Getting into routine

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Not sure why - but the wake-up rooster got me woken up at 04.30am, Still dark outside - so not sure why he thought he could let fly with that horrible cock-a-doodle-doo. Perhaps he is a nightwatch-rooster and there was a fox in the henhouse. Anyways - I was able to go back to sleep again but it meant I did not awake naturally until 06.30am - which made me a little late for my morning swim. I try to get the same bicycle each day - after adjusting the seat for my height and making sure the tyres are capable of transporting a 100kg payload - but some other persons in the homestay randomly take bikes and change the seat settings - which means I never get the same bike 2-days in a row. It's a short cycle (200m) to get me out onto a hamlet, across the bridge and down to the main Cua Dau road. In a matter of 500m I have passed and been passed by at least 20 motos, 10-15 bicycles, a couple of taxis and some commercial trucks. Heart-stopping even before I have made it to the main thoroughfare. Then it's 600m past several coffee shops bursting with ladies having some "ca phe" before going to work or males who are playing cards and gambling. I think Vietnamese men would gamble on 2 geckos going up a wall!!!. Over the bridge at Cua Dai and if lucky there is no commercial vehicle trying to cross as it becomes 1-way when that happens and it causes a back up. Within a few seconds 20-30 vehicles of all description can cause a road block. Once over the bridge - it's a hairy 500m ride through the little community of Cua Dai. Passing by several restaurants, massage/spa shops, bike repair holes-in-the-wall you then have to negotiate the local market - which kicks off around daybreak. Another traffic jam here as stalls and sellers spill out on to the road, which is packed with villagers and tourists wanting to buy anything from fruit, meat, fish, vegetables,eggs, cutlery, pampers, towels, tools, perfumes, baby cloths, adult clothes and more. And motos are parked randomly on the sidewalk, in the gutter, anywhere that can be found. Once through here - it's another 200m past more restaurants, massage/spa shops, mini-marts to the intersection where you can turn left and go to Danang City, or right to the fishing port and boat harbour of Cua Dai. My route is turn right and follow the road for about 800m past the new (yet-to-be-finished) Koi Resort, the Victoria Beach Resort and the Golden Sands Resort. My little beach is a stretch of nice white sand about 400m between Victoria Beach Resort and Golden Sands. It's also the beach for the Muong Than Hotel - which is across the road, and host to many Chinese and Korean groups. If I arrive at the beach between 5.30am and 06.00am - I usually have to share it with 10-15 Vietnamese who tend to use this stretch of water as their daily bath. They claim the salt water keeps their skin smooth. If I arrive between 6.30-07.30am - I usually have the beach to myself and one or 2 fishermen who use the little basket boats to check their off-shore nets. I usually see staff from Victoria Beach and Muong Thanh Hotel laying out the mattresses for the beach chairs.

My morning work-out is 400m back and forth parallel to the shore, done in various styles - breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke, side stroke. The water is so clear at this end of the beach - but there is usually not much to see other than the odd piece of seaweed on the bottom, sometimes a jellyfish or two, and sometimes even some litter 😞 . Then it's time for the water calisthenics. 100 jumping jacks, followed by 100 arms out and back then move to the front (whatever that movement is called). There's a surprising amount of resistance in the water doign this - so by the time I have finished 100 - my shoulders have a little ache/pain. Then I relax a little and splash about. Usually bu this time some of the Chines guests from Muong Thanh hotel have come across the road and down to the beach - so they can run around in the sand, paddle in the water, take lots of selfies and mini-movies, and laugh and giggle, then go back to the hotel - probably for the buffet kimchi. By now the fisherman have come in and dragged their basket boats up on to the beach and cleaned their nets - taking out some little fishes that have failed to escape. Now it's tiem for me to head back to the homestay - being careful as I negotiate the local market, the bridge, the traffic. Once at the homestay it's check facebook, eat breakfast, take a shower, check e-mails, then decide that I will do for the day.

Not sure what I will do today. But I am loving it!!!

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