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Published: July 30th 2015
Day 11 - Nha Trang
Well.... It was an interesting overnight bus drive! It was late, but that was to be expected round here!
The driver stopped after about 1 hours, which was a bit soon in a twelve hour journey. He was obviously hungry; I saw his full to the edges dinner table! But for us, it was too soon to want to use the loo. We just chilled off the bus for 30 mins. Then all back on, but with an extra hoard of Vietnamese people who all laid in the aisles. I think they got mates rates! They also brought with them the smell of cooking, which in a confined bus space was very sickly!
On we went, it got to about 3am; an irate foreign lady stomped down the bus, walking over all the floor people, demanding to go to toilet. Credit to her, I would have just held out! The driver soon pulled in. When the opportunity to pee was presented to me, I got a total urge to go! Helen and I, like everyone else, got off expecting a rough, but welcome toilet.... Lol .... Not likely! It was a sparse, desert
like terrain, with occasional bare bushes, now known as s toilet! I went straight for it, squatted, done, relieved and happy. Helen couldn't bring herself down to my standards.... Lol... She chose to hold on.
Back on the bus, trying to sleep, but the driver had the music on, various people asked him to turn it down, I'm sure he turned it up!
At 7am we arrived in Nha Trang. The driver slung all of the bags from the side loaders onto the pavement, but the irate foreign lady was now more irate, as the bus ended here, but she wanted the next, non existent stop! The previous man had taken all of the tickets.... She has a problem! I rang out hotel for our pick up, but as he thought we had been dropped at a bus station more than 10k from the hotel, they did not pick up.
In an instant, I agreed a price with a motorbike man, it was funny, I turned round to Helen, who looked like she was having an out of body experience, totally ga ga. I think her head was still asleep on the bus, but her body next to
me... Lol. I just shouted... Helen... Get on the bike!.... Instantly, she confirmed, but still not really with it. We jumped on motorbikes with our backpacks and were there in about three minutes! He had misunderstood my email! Never mind, no harm done! Helen and I did laugh about it later!
We started the day going out for breakfast, as we can't get out room until later.
Arriving in Nha Trang is like being launched from the 15th century to the 21st century with its modern, high rise architecture and western cafe culture.
We have pre booked the hotel in the most perfect position. It is two mins from all we need!
We started at Puppet Coffee. It is like going in Starbucks! We indulged in a cappuccino for me, and an Americano for Helen. We recounted the previous evening and events, laughing our heads off!
We went back to the hotel to book in; we have been upgraded to a deluxe room. It could be because we have paid for two nights, but only having one! No return of money as we booked through Expedia, not direct!
The room is really good, beautiful
toilet and shower! In fact, really good everything so far!
We opted to get changed into beachwear, not to waste any time, and straight across the road the an axing, idyllic beach. We are only here for today and tonight before moving on again. It was just gorgeous, laying on the very clean, sun drenched, white sandy beach, two foot from the cool blue sea. Just dipping on and out when it gets too hot. Aw.... I think I've died and gone to heaven!
A lady came round selling drinks. On Helens lists of first time to dos is sinking coconut milk straight from the coconut; she bough one, tick, another one done. She had ticked loads off the list this last 11 days!
We stayed a couple of hours, we could have stayed longer, but it was so hot, and we don't want to burn! We also have another pressing first to do for Helen.... Mud baths!
We went off for lunch as we haven't eaten yet today, and very nice it was too.
We returned to the hotel as they offer a shuttle run to the mud baths, which is about a ten
minute drive away. All set off we went. The shuttle bus took us free to the right of the main town road to pick up a few more people. It is madly very nice modern cafes down that side. Then with an about turn, we came back on ourselves to the left side of the town. This side the Water Puppet Theatre (which is across the road from our hotel) then a military looking place, then all the big posh hotels; Sheraton and Intercontinental to name a couple! It all goes down hill after that, back to traditional Vietnam! We continued winding along past some beautiful topiary trees, a huge display of Welcome to Nha Trang, completely in topiary. Finally we started to climb a bit of a mountain to a purpose built spa complex, with a bit of a difference!
We all got off and entered. In the entrance was a whole emu of treatments. We already knew we wanted the mud bath, so paid up and went through. We wandered through the various outside pockets of the spa.
We were led to our mud bath. To be honest, as beautiful as it was, my first impression
was disappointment. I have had a mud bath in China; it was inside a mountain, and totally natural, this was man made, the man turned the tap on to fill a big, but real bath. All that said, my thought very quickly faded, as it was so good! I struggled to keep weighted down, as my body kept floating up! At the point when we started to wrinkle up like a currant, Helen was ready to get out, but miserly wanted the whole nine yards and my money's worth, luckily for Helen it wasn't long before we were moved on to the showers. Helen just about broke her back to keep her hair dry, little did we know about the next step... Lol
The next phase was the waterfall, but first I must mention that Helen would NEVER get her hair wet for anything.... I got straight up right into, and through the waterfall, Helen tool a few pictures. I was gobsmacked..... As soon as I got back down, Helen went straight up, the water from the fall was totally beating down on her, it was a surprise, well worth seeing, and funny! As each day passes, Helen is
getting more, and more chilled about everything that in normal life would bother her, or even freak her out. That Helen has definitely been left behind!
Back to Puppet Cafe for a nice cup of Earl Grey tea before going back to the hotel to get sorted for the big motorbike run that starts tomorrow.
We started with a hot shower, I'll repeat that, because I have only said that once before..... A hot shower! Hair washed, leg shave, a bit of washing etc. I dried Helens hair for her, then we jointly attacked her backpack for a major reorganise, partly because it's getting out of hand, and partly to feed my OCD! But a good job for us both.
All sorted for tomorrow, we went out for our evening meal. There are so many restaurants, and so much choice. We ended up just sitting where it looked welcoming! It wasn't particularly welcoming, but the food was nice! ...and we did have a pudding too! It seemed rude not to!
I don't think there will be anything eventful happening tonight, as it will a stroll for coffee, then bed.
There were no events, but we
did have a chilled half an hour sat looking over the sea, then finished off with a cappuccino before going home to bed.
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Angela
non-member comment
Envious or what?
Oh WOW! Just lived day 10 and 11 with you. Gosh you know how to pack it in. (Oops...no ref to the back pack there - of course not!) Just fabulous! And now......to the bikes! Take care. Be safe......enjoy. You are having an amazing time!