Day 6: sept 9
We alighted the train at Danang and took a cab to Hoi An. Initially we did not have Hoi An in our itinerary but had included it at the last moment. When we had booked our train ticket to Danang (that would reach us early morn), we had simultaneously booked the tickets to Nha Trang via an evening bus the same day. We planned to shop in Hoi An during the day and leave the same evening. We reached Hahn Café in Hoi An from where we had our tickets to Nhatrang so we could confirm the time for departure. To our utter dismay, we were informed that the tickets were not available. I argued with the manager that I had already paid cash for the tickets and I was told the tickets were confirmed, while the manager argued that we were supposed to call and confirm that we would travel with the tickets by which we had paid in cash for. I still do not understand where we went wrong; if you do, you belong to Vietnam :p
The hotel bookings that we had done from India in Vietnam and Cambodia went for a toss from thence; we had to pay for an extra day every hotel that we went to after that, since we reached one day late everywhere. Nevertheless, Hoi An proved worth the stay. Hoi An is a shopper’s paradise. The streets in Hoi An are lined with shops displaying clothes of various designs/patterns. First thing that we bought were backpacks in which we could stuff purchases. We bought quite a few clothes and memorabilia from Hoi An. Come evening and we were at the pub ‘Before and Now’, enjoying good music while playing pool with some Europeans. While I was not at my very best, Ivan was playing exceptional and a couple of good shots from Ivan tamed the snobbish opponents that they started taking things seriously. When we finished, the arrogance was replaced by respect in their eyes and we made friends. Later in the evening we went to a restaurant in the vicinity and hogged on various Vietnamese cuisines. Vietnamese food, for one, is something that I really enjoyed among other South East Asian country food that I tasted.
Day 7: sept 10
We got up late and caught up on our lost sleep knowing fully well that we had an entire day before we took the bus to Nha Trang at 5.30 pm. We had to pick up various clothes that we had paid for. I was very sceptical the previous day when I was sold a drawstring trouser and when I returned to the shop to try it, I liked it so much that I asked them if they could stitch 2 more in 2 hours since I had a bus for Nha Trang to catch. And deliver, they did. On time. Perfect fits. All said and done, Hoi An offers more to girls than guys.
The bus was a sleeper coach that travels from Hoi An to Nha Trang during the night. We got the seats on the left flank and to our utter dismay we found that the seats were smaller than the ones in the middle and the right flank in order to accommodate a loo inside the bus. This created so much of discomfort that even the ready mix of whiskey and coke could not ease the discomfort. I grabbed an opportunity and the seat when a traveller from the middle flank disembarked and when I waved goodnight to Ivan, it left him cursing me through the night while I settled into a deep slumber.
Day 8: sept 11
First thing after we checked into a hotel in Nha Trang, we booked a scuba diving and snorkelling trip. The cab picked us up from the hotel at 10:30 am and the sight that greeted us at the dock left me awe-inspired. I had never seen blue waters in the sea and had always wanted to experience it: the only blue waters I had encountered was at the swimming pool I frequented. As the boat took us away to the destination, we were provided the scuba gear and given on various instructions on the sign indications underwater. I always believed I had an aquatic side to me and scuba diving enthralled me no end. I the blue waters were fascinating, the corals and the multi-colored fishes surrounding you were jaw dropping, except you couldn’t drop your jaw in order to keep biting on to the only tube that provided you oxygen underwater;-) Even Ivan who was sceptical about scuba diving initially gave in to the alluring blue waters and decided to experience the waters. We stayed underwater for about 45 minutes and then we surfaced. While it was the turn of the other tourists for scuba, I grabbed the moment to take turns at swimming and then snorkelling in the blue waters. Later we were taken to a different spot for some more scuba diving where there were other varieties of corals and fishes. Scuba diving is an experience; it provides you no adrenaline rush and marine life can only bring you at peace that one craves for in a fast paced life led.
When we reached the hotel, we booked a car that could take us to the Buddha temple in the vicinity. After our visit to the Buddha Temple, we went to a spa and indulged in a mud bath and showers from a mineral spring. In the evening we boarded a bus that would take us to Ho Chin Minh and we had ensured that we selected the seats on the right flank that offered seats with enough leg room for comfort. However, I was still oblivious to an adventure that was due me.
Pics @ http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=243414&id=686198445&l=24e4567176
To be continued…
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