Over the past 4 months and 3 weeks I have slept in 82 different beds (thats an average of 4.5 a week). 10 of these beds have been on trains and 9 'beds' have been on buses*. I'm beginning to get slightly fed up, not helped recently by the fact that Vietnamese people are very rude compared to British standard. I know we have fairly high standards, but I am fed up of being pushed around, metaphorically and physically.
Whilst I have been scammed and ripped off in every country I've been to so far, in Vietnam it is so organised, and there are so many tourists its unavoidable. You pay the extra 100,000d because its a 'special bus' or you don't go, another tourist will pay the bribe and take the seat instead. On the pavements or in resturants, people try to physically move me, grabbing me by the shoulders, to get me out of the way. I have not yet tried this on other people to get them out of my way - I'm very English and give them a significant look instead. A bus driver will think nothing of pushing me and other passengers into our seats or slapping my feet so that I take off my shoes.
After the most recent two buses I've had enough. Thankfully those bues bring me to Hoi An, the perfect place to chill out for a bit, and spend 3 nights in the same bed. I decide that in Hoi An I am going to do whatever I want. If I don't feel like eating Vietnamese, I wont. If I want to spend the day on the beach instead of looking at temples then that's what I will do. I turns out that doing 'exactly what I want' involves eating a lot of pasta and home made ice cream (reading the book 'Eat Pray Love' at the moment may have something to do with this). I don't eat any Vietnamese food for 4 four days and I dont so much as glance at a temple.
The thing to do in Hoi An is to get tailor made clothes. There are 200 different tailors shops in Hoi An making mostly suits but also dresses, swimming costumes, jeans, shirts, anything. In preparation for all those job interviews im going to have when I get home, I get fitted for a trouser suit and a smart dress. I spend an hour choosing syle, fabric, linings and buttons, and over all have three fittings to make sure they're perfect. Its all done in just 2 days and the whole lot costs me $130.
I spend a day at the beach, renting a bicycle and risking the roads. Where as home it is the job of the person joining the main road to wait and look for a space, in Vietnam it is the job of the driver already on the main road to look out for people joining, who don't give even the slightest glance to the oncoming traffic. I spend a few hours on the beach swimming and sun-bathing (and getting slightly burnt, even though it is overcast), before heading back to town for a burger and more icecream.
As five o'clock approaches I settle down outside a bar with a passion fruit mojito and was as the streets of Hoi An transform. In the evenings the old town is pedestrianised, fairy lights are turned on, lanterns are hung from trees and classical music is played from loud speakers. People promenade up and down the river, stopping in little resturants for drinks, dinner and ice cream. It probably sounds like a little town in France/Spain/Italy, and it looks like it too.
On my final day in Hoi An I go on a snorkelling trip with Charlotte, who arrived the evening before having spent a few nights in the town of Hue, which I skipped in order to have a few relaxing days. Most other people on our boat are trying scuba diving, but I'm glad I didn't fork out as we see just as much snorkelling. After pottering around two dive sites and some sun bathing on the boat we stop for a sea food lunch on one of the near by islands, and afer lunch we have an hour or so on the beach. The water is the clearest, cleanest water I have swam in so far, it is deep and refreshing and the perfect temperature, where as the water on Koh Tao beach is uncomfortably warm and mucky as a result.
We get back to the main land just in time for me to pick up my rucksack and head to the bus station for my 12 hour bus to the town of Nha Trang, half way between Hoi An and Saigon. I don't, however, have time for a shower, which is fairly unpleasant, but I'm still cleaner than some of the backpackers I have seen recently.
* All together I have taken 15 trains and 33 buses (15 of 'tourist' and 18 public s. I have also taken 3 boats, 5 shared jeeps/mini buses and 3 planes.
Whilst I have been scammed and ripped off in every country I've been to so far, in Vietnam it is so organised, and there are so many tourists its unavoidable. You pay the extra 100,000d because its a 'special bus' or you don't go, another tourist will pay the bribe and take the seat instead. On the pavements or in resturants, people try to physically move me, grabbing me by the shoulders, to get me out of the way. I have not yet tried this on other people to get them out of my way - I'm very English and give them a significant look instead. A bus driver will think nothing of pushing me and other passengers into our seats or slapping my feet so that I take off my shoes.
After the most recent two buses I've had enough. Thankfully those bues bring me to Hoi An, the perfect place to chill out for a bit, and spend 3 nights in the same bed. I decide that in Hoi An I am going to do whatever I want. If I don't feel like eating Vietnamese, I wont. If I want to spend the day on the beach instead of looking at temples then that's what I will do. I turns out that doing 'exactly what I want' involves eating a lot of pasta and home made ice cream (reading the book 'Eat Pray Love' at the moment may have something to do with this). I don't eat any Vietnamese food for 4 four days and I dont so much as glance at a temple.
The thing to do in Hoi An is to get tailor made clothes. There are 200 different tailors shops in Hoi An making mostly suits but also dresses, swimming costumes, jeans, shirts, anything. In preparation for all those job interviews im going to have when I get home, I get fitted for a trouser suit and a smart dress. I spend an hour choosing syle, fabric, linings and buttons, and over all have three fittings to make sure they're perfect. Its all done in just 2 days and the whole lot costs me $130.
I spend a day at the beach, renting a bicycle and risking the roads. Where as home it is the job of the person joining the main road to wait and look for a space, in Vietnam it is the job of the driver already on the main road to look out for people joining, who don't give even the slightest glance to the oncoming traffic. I spend a few hours on the beach swimming and sun-bathing (and getting slightly burnt, even though it is overcast), before heading back to town for a burger and more icecream.
We get back to the main land just in time for me to pick up my rucksack and head to the bus station for my 12 hour bus to the town of Nha Trang, half way between Hoi An and Saigon. I don't, however, have time for a shower, which is fairly unpleasant, but I'm still cleaner than some of the backpackers I have seen recently.
* All together I have taken 15 trains and 33 buses (15 of 'tourist' and 18 public s. I have also taken 3 boats, 5 shared jeeps/mini buses and 3 planes.
Another lovely post. I loved hearing about your statistics beds buses etc. your few relaxing days sound well deserved. Travelling is tiring! Luv Murv
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