Each night of our stay in Hue, when the staff came in to turn down our beds, we found a little chocolate on the pillow. I had saved 2 of these to present to the girls today, Easter Sunday. I was extremely disappointed then when I went into my cupboard this morning to find they had been knocked off. Two tiny squares of missing chocolate was not really the issue as much as the knowledge someone had gone through my things. Not Happy Jan, but nothing I can do about it other than build a bridge.
So a leisurely start to the day as today we are booked in to do the cooking class and don't have to be there until 11am. We arrive at the Red Bridge Restaurant and after a welcome drink we are split into 3 groups to make it easier to do the tour of the markets. Sorry Rob, you'll just have to hold your nose! We are in a group of us and 4 Kiwis so a lot of slagging takes place!
The market tour is extremely interesting as we are shown fruits and vegs we're very unfamiliar with and even though we have been eating them we have no idea what they are. And then to the fish section. Robyn is actually 100% better that a few days ago to the smells are not affecting her now as they did. We are shown the different seafoods and our guide tells us how to choose the freshest ones. We then board a boat for the short trip to a small island owned by the restaurant which has been set up purely for tourists as a cooking school attraction.
What a fantastic experience this is. We get to watch how it is done and then go to our work stations and duplicate it. While our chef is demonstrating she tells us that if we can't see to watch what she is doing on the TV screen above her. LOL! It is a huge mirror angled just right!
We made 3 delicious dishes (fresh spring rolls, pancakes and a spicy hotpot thingy) and also had a go at carving a flower out of tomoato skin, and making a cucumber fan. A bit more practice on the last two definitely needed! Yum Yum, although our guide tells us that is apparently Vietnamese for horny! Robyn is now making a real effort to say yummy instead!
When we get back to Hoi An we wander home via our clothing stores to do the last of the pick-ups, including our laundry from the delightful Miss Anh who charges the princely sum of 50 cents per item. A swim in the pool and then dinner in the hotel restaurant tonight as we need to pack for our departure to Dalat tomorrow. We are not being picked up until 12.30 so we won't be rushed but all our new purchases have to somehow fit in our suitcases. I have bought a backpack and I'm hoping to be able to sneak on with considerably more hand luggage than allowed! Fingers crossed.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Saturday 23 April - My Son
This morning we are collected by our new guide, Phuong. Robyn is still not 100% so she has opted to sit this one out. Probably a very good thing as it turned out as this was the hottest, most humid day so far! In fact, once we got back to the hotel I had 2 gastrolyte tablets to replace all that had been sweated out of me today. I don't really think it was the heat so much as the humidity but it felt like 45. One certainly doesn't need to bring facial cleanser here as any impurities are are sweated out at a rate of knots!
So it is just Tyrell and me who travel to My Son which is in the jungle and was one of the areas heavily dosed with bombs and Agent Orange. The ruins of many temples are here, which were the hiding place of the Viet Cong, and of course it has now grown back so it is easy to imgine how it would have been. The humidity is so opressive I truly wonder how the soldiers (both sides) were able to stand it, although the locals certainly had the advantage.
We arrive back at our hotel in time for lunch by the pool. In each place we have been I have taken it upon myself, on Pat's behalf, to saample the local beer, all of which have been extremely drinkable. Today I try Tiger beer and am for the first time disappointed. One not to order again.
Later in the afternoon, once the "cool change" hits, we head off to the shopping district to collect our clothes which were being made but none of them are ready as apparently the electricity has been off for most of the day. Our resort obviously had alternative power. This explains why the 2 ATM's I tried to get money from weren't working. It is supposed to be back on by 5pm but until then most of the shops have no lighting. Some however have generators roaring out the front which are very noisy and emit quite a bit of heat and smell as you walk by. We know when the power comes back on as they all, almost simultaneously, switch off the the silence is almost deafening!
We continue to wander until it is time for dinner. We choose a random restaurant beside the river and go to the upstairs section. The narrow staircase is so steep I'm sure I'll have to come down backwards but we watch as the waitress skips up and down quite easily - and with trays laden with food or dirty dishes!
