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Published: September 1st 2005
On the train
A seat with a view, from Hue to DanangHey folks, hope you're all well and enjoyed your bank holiday weekend... I wrote a HUGE blog entry the other day but when I came to save it... it all went a bit 'Pete Tong', grrrr, so will probably only have time to fill you in on half the stuff I've been up to.. and can fill you in on the rest later on... hopefully!
Keep your comments coming, thank you so much to everyone who's keeping in touch!
Here we go folks... I hope you're sitting comfortably!
Saturday 27th August
Joined the girls at their hotel at about 10am this morning, and all jumped on the back of motorbikes destined for Cau Dai beach, which was approx 5km outside of Hoi An.
When we arrived, you could have said that we had the place to ourselves... I've never seen anything like it, (well maybe in the Carribean, but I never expected anything like this in Vietnam!) A beautiful beach with no one around... except the beach sellers... grrrr!
We found four sunbeds underneath an sun brolly and there I sat... for about 15 mins before I had to run down to the sea to
The Beach
On the Beach just outside Hoi An... it doesn't get much better than this! cool off!!! But, no such luck! The sea was like a warm bath! I'm not a big fan of swimming in the sea (not knowing whats out there in the murky deapths, and the sticky sea salt that you come out with) but this was amazing... I could walk out on sandy sea bed for miles (if I had wanted to I imagine it would have been miles!) and I could see the bottom and it was really warm and clean!
We decided to have some lunch when it was getting really too hot to do anything (never too hot to eat!) and had a baguette with cheese, cucumber and tomato in, which was a refreshing change from the rice/noodle type meal that I've been having a lot of recently!
The rest of the afternoon consisted of more sun, shade, sea, sun, sea, shade, sun, reading, sun, photo taking, shade, sea.... you get the picture... ahhhhh... this is the life! Except, all this relaxing was frequently interrupted by beach sellers, mothers, daughters, brothers and sons all came to try to sell you the same bracelets, necklaces, postcards, manicures, pedicures, back massages... etc etc... all I wanted was a
Hoi An
Looking down the river in Hoi An bit of peace, and it would appear that you can't pay for that!
Headed home late afternoon to assess the extent of my strap marks (damn it!)
Had another of the Hoi An speciailities for dinner - White rose, which is little parcels of shrimp and 'stuff' wrapped in rice pastry, I also had some spring rolls,... again, v. tasty! Went to a bar that was playing more loud music and had myself a lemon juice (a day just isn't complete without one now!) also met some people who had come from around the world to volunteer in a local orphanage in Hoi An... Mum, dad... I think I'm going to emigrate out here and do that for a living! It sounded such a rewarding job,... and you get to live in the most beautiful little place on earth (well, that I've found so far!)
Sunday 28th August
Relaxing start... went looking for a tailors to get some clothes made... like I don't have enough!
Well, there was little need to actually go out LOOKING for a tailors,... they're everywhere! I gave up trying to get the best price for what I wanted and just
Hoi An
One of the old buildings in Hoi An went to the next closest shop when I was starting to get weary.
You get given a couple of 'Next' Directories (good god Nick, how did u manage to sell a 'Next' Directory to THESE people!?) and asked... what you want?!
Easy peasy, you would think... to choose what you wanted in the colour you wanted, with the right style, and the correct material... are you kidding me... I spent hours looking!!! So much choice, so little room in my backpack... sob!
Eventually settled on getting a black bias cut skirt made in a cotton/silk mix material, a strapless (I'm praying that I lose those strap marks!) evening top in pink thai silk with a pretty embroidery on, and a midnight blue summer dress, also made out of thai silk with little embroidered bits on, that can be worn in the evening or during the day. These will all be tailor made to my shape and size for only $30!!! (I'd bargained hard, with a couple of alterations to the type of material I wanted I had got her down from $42!!!)
All shopped out I took a wander around town.
Had a drink in
My Son
An example of the ruined temples at My Son the bar I had eaten in the other night, and had a pain au chocolat... yes, a pain au chocolat (its one of the better french influences the town has taken on!) It tasted so good!
I wandered through the market; very colourful, but it doesn't make up for the smell! I got accosted by another woman selling more clothes... sucked in!... I don't think I'd really satisified my shopping craving before! Another Next directory and a beige linen skirt and white wrap around cardi later, I was only another $15 down!!!
Now I decided I needed some shoes! Found a shop and a pair of 'thongs' (flip flops people, flip flops) that I liked, asked for my size... little lady in shop said that she'd get hubby to make them! what?! Real leather sandals, with sparkly sequins (of course), made to my size (I have odd shaped feet!) for only $7... sold!... also had bargained hard and said that because I had spent about 30 mins talking to her and teaching her some english she should knock a couple of dollars off... bless!
