Hoi An and Nha Trang
Trip Start
Apr 30, 2004
1
13
88
Trip End
Jan 28, 2005
Nha Trang,
Vietnam
Monday, June 14, 2004
Hoi An is a picturesque town on the banks of the Thu Bon river, 5km from the South China Sea. In its hayday Hoi An was an important port of call for Dutch, Portugeses, Chinese and Japanese trading vessels. There are a number of historical wooden buildings in the Old Town, with a great deal of time and effort going into preserving their unique character.
We had a good walk round the Old Town area last night, the lanter lit streets were very atmospheric but today we have decided to explore on a moped. The driver of Rene's moped is called Lee, a geeky looking, slightly backward man with a T-shirt tan.
We walked a full 10 yards from the hotel to hire a moped
A honda dream Hoi An
. 60,000 (US$4) for the day with fuel thrown in. We gave the lady the money in exchange for a very new looking Honda moped, 5 gears, automatic start with a good powerful horn (vital). A beauty. That was it, no passport or driving licence to hand over, nothing. We just rode off.Our first trip was to move our backpacks. We'd discovered a hotel slightly closer to the centre with a lovely swimming pool and similar room for $8.
Having got the hang of the moped we head off to the palm lined fine sands of Cua Dai beach. Apart from hawkers selling their wares there are very few people about. It's breathtakingly hot, so we have a quick swim, devour a pineapple whilst sat in the shade of a palm tree, then we're back on the bike. We spend the rest of the day exploring the narrow streets and alleyways of the Old Town.
As well as its historic charm Hoi An is renowned for its tailor-made clothing. There are over 200 shops, which for little more than the cost of the cloth will make anything you desire. Rene is very excited at the prospect, so excited I've had to fit her with a shire horse bridle and bit to reign her in, but she just neighs and kicks until she's in being measured for a raw silk skirt with hand embroidered detail
Big seated Buddha Nha Thrang
. I get measured for new underpants, 240 pairs in raw hessian, one for everyday till we're home.By 5pm, the moped has been returned and we're colling off in the hotel pool.
Out for a meal, then we pick up Rene's embroidered silk skirt, which she loves, and is a bargain at GBP 3, which I love.
We're catching the 11 hour bus to Nha Trang at 6am in the morning so it's early to bed.
Expenses: Accom 122,000, bikes 60,000, beach 5,000, internet 13,000, book 20,000, lunch 44,000, whistles $1, skirt $6, Bus $10, Food and drink 129,000.
Tues 8 June - Day 40.
Rene's idea of a nightmare (apart from snakes) is an 11 hour daytime coach trip in non reclining seats in scorchio temperatures, but what we get is a dream. After the horror night bus trip, we thought we'd try the day bus, no sleep deprivation and something to see. The bus leaves at 7am and arrives in Nha Trang at 6pm and costs $5 each
Cham Towers 2 Nha Thrang
. The day bus isn't popular so apart from Rene and myself there is 1 other passenger and 2 drivers, which is superb and soon after setting off Rene is horizontal across 3 seats, resting her head on her blow up pillow and sleeping. I'm sat on my inflatable pillow which helps prevent assteroids.The drive from Hoi An to Nha Trang is scenically stunning interrupted by moments of heart in the mouth white knuckle terror. The Vietnamese countryside is magnificant. We pass endless rice paddies, where locals wearing conical hats are bent double or stearing a water buffalo pulled plough, everywhere are huge coconut palms bearing fruit. We cross hair pin bend filled mountain passes and follow the beautiful coastline for mils, seeing white sand beaches and tiny villages. We see a mountain with a huge boulder balanced precariously on top with hundreds of people at the base, hand chiselling smaller boulders into granite blocks. We drive through small villages where overladen carts are being pulled by Oxen. We're continually held up by small herds of cattle standing in the middle of the road and in one instance, by one large herd of extremely muddy water buffalo.
In an attempt to match the dramatic scenery, the clouds build up steadily throughout the afternoon and by 4pm we have torrential rain, thunder and lightening which continues on and off for the remainder of the dirve
Cham Towers Nha Thrang
.Now for the mopments of terror. We are travelling on the nortorious highway 1 which runs between Hanoi and Saigon. The road is 2 lanes wide and generally in decent condition. The road users however, appear to be tetering on the edge of insanity, in a continuous game of chicken. The road just isn't wide enough. With motorbikes taking up the insides of each lane, there are only inches to spare when buses or lorries pass in opposite directions. In Vietnam 2 quick beeps of the horn means move over or I'll flatten you. Speed is the name of the game and everybody is playing. Accelerator, horn, accelerator, horn. To slow down the foot is taken off the accelerator, brakes are the last resort.
It's when overtaking that the game of chicken is played. If on approaching the vehicle front there is the slightest opportunity to overtake, they go for it. Our driver kept doing this. It takes a long time to overtake another bus when only travelling 2 mph quicker. We're sat at the back but can clearly see the flashing lights and hear the tooting horn of the oncoming vehicle; all you can do is grip the seat and hope his judgement is sound. Twisted roadside wreckage is a continual sombre reminder of unsound judgement.
Dragon staircase to Buddha Nha Thrang
Anyway we arrived safe and sound in Nha Trang, where it's wet and dark. We are dropped at a grotty hotel so we walk about a mile checking prices and rooms until we find what we're after. Another good room for $5.50. We drop our bags and roam the promenade in search of food.
Expenses: Accom $8, water 5,000, food 158,000
Wed 9 June - Day 41. Scorchio
During a morning of sightseeing by moped we visited pagodas, temples and towes. Nha Trang is renowned for its 6km beach. Crystal clear torquoise water and white sand, unfortunately following last nights thunderstorms the water is neither turquoise or clear. Despite this we spend a couple of afternoon hours lying on the beach. We book a 3 day tour to the Central Highlands which leaves tomorrow. We met the 3 lads from Chester again, who came on the trip to Halong Bay, and they and another bloke are coming on the Central Highlands trip with us in a minibus.
After a proper haircut (no.1 all over), a shower and some food, we return to our room to pack, ready to move on in the morning.
Expenses: Highlands Tour 1,900,00, dinner 150,000, bus 18,000, Moped 50,000, petrol 10,000, water 5,000, b/fast, lunch and drinks 124,000, haircut 20,000, beer 16,000, T Shirt, headscarf and flip flops 50,000.