When we have finished we come downstairs to an absolutely beautiful aroma. One of the options we noticed on the menu is the opportunity to cook your own, under supervision as a cooking lesson. We chatted to the family (a Mum, Dad & 2 kids) doing just that and when we said we were doing a course ourselves tomorrow the little girl said, "Oh you will have so much fun, you'll just love it." On her recommendation, we cn't wait!
So it is just Tyrell and me who travel to My Son which is in the jungle and was one of the areas heavily dosed with bombs and Agent Orange. The ruins of many temples are here, which were the hiding place of the Viet Cong, and of course it has now grown back so it is easy to imgine how it would have been. The humidity is so opressive I truly wonder how the soldiers (both sides) were able to stand it, although the locals certainly had the advantage.
We arrive back at our hotel in time for lunch by the pool. In each place we have been I have taken it upon myself, on Pat's behalf, to saample the local beer, all of which have been extremely drinkable. Today I try Tiger beer and am for the first time disappointed. One not to order again.
Later in the afternoon, once the "cool change" hits, we head off to the shopping district to collect our clothes which were being made but none of them are ready as apparently the electricity has been off for most of the day. Our resort obviously had alternative power. This explains why the 2 ATM's I tried to get money from weren't working. It is supposed to be back on by 5pm but until then most of the shops have no lighting. Some however have generators roaring out the front which are very noisy and emit quite a bit of heat and smell as you walk by. We know when the power comes back on as they all, almost simultaneously, switch off the the silence is almost deafening!
We continue to wander until it is time for dinner. We choose a random restaurant beside the river and go to the upstairs section. The narrow staircase is so steep I'm sure I'll have to come down backwards but we watch as the waitress skips up and down quite easily - and with trays laden with food or dirty dishes!
When we have finished we come downstairs to an absolutely beautiful aroma. One of the options we noticed on the menu is the opportunity to cook your own, under supervision as a cooking lesson. We chatted to the family (a Mum, Dad & 2 kids) doing just that and when we said we were doing a course ourselves tomorrow the little girl said, "Oh you will have so much fun, you'll just love it." On her recommendation, we cn't wait!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Friday 22 April - Hoi An free day
Today is a totally free day so we have a very leisurely breakfast then gather up the clothes we plan to have made. Hoi An is an absolute mecca for having tailoring done and we actually met one lady who arrived (from Shepparton, and knew people Tyrell did from when she was a student teacher there!) with just a carry on bag and bought a suitcase here to take home all she was having made. The place which has been recommended to us is called Yali and as luck would have it is just one block from our Resort.
I am only having trousers made here as they tell me they don't have the fabric for the other things I have brought. They say they are unable to do one of Tyrell's items too, so we move on, although they are making a number of things for us combined. Later in our Hoi An sojourn we discuss the Yali thing and all agree they are only interested in things they may be able to on-sell. They are not interested in any way to duplicate anything they may not be able to offer in the future and therefore can't be bothered to make a pattern for it. They have absolutely tons of catalogues to browse through but it really looks like they are catering to the "corporate" wardrobe clients. Their loss, as we find other places to make the "öne-of's".
The prices we are being asked to pay for things in the market is so cheap it is almost embarrassing to barter. Tyrell and I each buy a set of chopsticks in a beautiful wooden box and know we have probably paid 3 times what we should have. But this is still early in the piece and we haven't hit our straps yet (and we really liked them!). Not so Rob! The lady at the stall opposite the chopsticks rip off obviously thinks we are easy targets and thinks she can get in on the act. Picked the wrong target when she tried to charge Robyn 1 million 200 thousand dong for 5 hair clips - the ones you'd only pay $3 tops for in Coles or Woolies, so her asking price of over $50 got the hackles up big time!
It was quite entertaining to watch Rob tell this woman to rack off, no WAY was she paying that. This woman chased us for quite some way (probably didn't want to lose face) and eventually accepted 200,000 (about $10) and it didn't take a translator to tell us we were being called some rather insulting names! After a bit more browsing Rob headed back to the hotel, Tyrell went in search of another tailor she'd been told about and I headed off to find the lady who earlier had offered to scrape Grand Canyon off my heels for only $5.
