A Stitch Up in Hoi An

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After a rather uncomfortable train journey (we had to pick hard seat sleeper as there were no other seats left!) we arrived 2 hours later than scheduled in the town of Danang. As arranged our hotel sent someone to collect us in a large taxi and took us to our hotel in Hoi An a short drive away.

The hotel itself is really pretty, with a large courtyard and a pool in the middle. The rooms however arent as nice as they should/could be, especially for $25 per night.

We spent the first day with a short walk along to the old town and along the river front. Hoi An is a UNESCO· World Heritage City, like Melaka in Malaysia but alot more preserved with prettier buildings and more atmosphere. There are no cars allowed in the old part of town, and hardly any motorbikes. Just lots of bicycles going about and people selling their bits and pieces along the way.

We found a little restaurant to go and have dinner, and then walked along the river again at night where there were lots of stalls selling beautiful lanterns. They were so pretty and I wanted all of them, but I was told (quite rightly) that it would be a nightmare carrying them around 😊 This time I listened to reason and walked away.

We have spent the last couple of days in Hoi An walking around the beautiful streets and getting measured up for clothes and shoes. Myself and mum have both had a pair of sandles made, Phil some shorts, and Ive had 2 pairs of shorts and a playsuit (a top and shorts in one). The tailors here are brilliant, its not dirt cheap (around $15 for my own designed playsuit) but they are brilliant as everything fits perfectly. After a couple of fittings and alterations to make things perfect they are done within a couple of days.

We've also been on a river tour, we hired our own little boat for the 4 of us for 1 hour and they took us out down the river and in to the fishing village where we saw lots of men and women fishing with big nets. One man, when he saw our boat go by, jumped out into one of the small basket boats and started splashing around for us and then came up all smiling asking for some money. We had this as well in the market, there was a lady selling what looked like bags of salt. She asked mum to go and sit down next to her to have her photo taken, after the snapping was done she turned a bit nasty asking for $1 and wouldnt let go of mums arm until we gave her the money. We shouldve known better, and wont be getting fooled like that again!!

We absolutely love Vietnam though, despite lots of people trying to sell you something everywhere you turn. The people (majority) are so friendly and helpful, just like what we experienced in Thailand.

Phil and I went out for dinner with a Dutch couple we met in Borneo, which seems like forever ago now, we bumped in to them the day we arrived in Hoi An and they were staying at the same hotel as us. We'd also met them in Dalat walking down the street so it was funny to see them again in a completely different place. We had a really good dinner with them and chatted about lots of different things, sharing funny stories and bad experiences warning each other of what to do and what not to do!

There was a celebration that night for the dead, well Im not sure if you would call it a celebration but the locals burn paper money (Vietnamese and American Dollars for the soldiers) for ghosts who might be wandering. They turn all the lights off and have lanterns burning everywhere, and offerings of food, drink, cigarettes and alcohol. There was also a game which all the locals were taking part in where their was a man and a woman singing together, looked like they were acting out stories. There was another man in a conical hat walking around with pictures on boards, it looked a bit like bingo when a person got the number they received a yellow flag. It all got a bit confusing towards the end though, so after taking a few snaps we headed back to the hotel.

Ive had another playsuit made in a different colour (couldnt resist!). I wish we had places like this at home, I would have all my clothes made!! They made my 2nd one so quickly because they already had the pattern cut out, so 4 hours later it was complete.

There is a beautiful beach near the city, about 5km's away, so we decided to go there for a few hours.
It was so much more beautiful than Nha Trang, alot bigger and less people and sellers walking along the beach. We spent a few hours there and then went back to town to get fitted for some more clothes.

It's Phil's birthday today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHIL!!! We booked a taxi for half a day, headed out early ad went to My Son which was built in the 4th century. It's all mainly in ruins now, and alot of the beautiful buildings were bombed by the Americans during the war as the Viet Cong were hiding there. It was a long hot walk around all the sights, but we managed to see them all and the scenery surrounding them.

Back in the taxi we went to the Marble Mountains, there are 5 in total all named after the 5 elements; Wind, Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Metal. The Mountains were a bit disappointing, not because they wernt beautiful but there were about 4 people right at the top begging, they just wouldnt leave us alone. I dont mind buying things off of people who arent as well off, but I dont agree with begging. We had one man follow us around the whole mountain constantly asking for money so in the end we just left and complained when we got down.

We had to pay to go to the top, Im guessing he didnt have to pay a penny so we complained and they gave us our money back. I know Vietnam is a poorer country than Western countries, but there isn't hardly any people pestering you or begging. People work for their money and they work very hard. Whilst we were at the beach the day before we bought fruit and peanuts from a 75 year old lady who was walking the beach in the blistering heat. The man at the top of the mountain was young, about in his 30's, he could of done the same thing but decided not to.

Anyway, we went back down to where the taxi was waiting for us and went in to a family run marble shop. They take marble from the mountains or import it from China and then sit there and carve the most amazing things out of marble. Mum and Peter bought some marble fish and Phil and I bought a little present for his Mum and Helen.

We are now back at the hotel and heading out later to a restaurant to celebrate Phil's birthday. We went there last night and it was the best food we have had so far so cant wait to go back!!

Our Route So Far

Kuala Lumpur - Ipoh - Tanah Rata (Cameron Highlands) - Perhentian Kecil - Kota Bharu - Kuala Lumpur - Kuching (Malaysian Borneo) - Kota Kinabalu (Malaysian Borneo) - Kuching (Malaysian Borneo) - Kuala Lumpur - Melaka - Bangkok - Hi Chi Minh City (Saigon) - Dalat - Nha Trang - Danang - Hoi An

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