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Published: September 21st 2008
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So we survived the night bus...It was actually far better than we expected, as sleeper in Vietnam we discovered actually means to pretty much get a little bed just like first class on a plane. They were a little snug for Mark but it was still far better than the seats we have been used to. We arrived at 6am in Hoi An and trundled around looking for our 'posh' hotel. We found a lovely little one, with a pool and breakfast and internet included (and even air-con, hot water and a balcony...get us!) for the grand total of $20 per night. Hoi An itself was a really cute little town. The old town, which used to be Vietnams largest trading spot a long time ago, is a UNESCO World heritage site and rightly so. It is a maze of little street dotted with wooden fronted shops and temples, and lies along a pretty little river. We loved just walking around. In a space of the 3 and a half days we stayed (we were only going to do 2 and a half but liked it so much we did another) we must have walked the same streets over and over
but still didnt tire of them. The majority of the shops in the area are tailors and it was very hard not to want everything. Mark had a few things in mind which we sorted on the first day but it soon spiralled into a rather large shopping spree. Including 2 shirts, 2 pairs of trousers and 2 pairs of hand made, made to measure shoes all for the grand total of $121...Sam also couldnt resist, despite initially staying strong and ended up with a lovely pair of new shoes and a silk evening skirt made for her again at a crazy price of $47. As well as mad shopping on the present front as well we did get some other things done. One day we hired a bike and drove out through the gorgeous countryside where the road was dominated by corn layed out to dry to the My Son ruins (this time Hindu ones). It was clear when we were walking around that we are pretty templed out at this point and it is very hard for any other temples to now compete with the Angkor temples in Cambodia. Never the less we enjoyed scooting around through 'real'
Vietnam. We spent that afternoon lying out on a pretty much deserted beach (apart from two loitering Vietname guys who appeared once we both got in the sea and promptly left when Sam quickly sat down with the bags again...Buggers blatently wanted our stuff...Mark was keen for the chase but Sam was having none of it). On our second day Mark popped into a harmless looking salon to get his hair cut for an agreed price of 40,000 dong. She cut his hair very well before lieing him out to wash his hair. Then came out another lady who started clipping his nails. Then there was some sort of face mask slapped on. At this point (and we dont reallyknow how this happened) Sam was sat on a chair having a 'pedicure'. And it kept on...she slapped a face mask on Sam and then even tried to shave her legs with a bare blade (which really annoys someone who has avoided shaving for 10 years!!!)...by this point Mark was onto his face massage and we had both realised we were being taken for a ride. We tried to explain we had to go and say no to the treatments being
forced on us. In the end we had to get angry and pull ourselves away from the chairs. The bill was then presented to us, 120000 ($8) more than we agreed for the hair. Considering Mark had agreed to his hair and Sam had agreed to having a quick $1 pedicure we were fuming. We eventually settled on a price considerably lower than this (Sam was on her way upstairs to see their boss when they settled...clearly they knew they had done wrong). Upon leaving and getting half way down the street we looked at each other to realise they had moisturised our faces with skin whitening cream (which they all used as they want to look white), we looked like clowns! It was just so mad...luckily it didnt last too long but we were a little worried...
Most of our evenings we spent wandering the streets after nice riverside meals...at night the streets are lit by the local hand made lanterns, and they play classical music through the town speakers on the lamp posts (the ones who also yell in the morning for them not to have any more kids). It was just the perfect place and nice to
just be able to enjoy the atmosphere rather than steaming through it, especially when we could just jump in the pool when it was really hot.
We left today and it was a little saddening to see the construction of massive massive hotels that are going up along beach leading out of Hoi An, we expect the place will not hold the same charm if we ever get to return one day. We are now in Hue after a short bus journey. This city is the ancient capital so tomorrow we are doing some historical site seeing while on a boat trip, before getting our final night bus to a small town a little south of Hanoi. We are not expecting to get much sleep this time as the roads are known for being terrible (apparently once you pass through the ex demilitarized zone into what was Northern Vietnam the roads go to pot...quite literally) so we are keeping our fingers crossed.
Will update again when in Hanoi...Cant believe it is just over a week till we are home...no offense but we would be happy to keep travelling forever. x
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