Hoi An. An apartment or not an apartment?

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I wake early this morning - and decide I should again get into the habit of riding a bicycle the 2kms to the "secluded" section of beach between the Victoria Beach Resort and the Golden Sands Resort at Cua Dai beach. The relatively short ride is interesting because it's a chance to see regular "locals" during the journey. Like the little old lady who has the "ban mi" (Vietnamese bread roll filled with pate, veggies, various meats, oils) that is not far from the homestay. Or those at the many coffee stands enroute to the beach. And precariously making your way along the road at the point where the local market spills out on to the road - so it's a menagerie of stall holders, buyers, seller, bicycles, motos, cars, trucks, locals going to the beach for the morning swim (and wash)..... Lots of "xin chau"s (good morning) along the way. Many recognising me from my previous stays in Hoi An. The little beach is very quiet around 6.30am in the morning. It's the "private" beach for 3 hotels - but this time of the morning is too early for hotel guests - so I pretty much have the beach to myself - apart from a couple of fishermen in the "tung" (basket) boats, sometimes an Aussie friend who swims here too, and the hotel resort staff who come out to place the cushions on the beach chairs and set up the safety flags. The water is very clear here, and usually quite calm - except when some fishing boats pass by and create some small waves. I usually swim about 400m up and down the beach - then do some water aerobics before heading back. This morning my mind was on the apartment that was supposed to be for me and Kathie from 01 Aug until 17 Oct. What will we do now if it's not available?? I know there is a 2-bedroom unit on the ground floor - and in which I was to have spent the period 01 Aug - until 24 Aug - when I then moved upstairs to the 1-bedroom. However - I was yesterday lead to believe the 1-bedroom had been rented out to - so in effect - neither apartment was available for us. My mind was working over-time. Do I contact a real estate office - or do I start house hunting. I know there's a bazillion homes for rent in Hoi An area - but finding the right price, right house, right location, right dates is the hard part. We really had our hearts set on the chosen one because it was "western" styled, good price, the owner lived next door (good for security), it is near the local market, and not far (1km) from all our friends in the hamlet of Vong Nhi.

Headed back to homestay for breakfast - and anxious that I am not meeting Chau until 4.00pm when we will visit the owner to find out what has happened to our apartment (that was previously sealed with smiles and handshakes - the proverbial "gentlemen's agreement"). I was fortunate enough to meet the owner of the homestay after breakfast. Interesting to find out she has only been the owner for 7 months when the building itself got the "permission" to be a homestay. She also informed me that she is building a restaurant next to another building that she will open as a "mini-mart". Supermarkets we know them do not exist in Vietnam - but there are mini-marts (local corner stores) when you can buy most "dry" goods and drinks including beer etc. Fresh meats and veggies etc are bought at local markets. If you want the "supermarket" experience - you have to go 34kms to Danang to the "Big C" - a multi-level supermarket/general shopping type facility.

Now - the homestay owner hears my predicament and tells me she has a house for rent - and she will show me. Currently there are no "renters" in the house. She takes me to the property several kms from Hoi An town and into a "residential" district occupied with many Vietnamese-style houses and the occasional "western-style" house built by or for "expats". Her idea of "no renters" at the moment - meant that she, her husband and son are living there!!! Where will you go if I rent your house I ask. "I will move to another house I own" she replies. This is a common thing with Vietnamese. When I looked at houses several months ago this situation was quite common. They are so desperate to make some money - they rent there house out - and themselves move into another house owned by family members or friends. Maybe they split the rent. Who knows? anyways - the house is not suitable for us - so we head back to the homestay. After a few minutes - the owner advises me that she has a "friend" who is building a house and wants to rent it our. It's just around the corner from where we are so I decide it's worth a visit. Turns out it is being built by a bank manager who happens to live next door to the new build. The new house is a single level 2-bedroom/2-bathroom build. I imagine what it will look like when it's completed. It would suit us - but this rent of US$550 month is about $130 more than we expected to pay. He says it will be finished in "about" 3 weeks - which means I will have to stay in the homestay for almost a month - and them move in when Kathie arrives Hoi An around 21 Aug. Not ideal. But I decide we might be able to do it to be in a brand new house for the stay until 17 Oct. I advise him that in the afternoon I have to meet with other house owner to find out what's happening.

Meet with Chau and head to the apartment we thought was all agreed to. All is good. Turns out that a few days before my arrival in Hoi an the aforementioned Japanese couple made an offer to rent the 1-bedroom for 6 months. Of course - this was a very good offer for the home owner - so he accepted it. In order to compensate us - he offered the 2-bedroom unit on the ground floor - but advised that it would not be available until 04 Aug. Ok - so what's another 4 days?? So - now we get a 2-bedroom for the same price as we were going to pay for the 1-bedroom. Everyone happy. Come back tomorrow with a month's rent and we will sign an agreement. Then on 04 Aug - I will go with the family to the local Community Office to register my rental agreement. Having a socialist govt. - everything is "controlled" in Vietnam. You can't fart without some govt. official in the area knowing about it. There's always someone walking or riding around the district with notebook or clipboard in hand, recording something - and it needs to be reported back to the community office.

I will sleep well tonight knowing that there was a silver lining to the cloud of doubt. When I awoke earlier in the morning - I was almost resigned to the fact that if we took the new house being built by the bank manager - then I would be happy. Now it's something to keep in mind if we come back here in February. If his house is available - we might take it next time!! After some eats and a beer at Minh's family home-cum-drinking/eating-place - I reflect on my friend Chau's words - "Trevor - don't worry - everything OK". Thank you for reassurance Chau.

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