. We would have made it back to dry land before the storm started but when we pulled up anchor and started the motor - the 'captain' discovered that a fishing net was wrapped around the rudder. It was now dark and we had been watching the lightening for some time - well some of us had been, because, as on all fishing trips, there was a certain amount of refreshments consumed as well. Our 'second mate' shared his home made liquor with us - beautifully presented in a 600ml plastic water bottle...possibly about 40% proof. I think he could have flown home......
Our second mate and captain worked at getting the fishing net untangled using the only sharp instrument on the boat - a razor blade..... Not sure how the second mate didn't drown as the boat was moving about and he went
under several times. We finally got underway and witnessed great lightening displays all the way home. We made it to the main market area in HoiAn and the rain was really coming down....the captain pulled in there and tried to pull a blue tarp over the reed covered roof of the boat - no point really - we were wet already; the tarp had as many holes in it as did the roof..... We offloaded at the dock at the market and ran to cover - had a couple of beers and decided to wait the storm out....one very frightened dog decided to befriend me every time the thunder came...we were all soaked......but safe and happy.
The captain bought us all plastic rain coats - you know the ones that are very thin and you rip when you put them on - nice gesture though. As it was very dark there was much discussion amongst the blokes that they hoped they didn't get a pink rain coat - and yes, they did...... We decided to walk home (about 20 minutes) in the rain - already wet through anyway....not sure why the Vietnamese want you to wear a rain coat
when you are already wet.
All the streets were running about 4-6 inches deep with water - most of the bars and restaurants were full of tourists sitting out the storm - we lost our second mate somewhere along the trip home - I think he fell into a bar somewhere and didn't come out...... The owner of our hotel was with us and she walked all the way home in her high-heel slip ons with little fake rhinestones on them.
Of course we didn't catch any fish but we did watch a great fire fly display that evening. Our hostess (the hotel owner and the receptionist - Tina) provided food, drinks and the boat belonged to her friend....they were very generous and wouldn't let us pay for the evening - certainly a once-off trip.
Don't know if the boat got back to its moorings that night or not but the next time we saw the boat it had washed up in front of its owners house during the typhoon.
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Phyllis
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Storms in foreign cities
Your experience reminded me of ours in Amsterdam. We ran out of the brothel district there to get refuge in our tourist bus parked beside the river - locked of course, so we were drenched standing alongside some Maltese ladies who would have fled anyway, wet or dry. Cheers, Phyll.