My little sojourn ended up quite profitable for a number of people in this paticular narket. During my foot scrape a "cousin" came along and offered a neck & shoulder massage ($5). Why not! The foot scraper also offers to wax my legs ($5) using strands of cotton. Quite ingeneous and absolutely painless! Then she gives me a foot massage. Guess how much! Yep, $5!! !!
So then I was dragged off to a friend's shoe store. arrange to have 2 pairs of ballet flats made (no, not $5!) but no money changes hands so if I don't like I don't pay. Next stop is a tailor. Can't hurt to ask if she can duplicate the top Yali weren't interested in. Of course Madam. How about the pants I wearing. Of course Madam. I leave a deposit which cleans ot my wallet so I think I can't be dragged anywhere else. Think again! "You come look in my shop now Madam". "But I have no more money." "No problem, you just come look."
I end up with a set of placemats from one shop and 4 silk scarves from another - all on credit! "No problem Madam, you pay me tomorrow." I have to come back tomorrow to collect my shoes and clothes so I figure they will know as soon as I step foot in the market as news spreads fast (about suckers) so I won't be able to leave without paying what I owe.
I get back to the hotel around 3pm and meet the girls at the pool. We order only tonic water as we have the gin cleverly disguised in a water bottle!
A relaxing few hours then showers before heading back into the old quarter to find a venue for dinner. Back to the hotel and bed by 9pm. Pat would be proud
I am only having trousers made here as they tell me they don't have the fabric for the other things I have brought. They say they are unable to do one of Tyrell's items too, so we move on, although they are making a number of things for us combined. Later in our Hoi An sojourn we discuss the Yali thing and all agree they are only interested in things they may be able to on-sell. They are not interested in any way to duplicate anything they may not be able to offer in the future and therefore can't be bothered to make a pattern for it. They have absolutely tons of catalogues to browse through but it really looks like they are catering to the "corporate" wardrobe clients. Their loss, as we find other places to make the "öne-of's".
The prices we are being asked to pay for things in the market is so cheap it is almost embarrassing to barter. Tyrell and I each buy a set of chopsticks in a beautiful wooden box and know we have probably paid 3 times what we should have. But this is still early in the piece and we haven't hit our straps yet (and we really liked them!). Not so Rob! The lady at the stall opposite the chopsticks rip off obviously thinks we are easy targets and thinks she can get in on the act. Picked the wrong target when she tried to charge Robyn 1 million 200 thousand dong for 5 hair clips - the ones you'd only pay $3 tops for in Coles or Woolies, so her asking price of over $50 got the hackles up big time!
It was quite entertaining to watch Rob tell this woman to rack off, no WAY was she paying that. This woman chased us for quite some way (probably didn't want to lose face) and eventually accepted 200,000 (about $10) and it didn't take a translator to tell us we were being called some rather insulting names! After a bit more browsing Rob headed back to the hotel, Tyrell went in search of another tailor she'd been told about and I headed off to find the lady who earlier had offered to scrape Grand Canyon off my heels for only $5.
My little sojourn ended up quite profitable for a number of people in this paticular narket. During my foot scrape a "cousin" came along and offered a neck & shoulder massage ($5). Why not! The foot scraper also offers to wax my legs ($5) using strands of cotton. Quite ingeneous and absolutely painless! Then she gives me a foot massage. Guess how much! Yep, $5!! !!
So then I was dragged off to a friend's shoe store. arrange to have 2 pairs of ballet flats made (no, not $5!) but no money changes hands so if I don't like I don't pay. Next stop is a tailor. Can't hurt to ask if she can duplicate the top Yali weren't interested in. Of course Madam. How about the pants I wearing. Of course Madam. I leave a deposit which cleans ot my wallet so I think I can't be dragged anywhere else. Think again! "You come look in my shop now Madam". "But I have no more money." "No problem, you just come look."
I end up with a set of placemats from one shop and 4 silk scarves from another - all on credit! "No problem Madam, you pay me tomorrow." I have to come back tomorrow to collect my shoes and clothes so I figure they will know as soon as I step foot in the market as news spreads fast (about suckers) so I won't be able to leave without paying what I owe.
I get back to the hotel around 3pm and meet the girls at the pool. We order only tonic water as we have the gin cleverly disguised in a water bottle!
