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Published: October 30th 2006
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I just finished uploading a bunch of pics for you all. They all pertain to the weekend in Nha Trang so i wont post any pics with this entry.
I arrived in Nha Trang, one of the few seaside resorts in Vietnam at 1 am . Not a good time to find hotels open or even a taxi or motorbike taxi. However, as i have always found in my travels, things just seem to happen at the right time and i walk through the door . As if by luck, I walked out of the bus station and started walking towards the smell and sound of the ocean. This really nice guy on a motor bike is driving by and sees an easy 15,000 dong I am sure (1 dollar). He knows a "friend" with a hotel and he will take me there if i want. I jump on, being the pro that i am now and he zips me through the empty wet streets of Nha Trang and along the beach front to a relatively nice small hotel. Good thing i didnt try and walk all the way, I still would have been walking at sunrise to get to
the hotel district. What a difference in pace and life style as compared to Saigon. Sort of like comparing NY city with Kelowna . Anyway, my new friend and tour guide bangs on the closed up tight hotel and wakes up the owner, actually two hotels, the first one was full. We ascend 5 flights of stairs ( no elevators ) to the top floor and walk into a huge room with 3 beds , AC, TV, Hot Water, Stocked Fridge, Balcony overlooking the Bay and out to sea towards many islands. I gulp, how much I ask ? 12 dolla came the answer. I smile and take it for two nights. Anyone want to join me yet ?????? LOL
Woke up to an overcast sky but still a nice view out to sea. Went downstairs for some breakfast about 830 and was instantly cornered by the owner asking me if I wanted to take a boat tour of the islands. An all day all inclusive tour he says, I gulp again, how much I ask, 6 dolla came the reply. I jumped at the chance and would highly recommend this island tour . It was a fun day,
good entertainment, good food, good swimming and snorkling, excellent marine acquarium with some of the best and biggest specimens of ocean fish i have ever seen. Its small as far as aquariums go but what they do have is very very good.
The boat was full of people from Asia , Australia, England, Taiwan, and one Canadian
As you can see from the pics i really enjoyed myself. The Vietnamese put on a good show, are very polite and engaging but not pushy when trying to sell thier goods. I could live in Nha Trang no problem. The life style is much slower and more relaxed than Saigon. The traffic is acceptable and the pollution minimal. The beach was 6 miles of relatively coarse sand but still nice to walk on. I did the 6 miles all in one go the day after the island cruise. The serf was amasing to watch and the pics i took just dont do it justice so I wont post any.
The hi lite of the day on the beach was sitting down on the sand and being served a magnificent sea food lunch, cooked, shelled and presented on a plate right there
on the beach. Nothing super special except the seafood was delicious the vendor good company and the venue to die for. And all for 3 dollars. See photo for quantity served.
After my 6 mile hike along the beach my legs needed a rest so said yes to one of the many motorbike taxis that hound you constantly if you walk the streets. Of course its not as simple as getting on the motorbike and heading back to the hotel. OH NO.....
These people want to show you everything there is to be seen but a firm yes or no or telling them what you want to see is all it takes for them to back off or do whatever you want. For $1.25 i went on a hair raising ride through the downtown area of Nha Trang and visited the Big Buddha as they call it. Worth the side trip it was even though I have seen many Buddhas in Thailand last spring. Then returned to the hotel for a nice hot shower . Ended up having dinner next to the hotel and ate a nice vietnamese dinner and had one tiger beer all for $2.50.
After the bus ride from hell I decided to try the trains out for size to get back to Saigon.
Good choice this time. I booked a sleeper berth a day in advance, which is a must as the trains are always full. 6 beds or bunks to a room, its the luck of the draw who your room mates are. Train left Nha Trang at 9:45 PM and arrived 3 hours ahead of schedule in Saigon at 5:30 am. That cut 5 hours off the bus travelling time and i was able to lie down and get some sleep ( after the drunk guy passed out and went to sleep because no one wanted to drink with him or talk to him ) Trains from now on for this guy.
So here I am back in noisy, congested , hot and humid Saigon. Back in my own room which is rather nice actually. Am starting to feel like one of the locals except for the fact everyone stares at me like I am an alien or something from outer space. I will be spending most of the next couple of weeks doing Saigon and getting to know the
transit system. Wish me luck 😉
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Shari
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It's Cold and We Have Pumpkins
Hey Magic Bill, Great journaling for us poor stay-at-homes. Your seaside experience reminds me a bit of Brazil...we had a door-to-door lobster salesman. I remember also the treatment of the "gringo pushovers", taxi prices were always double and/or you always were taken on the "Excursao da Cidade" before you were taken to your destination. There's snow on the Coquihalla. Have a wonderful time...our interim Computer Guru, Tonya, is wacky but seems to know her stuff. Shari