Asia Hue

... the westerners you just have to look out for the 20 motorbike drivers/cyclo drivers following them down the street) we found a cafe for brekky. Just about to tuck in and another motorbike guy stuck his head though the window right next to our table. By this time i was about to lose it with them, but he put a guest/comments book in front of Chris's face with people saying how much fun they had had with this company, which he ...

... an inordinate amount of tombs and cemeteries. The rural people here have one strange tradition: the children are responsible to build the tombs for their parents before their parents die, and the parents also want to see their own coffins before they kick the bucket ("Son, i want the latest model of coffin with the chrome mouldings and fuzzy dice"). How morbid is that?!

Other than knowing that shrimps taste scrumptuous, especially the crispy ...

... it turned out to be one of the tombs that I had heard about. It was interesting, a tour group of French people got there right after we did. They made the experience of walking around the old palace less than it would have been it was only dampened a little. Afterwards we rode out into the hills trying hardest to get lost. Well, we did. And no one spoke enough English to get us back to where we needed to be in an hour. The bad thing about being lost in SE Asia is that everyone makes ...

... where I found an upper-bunk sleeper unoccupied. For those unfamiliar with "sleeper" buses, they are designed for lengthy destinations. Instead of upright seats that recline, they are equipped with beds instead. At least that's how they're advertised. Imagine instead, having the ability to completely recline an economy-sized airplane seat. Narrow, and stiff, with the upper back and head area permanently raised, to prop ...

... I am going to write an additional entry about it once I arrive in Nha Trang tomorrow (I don't have my camera cord so I can't upload pictures of Hoi An now). So far traveling on my own has been incredible. I have met so many people and have learned so much about their individual customs and languages. I am often at the butt of jokes about the way Americans pronounce certain words (apparently we say basil, oregano and caramel very different and it fascinates them). Also Jon constantly ...

... with many monuments, paved areas and beautiful lakes and streams. The poor guy had 104 wives and many concubines but unfortunately no children. Luckily for him though, he commissioned the building of this tomb during his lifetime and thus was able to enjoy the serene space for many years before his death.

From the tomb we went on to visit the ancient Citadel built in 1804, fortified home to the many Nguyen Kings. The citadel is surrounded by 10km of red ...

... And although there were only 4 berths per compartment rather than the 6 in hard sleeper class, when we arrived we were greeted by approximately 15 Vietnamese adults and children crowded in the compartment and spilling out into the hall. Thankfully the number whittled down to 2 adults and 2 children by the time the train actually left (the rest were family seeing the kids off, I think) but for the next 18hours we had the feeling at times that we ...