A relaxing few hours then showers before heading back into the old quarter to find a venue for dinner. Back to the hotel and bed by 9pm. Pat would be proud
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Thursday 21 April - Hoi An
Thinh stayed last night at the hotel directly across from our resort. (Bet his room wasn't as nice as mine!) We had seen him on the street last night (while sucking back cocktails), most likely catching up with other tour guides doing the same os him. We go on a walking tour of the old city area, including the markets. The markets are where we discover Robyn's threshhold for disgusting smells has been breached! She was reasonable OK until we got to the area where the fish were No closed shoes made it worse as heaven knows what we were slopping through. Tyrell and I were able to switch off and not think too much about it but it was something that stayed with Rob for some time!
This is just a half day tour so we take note of lots of places we may want to come back to later. We then board a boat and head up the river to a pottery making area. This is the only place in Hoi An that makes pottery and its all done without any mechanical help. It is mainly old people here and Thinh tells us that the youynger generation have no interest in learning this craft to carry it on.
The boat then takes us back to our hotel and this is where we say goodbye to Thinh. He is ging back to Hue by public bus (our driver went back yesterday after dropping us off) and we will be taken on our nex excursion by a Hoi An local.
And so we are on our own. The pool beckons so we have a swim. After a shower we head back to do some browsing, have dinner at one of the restaurants Thinh had recommended, and head home dog tired, more than ready to call it a night.
PS: Robyn is still keeping up but the cocktail of choice is now a Mojita!
This is just a half day tour so we take note of lots of places we may want to come back to later. We then board a boat and head up the river to a pottery making area. This is the only place in Hoi An that makes pottery and its all done without any mechanical help. It is mainly old people here and Thinh tells us that the youynger generation have no interest in learning this craft to carry it on.
The boat then takes us back to our hotel and this is where we say goodbye to Thinh. He is ging back to Hue by public bus (our driver went back yesterday after dropping us off) and we will be taken on our nex excursion by a Hoi An local.
And so we are on our own. The pool beckons so we have a swim. After a shower we head back to do some browsing, have dinner at one of the restaurants Thinh had recommended, and head home dog tired, more than ready to call it a night.
PS: Robyn is still keeping up but the cocktail of choice is now a Mojita!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday 20 April - Hoi An
Thinh and our driver collect us from the hotel at 9.00am for the drive to Hoi An. It is an absolutely beautiful drive and we stop lots for photo opportunities and sightseeing. Thinh is extremely informative and just like Chinh, there seems to be nothing he doesn't know about the history of his country. When we ask about distances for example he does not give approximations, he knows exactly. For example when we asked him the size of the Imperial City in Hue he gave us the exact dimensions but I can't remember what they were so in my previous post you only get the approximates!
There is a tunnel (7 kms - that fact I do remember!) cut through a mountain on the way to our destination but it is only used by tourists in the wet season when the road we take is closed due to possible land slides. No locals take our route as it takes too long but the views are stunning. Along the way we stop at the gateway between north and south. Facebook has been blocked by the government (I am assumng in all but the 2 major capitals as I had access in Hanoi) so photos are coming - hopefully when we get to Ho Chi Minh City.
We stop at another marble place (nowhere near the size of the one at the co-op) and are again amazed at the beauty of this stone, and the work produced. We travel through Da Nang, which is not far from our final destination. This city is not on our itinerry but will will come back here in 5 days to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. One thing on our itinerary for tomorrow is a visit to a lantern making place to watch how its done. We are passing it today so stop now to visit. Suite us as it will mean extra free time to explore Hoi An.
The short tour though the factory is very interesting. When you see the work that goes into making one of these thing you have a lot more respect for them. They have electric fans now but the heat is incredible and they are just working away.... We sit at a table and under the guidance of 2 lovely girls we make a lantern each. There is lots of giggles from them but they are far too polite of laugh out loud at our efforts!
From there we go into Hoi An. Before we are taken to check in at our hotel we do a bit of a tour to visit a temple and a few other things. We stop at a place for lunch and this is probably our first bad experience. This is not for the food, which was OK rather than great, but the service was pretty crap. Up to now we have been astounded by the friendliness of everyone we have come into contact with. The people here were extremely - hmmm... I know what I mean but can't find the right words. It was as if they just couldn't give a rats. We have been taking business cards from all the places we visit but didn't bother here.
