Hoi An

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We were all set to slog out the 5 hour local bus to Hoi An but chickened out at the last minute. We took the 'easier' option of a 12 hour trip on a sleeper-bus. The promise of children sleeping for 10 hours or so and missing the bulk of a bus journey was too tempting to pass up.

Had to hang around in Nha Trang for the 7 pm departure. It was really hot so we headed down to the beach where it was really hot. Our former hotel took pity on us and allowed us to bum around their pool for the rest of the day. The theory being that 4-5 hours of non-stop pool action would wipe them out for the bus trip.

I'm ashamed to confess that we returned to the same restaurant that we had dinner in the night before. Not because the food was brilliant - it was fine and Reuben liked their standard issue pizza margherita - but because we knew they had a tv that the kids could watch, killing a bit more time till bus liftoff.

The kids were very excited about the prospect of the sleeper bus. The beds were OK but it was a little like lying in a coffin, which was fitting given the maniacal driving. The obligatory loud American was threatening to put us to sleep with, you guessed it, his wartime experiences in Vietnam. The guy really had a sense of the deeply inappropriate. Fortunately age and sleep overtook him and he shutup before too long.

Kids slept till 6 am and then it was only an hour or so to Hoi An, so the whole trip was much better than I was aniticipating.

Our hotel in Hoi An is brilliant. The Tranh Van, if anyone is taking notes, has a pool in a beautiful courtyard in the centre of the hotel. Our room opens directly onto the pool, 2 steps and you're in the water. I don't know whether the kids were more excited by the pool or the fact that the room has a bath.

Planning to stay for 3 nights here in Hoi An as it is beautiful town, mercifully and mysteriously untouched by the destruction of the 'American War'.

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Photos

Walking the streets of Nha Trang
They can fight like cats and dogs but they do love each other.

Child care brought to you Mead Johnson
Depressing to know the formula giants are getting their claws into the Vietnamese.

Kids love temples !
Despite the long faces they actually did enjoy these Cham towers. Moments after I took this photo they were mobbed by some local tourists who wanted photos with the kids. They must have felt sorry for me and even included me in one of the snaps.

Family Pho-to
Our favourite pho bar in Nha Trang. This was the meal where Milla and Jude discovered that Vietnam's famous noodls were yummy. Reuben liked the bread...

Mr Pho
The owner of the Pho bar was such a lovely man. He really wanted to give Jude a cuddle but the only way I could get Jude to agree was to get him to pose for a photo.

Jude loves his bus bed
Perfect for sleeping when you are 4, not as good when you are forty something. Still I was vaguely horizontal and that's better than sitting in a seat for 12 hours

Child care as it should be...
This child care centre managed to avoid the tentacles of Mead Johnson. Three cheers for them and their healthy diet pyramid.

Tranh Van hotel in Hoi An
A picture says a thousand words.

2 steps and your're in
I'm waiting for the kids to take a running jump from our door straight into the pool. It can only be a matter of time.

Comments

[Beth, Ben, Albert, Owen]

Hello from Canada
Sounds like a fabulous trip. Love reading the blog and seeing the pictures. Even with 3 kids, and even from the other side of the world, your pace of sightseeing exhausts me... Keep taking those important detours into tv, pools, and other kid essentials.

[KaootaKids]

Hello Canada
Believe me, we're exhausted too. The kids are having a great time but there are times when you feel like you are not really Vietnam. I mean we do spend a lot of time in swimming pools and restaurants that advertise pizza and pasta as well as Vietnamese food. But of course a compromise is better than not being here at all. Hoi An is an excellent town. World heritage listed old town is a gem, given that most of Vietnam had the living daylights bombed out of it by the US, its nice to see what towns here used to look like. The rest of the country is the typical concrete box architecture beloved of the communist world. Food is great, people are incredibly friendly. The kids are being cuddled and are having their cheeks pinched almost to excess. Somtimes they are a bit overwhelmed by all the lovin but generally they are cool with it all. Stay in touch. Steven

[Sarah and Scott]

Hello
Hi guys! Just logged on to your site today. Lovely to hear your news. It's bringing back memories of Thailand as well- the heat, traffic chaos and welcome swimming pools. What an experience! Hello Milla- we are missing you at school. How do you say 'hello' so we can say it to you when reading the register?. I will show them some of your photos. Take your time traveling and don't do too much (like we do). Take Care, Sarah, Scott, Rowan and Ella

[KaootaKids]

Hello from Milla
Hi 2EA. sin chow is hello,and dumbiet is goodbye.Missing all of you from Milla.