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Published: March 11th 2012
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We left Dalat around 1pm, the sun was shining in a bright blue sky and despite being cold overnight it was now a lovely temperature around 26 degrees. Soon into the journey to Na Trang, back on the coast, we were climbing steeply. Before reaching the coast there was a whole mountain range to cross. The higher we climbed the more the clouds moved in and the tops of the mountains were swathed in mist. Before long we were in and out of the mist itself driving along steep narrow roads with deep drops to one side. All around us were towering hillsides covered in rainforest bathed in the mist.
We had a brilliant coach driver who stopped constantly and waited while everyone piled out to take photographs and of course the odd cigarette break for those that needed it, including himself!
Now and again we’d come to a part of the road that was under repair, the poor bus would labour over the huge potholes that sent clouds of dust billowing into the air, workmen would stop and wipe their brow as we passed. Apart from the tourist buses not much traffic passed their way, just
an odd overloaded motorbike!
It wasn’t unusual to come across a cow with her calf or a pig with her piglet wandering in the road, the bus driver would just give a long loud beep and carry on regardless, it was up to the beasts to get out of the way and miraculously they always did!
We stopped by a waterfall and watched as a local man turned up on his bike with two huge containers and proceeded to fill them up with water. Having seen the condition of the housing along the way this was quite likely his only water source. We had seen rickety wooden shacks, that looked so dark and dingy inside, standing in the middle of dirt and dust with a wooden plank balanced on a couple of tree stumps outside to make a seat. Small children sat by the feet of their mothers playing in the dirt, content with their lot (or so it appeared). They were surrounded by beautiful scenery but I couldn’t help wondering if the realised just how beautiful it was as they got on with the rigours of their harsh life.
Three
hours into the journey we stopped at a wayside café overlooking the river, a whole family were in the river bathing their young children before washing themselves, it seemed a perfectly normal thing for them to be doing, they didn’t appear to be in the least bothered that a bus load of tourists were looking on.
Five hours later we descended into Na Trang, a whole world away from the life in the mountains. Despite being back on roads clogged with heavy traffic we were amazed, once again, to see what was being carried on the small bikes. One had 12 huge water containers strapped around him, the 19 litre type we have at home on dispensers, An old lady has 3 poles strapped on each side of the bike and 3 on the back. On each pole were about 6 hens, so 54 in all, all complete with heads, feathers etc, in fact I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn they were still alive. Saves on refrigeration!
One man I saw had a huge truck-sized tyre around his waist, goodness only know how he actually got on the bike. Last but not least I saw
a large metal and glass cabinet being precariously balanced on a bike as the driver attempted to join the busy traffic.
Of course when you see a sight like this by the time the camera was out the moment had passed so you’ll have to take my word for it.
A while later the bus dropped us off in the centre of town and we surrounded with “ You want a room?”. “Come see my guest house- very cheap price just for you”
“Don’t go that way, there’s nothing there for you, follow me”
Yes, the touts are always there at every opportunity. The good thing about Na Trang is that there are heaps of small hotels so we could have our pick, and that’s just what we did.
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