Dalat dalat! Exterminate!

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Dalet here, saying xin chao

Up early in Da Lat, this frenchy-feeling village out of the coast. It's cold here - by which i mean I can wear trousers. I went out with the aforementioned easy-riders today. Mine was a bloke called "Windy". He had no flatulence (sp) trouble as far as I could see/smell so the name apparantly came from his speed. That was not the case, but his ability to receive a phone call up a windy mountain road was impressive - negotiating mental drivers (and mental driving) one handed in perilous circs.

Have to praise the easy-riders though - it was great to see the Vietnam highlands countryside from the back of a cruising motorbike - some beautiful landscapes and a great way to see Vietnam unseen by us stinking westerners! With these blokes you can go on some epic tours - Eva left to do a six day trip on motorbike to Hoi An - one of the guys told me that the longest he ever did was up to Sa Lat (I think it's called) for a whole month! That being my entire trip, it wasn't going to happen!

After the day of biking we ended up in a place called crazy house. I couldm't find out who had built it or why, but it was like fun house with Pat Sharp but without any safety measures...

When I got back I had to find another room for the night so I asked my hotel - they gave me an absolute palace - 3 double beds, balcony kitted out with swingy sofa overlooking the city, all to myself. Not exactly ruffing it, but for seven bucks I thought why not?

The day was slighty blighted by picking up a travel book for south east asia in the lobby of the hotel and seeing Emily Paine's name glaring back at me - I can't get away - but you can't have everything.

Met up with some geezers for dinner and had the most hilarious time - we went for a meal at a street eating place. I ordered shrimp crispy fried noodles and got the following:

1. A grey thing on congealed rice with bits of chicken in (I sent it back, trying to explain)
2. Sqiud with rice (congealed)
3. Shrimp with rice
4. Squid with crispy noodles.

4 was close enough, so I ate and it was very nice - not what I asked for but (as I said) you can't have everything - especially when the menu's in English and the waitress has no idea what it said. Given that there were 6 of us eating, about 20 dishes changed hands before we shrugged and tucked in!

Tomorrow to La Trang - party town so they say. I'll see what happens there. Party town thus far has meant "I've gotta get out of here!" but we'll see, eh?

Some fellow travellers have expressed concerns about the Japanese cloud of poison heading this way but I'm more concerned about the people in Japan to be honest (and the number of cheap cigarettes I'm getting through - pack of 20 Malboros = about 80p)

Peace

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Comments

[Ed]

Travel smoking...
Can't afford not to really!