We left Nha Trang on the coast by bus in the morning, due to reach Dalat in the Central Highlands around 1.30 p.m. Usual swerving, honking, bouncing ride on the flat lands, and then a very slow, winding climb up into the highlands. Dalat is above 2,000 metres. Bus stopped several times during the climb with concern from the reserve driver. By the time we were about 10 km out of Dalat, and crawling along on the flat and uphill climbs, it became evident from the smell that the radiator fan belt was close to extinction. We stopped and the radiator was hosed down and water again added to the radiator. At this point, while both drivers and most of the passengers were out of the bus, I had a look at a few gauges on
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