We visit one or wo more things that are actually on the itinerary for tomorrow but we are very happy to do them today. I think the reason is that as soon as Thinh finishes with us he is going home to Hue by bus and probably wants to get back sooner rather than later. This more than suits us as the first day in a new place is a bit of a waste if we don't know our way around so this is definitely helping.
We check in at the hotel and are taken to our rooms. My turn to have the single room and boy, did I get lucky!! Hotels in Vietnam don't do triple share well apparently (having been here, I'm a believer!) so our rooms in each location have been a twin share and a single. We are taking turns going solo and this is my turn. This place makes the previous two look positively 3-star!! (Only bad thing is that we are on the 2nd (top) floor and there are no lifts. Oh well, looks like we are getting enforced excercise!) This might be hard to describe so stay with me! The entry to the room is 2 steps up to the outside "foyer", which has 2 day beds (1 either side) at the front door. Once inside the bottom level is a ounge room, then 3 steps up to the bedroom. Beyond that is the bathroom. The shower is over the back but the back is sunken, so seps down into it! The attention to details is incredible, and little daisy flowers all over the place. I feel like the Empress!
As with other "first nights" we opt to eat in - and lets face it, happy hour starts in 20 minutes! Cocktails are again only $5 and the happy hour deal is "Buy 2, Get 1 free". We can do that! And we do - twice!! Into the restuarant for dinner and then off to Nirvana to sleep!
There is a tunnel (7 kms - that fact I do remember!) cut through a mountain on the way to our destination but it is only used by tourists in the wet season when the road we take is closed due to possible land slides. No locals take our route as it takes too long but the views are stunning. Along the way we stop at the gateway between north and south. Facebook has been blocked by the government (I am assumng in all but the 2 major capitals as I had access in Hanoi) so photos are coming - hopefully when we get to Ho Chi Minh City.
We stop at another marble place (nowhere near the size of the one at the co-op) and are again amazed at the beauty of this stone, and the work produced. We travel through Da Nang, which is not far from our final destination. This city is not on our itinerry but will will come back here in 5 days to fly to Ho Chi Minh City. One thing on our itinerary for tomorrow is a visit to a lantern making place to watch how its done. We are passing it today so stop now to visit. Suite us as it will mean extra free time to explore Hoi An.
The short tour though the factory is very interesting. When you see the work that goes into making one of these thing you have a lot more respect for them. They have electric fans now but the heat is incredible and they are just working away.... We sit at a table and under the guidance of 2 lovely girls we make a lantern each. There is lots of giggles from them but they are far too polite of laugh out loud at our efforts!
From there we go into Hoi An. Before we are taken to check in at our hotel we do a bit of a tour to visit a temple and a few other things. We stop at a place for lunch and this is probably our first bad experience. This is not for the food, which was OK rather than great, but the service was pretty crap. Up to now we have been astounded by the friendliness of everyone we have come into contact with. The people here were extremely - hmmm... I know what I mean but can't find the right words. It was as if they just couldn't give a rats. We have been taking business cards from all the places we visit but didn't bother here.
We visit one or wo more things that are actually on the itinerary for tomorrow but we are very happy to do them today. I think the reason is that as soon as Thinh finishes with us he is going home to Hue by bus and probably wants to get back sooner rather than later. This more than suits us as the first day in a new place is a bit of a waste if we don't know our way around so this is definitely helping.
We check in at the hotel and are taken to our rooms. My turn to have the single room and boy, did I get lucky!! Hotels in Vietnam don't do triple share well apparently (having been here, I'm a believer!) so our rooms in each location have been a twin share and a single. We are taking turns going solo and this is my turn. This place makes the previous two look positively 3-star!! (Only bad thing is that we are on the 2nd (top) floor and there are no lifts. Oh well, looks like we are getting enforced excercise!) This might be hard to describe so stay with me! The entry to the room is 2 steps up to the outside "foyer", which has 2 day beds (1 either side) at the front door. Once inside the bottom level is a ounge room, then 3 steps up to the bedroom. Beyond that is the bathroom. The shower is over the back but the back is sunken, so seps down into it! The attention to details is incredible, and little daisy flowers all over the place. I feel like the Empress!