Well, decided that it was time to do some 'free' things now. Walked
Hoi An
A temple (or maybe a pagoda, or meeting hall) in Hoi An around town and took in the sights. Saw lots of temples and pagodas and old buildings that had been preserved... and took lots of photos (photos to come when I have the ability to plug in my jobby that uploads photos... still havent found a good computer!)
Had dinner in a fab place called Dac San Hoi An. I had 4 of the local speciality dishes for only 30,000 dong! I had White rose, Cau Dac (pork and noodles), rice pancake with bean sprouts and shrimp, and fried Wonton... washed down with 2 lemon juices!!! Approx. spend... 1 pound 50p... I LOVE THIS PLACE! Was also entertained witha fab thunder and lightning storm too... but then it started to rain... oh boy did it rain... Was going to have to make a dash for it if I wanted to go to the bar... But then my Knight in Shining armour arrived... a little local man on a motorbike asked where I wanted to go,... "no no, I'm fine thank you" (I must have looked far from 'fine'!).. "I take you fwee to Tam Tams"... "You're on!!!" ace... arrived in style! well, would have done if I wasn't sporting the
Hoi An
The Japanese covered bridge in Hoi An... don't ask me why Japanese... or covered... but it looks cool! drowned rat look!
Once inside and dried off, there was only one thing that could make me feel better...lemon juice!
As I sat pondering how the Hell I was going to get home in this weather I was approached by a chap from America who was pondering the same! Got chatting with him and his friends. Usual conversation flowed ... "what u doing, where u going" etc... and I happened to ask the same of them, but they said that they would bore me if they told me what it was they had been doing in America... well, it just so happens that these guys had just finished the Bar exams in New York! (how cool?) mum, dad.... I'm going to go to New York to study for the Bar and become an American Advocat! :o)
Ended up drinking some v.strong Havana club's and coke (UPDATE "Ste's drinking column"... I have noticed that the Vietnamese don't know what a 'measure' is... 1 English pound bought me a quater of a bottle of rum with a dash of coke! I'm liking this country more and more!)
Ended up walking home in the pouring rain,... but it was very refreshing!
Monday 29th August
Woke early and waited for the bus to pick me up to take me to My Son (pronounced Mee son... not like I've suddenly acquired a son,... don't panic!) The trip takes you to see some of the ancient ruins of the temples of the Champa people in Vietnam. When we arrived we had to take a jeep up to the ruins and it was raining... still... but I had my brolly!!! The ruins were pretty amazing...even in the rain and from under an umbrella! They were built in about the 11th century and you can see that they have a very hindu influence. However, it was unfortunate that a lot of the brick buildings had been damaged by the war.
I had chosen, when booking the trip, to take the boat back home instead of the nice dry bus... well, it sounded like a good idea at the time! Oh no,... soooooooooo soggy!
Stopped off on the way back at a little island just off Hoi An to look at some fabulous carpentry... Grandad would have been impressed! I was impressed, but not that impressed that I wanted to buy anything!
When I eventually got home and dried out, I set off into town again to pick up my clothes... soooooo excited! This time, I was armed with my Pack-a-mac... aren't I glad that I packed it in the end!
Picked up my skirt, top and dress from the first shop. everything fitted perfectly! they were also so impressed with the way things looked that the lady in the shop took a photo of me in the clothes!
The headed off to the second shop, again everything fitted perfectly,and I loved the clothes even more!
Finally got my shoes and again, fitted like a glove... or a shoe... ummmm?
Am v.v.v happy with all my purchases :o)
That evening I dedided to go all out on the food... was so hungry, I'd only had a banana to eat all day! So had wonton soup to start followed by chicken and mushrooms with rice and veg and vietnamese tea... hot, in a glass, with a straw?!
Went to Tam Tams for a lemon juice, reading my book...when the power went out! Got chatting to some guys (Alan from Salford, thought I recognised that accent!@ and Ross from NZ) they had been teaching English in Japan and were now travelling... mum, dad.... I'm going to go to Japan and teach English for about a year... the guys said that you have a great standard of living and you can earn a lot of money :o)
Was eventually kicked out at midnight and wandered home.
Tuesday 30th August
Didn't do very much, just trying to fill in time before I have to catch the bus to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).
I did, however, manage one huge accomplishment... to pack everything I'd bought into my backpack!
Sat around town, drinking lemon juice and reading my book... the bus to HCMC arrived at 6pm... more about that another time!
Hope you like the small selection of photos... will put more up when I have time.
Keep in touch,
Clare x
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Mum
non-member comment
Saving money
I see you have inherited my negotiation skills, sadly you have also inherited by clothes, shoe and food fetish!! Love the ideas for future career moves, can see definate advantages in yo not becoming a barrister in the uk..i.e FREE holidays around the world to whichever country you are "saving " that year. Go for it !!xxx