After being collected by motorbike (Monday, 13 December) and taken to a travel agent of sorts, the bus finally arrives and I'm taken to the corner to get on - no proper bus stops around here thanks very much. When I first get on I'm thinking l'll be standing the whole way, then I spy a seat right at the back - sounds fine but it's like an obstacle course trying to get there and I'm in a skirt so definitely makes it a lot harder! Thankfully the journey isn't more than 50 minutes, and a good 10 minutes of that is stopped outside a hotel for the owners to come on board to get some business. I'm so pleased I've already confirmed a place to stay.
I was advised by the hotel they would pick me up, however when we all get off the bus there is no one there. So after calling a motorbike comes but sees I'm in a skirt and have a big backpack so calls a taxi. I'm given a ton of information on check-in, they are unbelievable helpful! I'm so pleased I changed my original reservation to this hotel.
On walking around the ancient town every single person says "hello, you come into my store to buy something". After hearing this time and time again I give up answering. It sounds like it's our "hello, how are you?". English is spoken a lot more here than in Da Nang and it's definitely a town geared up to the tourist.
The Central Market is an interesting place full of colour, food, nik naks and the constant stream of noise. Walking through is fun but tiring, so a coffee stop is needed. I head along the water (river) front in search of somewhere, within minutes I'm seated and being questioned left, right and center. Please let me alone to drink my coffee in peace!!!!
After declining a boat trip far too many times I head off and wander the streets. Hoi An ancient city is quite small and is closed off to all vehicles - makes walking much easier. I come across a couple of "free range" chocks.....yeah right the only thing free about them is they are allowed to wander around free right now. That will all change once their owner wants to return home.
I have a couple of hours back at the hotel sorting out my things and doing more research. So much for having all of this done before my trip started!
After a local beer in the hotels restaurant I head off in search of a place for dinner.
Tuesday morning I try to have a sleep in, I was up at 1am ready to party which wasn't fun!!
Today I'm going to hire a bike to see more of Hoi An. After biking out to the beach, close to 4kms I head back into the city centre stopping en-route for coffee. The day is spent biking around the city taking it all in. One huge advantage of biking is people can’t try and entice you into their shops or sell you their goods.
After a quick break in the hotel I decide to head out for dinner, within 50 metres of leaving the hotel and at a busy intersection I fall off my bike.....I've only had one beer!! There are 3 or 4 guys that run to my rescue, a couple of them are laughing - I'm yet to see the funny side of this, am more super embarrassed and thankful for being helped. I manage to get onto my bike quick smart and bike off as if nothing has happened - problem is I have war wounds to show for it. Ooh well all part and parcel of getting onto a bike in Vietnam plus it could have been a lot worse.
I realise it's not quite 6pm but I'm hungry so dinner time it is. I'd found a place on my travels today so head there. First thing I order is a beer - need to calm the nerves. Just hope it won’t make me bike all over the place on the journey home.
I try a few of the Hoi An’s specialties for dinner – all very yummy then I bike home with no issues.
Wednesday (15 December) I'm up early for my trip to My Son. After breakfast I have 5 minutes to gather my things before being picked up, although going on normal Vietnamese time I'll have longer.
Not today though, the bus calls me from reception - whoops.
On the bus a group of 'young' travellers sit around me constantly talking of being drunk and where they have been. I feel so old and so don't fit in and am hoping they don't start talking to me. Thankfully there are other people on the bus.
My Son (pronounced me son) is 55 km's out of Hoi An set in the jungle, so a bit of a long journey however we make it in the end. On arrival we see a traditional dance before looking around the huge site. My Son are the remains of the ancient Kingdom of Champa. The VC used My Son as a base, and unfortunately American bombs have reduced many of the towers to ruins but there was still lots of see, all very fascinating. The majority of the temples are dedicated to Charm Kings associated with divinities. We have about two hours wondering around, the ruins are surrounded by jungle and a few streams. All very peaceful.
After driving a good 20 minutes (half way back to Hoi An) we finally get to a wharf for the boat trip. I decided to return by boat to mix it up a bit. We are served a so-so lunch that is cold and isn't likely to keep me full for very long at all. But it the views I've come for not the cuisine.
On arrival into Hoi An I'm immediately struck with how hot it is, the sun is out in full force, and how the streets are quite empty - clearly everyone is staying out of the sun and what a good idea that is.
I make for a restaurant to have an iced coffee, the hotel coffee is unbelievable awful and I this was the first opportunity to have one. Got talking to a couple from the US who were playing a game similar to scrabble but no board. I joined in and realised quick smart how my brain really has stopped working! Amazing what a few months without working does to one :)
I walk through the central market on my way back to the hotel, pausing a little too long at some stalls as they jump on me to buy buy buy. Sorry not today! An Australian couple (Laurelle and Tony) start talking to me at a travel agent stall and I end up spending the rest of the day with them. After having a beer we go and collect the clothes they've had made - a couple of the items needed to be redone so it made for interesting conversation!! The ladies at the stall decided to make it their mission to get me to buy - I think not. Not only from Laurelle’s story of how terrible they were but also from my horror in Hanoi 2 years ago.
I finally tried a mug of local beer and I must say it's very good - even better is the price tag that goes with it VND 4,000 which is about USD 20 cents. Talk about bargain central!!!!
After agreeing to meet tomorrow for a spot of browsing and shopping Tony cycles me back to my hotel. We get lots of laughs from the locals but hey ho it's working for us!
Thursday morning I'm about to head to breakfast when I hear this loud noise, looking out the window I realise it's rain and crazy amount of it!! Don't remember hearing rain so loud in a very long time.
Thankfully it doesn't last long and Laurelle and I still meet up. After having a proper coffee we wander, looking in a few stores and being asked into far too many! Actually the number of shops open is definitely less than yesterday, the crazy rain does have it's positives.
We were wandering around in search of somewhere for lunch when Tony turned up on his motorbike to join us. More wandering after lunch, I decided to look for some fabric and was amazed at the difference in prices and how much fabric I should buy - I thought these people were tailors......
Tonight I had the pleasure of being taken to my hotel on the back of a motorbike - a great feeling, perhaps I might invest in one when I head "home" (let's not discuss where this "home" is going to be!)
Friday (17 December) I'm heading to Da Lat. After breakfast I head down the road for proper coffee before starting to pack. Finally decide not to have the hotel's coffee.
I'm collected by a taxi for the journey to Da Nang airport and of course arrive hours earlier than need be. I have no idea why you are supposed to arrive 2 hours before the flight given you don’t have to clear immigration and customs. The airport is small so two hours pass by very slowly. I do make use of the Vietnam Airlines ticket office and book and pay for a flight from Nha Trang to Saigon. Now I just need to get myself to Nha Trang.
Ciao Hoi An, been a great few days.
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