As with other "first nights" we opt to eat in - and lets face it, happy hour starts in 20 minutes! Cocktails are again only $5 and the happy hour deal is "Buy 2, Get 1 free". We can do that! And we do - twice!! Into the restuarant for dinner and then off to Nirvana to sleep!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday 19 April
Woke us this morning feeling like we'd been run over by a steam roller! The bed is ROCK hard and we all agree we are happy to pay whatever it costs to upgrade to a room with a softer bed. Apparently they are full and can't accommodate us. They offer to put some extra doonas under the bottom sheet and we agree it's better than nothing. As we are leaving for the day we see a couple of matresses being dragged down the hallway. Yep,they're for us! We feel them before leaving and they as least move when you touch them so tonight will tell. We discuss that the hotel missed an opportunity to fleece us. We were willing to pay for an "üpgrade" and had they merely moved us to the rooms where the matresses came from we would have thought that is what we had got!
We are met in the Lobby by our guide, Thinh, at 9.00am and we walk to the dock where all the dragon boats are. We are taking a ride on one down the Purfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda (there's a Google opportunity for those playing at home). Stunning architecture, as is everything we have seen so far. From the Pagoda we go to the Imperial Citadel which is a moated compound of the residence of the Emporer. We walk around this area (over 400 metres front to back, and over 600 metres left to right) and are staggered that this was still lived in up until 1945 when the last Emporer abdicated. Mind blowing that this type of existence was going on not that long ago. From there we went to the Dong Ba market for a bit of a look around. Similar to Vic Markets or Paddys in Sydney but so much more conpacted. We really had to squeeze through the stalls. It was a fascinating place although the girls thought it smelt bad. Oh course it did, but that perhaps added to the charm? We then headed out of the city to visit the Mausoleums of two past Emporers, but these ones have actually been buried!
Dinner tonight was at a restaurant recommended by Thinh, and again the food did not dissapoint. We hooked in to a few cocktails before we went to dinner, and then had another one when we returned. (Note please: Robyn is keeping up and at this point Tequila Sunrise is the new favourite drink!)
Tomorrow we are going to Hoi An, the silk capital of the world, so the credit cards might finally get a run!
We are met in the Lobby by our guide, Thinh, at 9.00am and we walk to the dock where all the dragon boats are. We are taking a ride on one down the Purfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda (there's a Google opportunity for those playing at home). Stunning architecture, as is everything we have seen so far. From the Pagoda we go to the Imperial Citadel which is a moated compound of the residence of the Emporer. We walk around this area (over 400 metres front to back, and over 600 metres left to right) and are staggered that this was still lived in up until 1945 when the last Emporer abdicated. Mind blowing that this type of existence was going on not that long ago. From there we went to the Dong Ba market for a bit of a look around. Similar to Vic Markets or Paddys in Sydney but so much more conpacted. We really had to squeeze through the stalls. It was a fascinating place although the girls thought it smelt bad. Oh course it did, but that perhaps added to the charm? We then headed out of the city to visit the Mausoleums of two past Emporers, but these ones have actually been buried!
Dinner tonight was at a restaurant recommended by Thinh, and again the food did not dissapoint. We hooked in to a few cocktails before we went to dinner, and then had another one when we returned. (Note please: Robyn is keeping up and at this point Tequila Sunrise is the new favourite drink!)
Tomorrow we are going to Hoi An, the silk capital of the world, so the credit cards might finally get a run!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Monday 18 April - Hue
This morning Robyn has a touch of the dreaded belly so rests at the hotel while Tyrell and I take a cyclo tour back into the old quarter. We are being collected at 11.30 to go to the airport so we take a 45 minute tour ($5) to fill in time. What an exciting way to be in amongst the traffic, which is a story on its own!
At the airport Chinh stays with us to check us in and then leaves us. He has been so good it is almost like saying goodbye to a friend. I have forgotten that I have duty free grog in my carry on which I cannot take. I opt to check the bag in so have to go back out of security to do so. Half way to the checkin counter I realise I have left my passport and boarding pass with Tyrell & Robyn but as long as I leave the offending bag with them they allow me to go in to retrieve my documentation. All good, and we are on our way to Hue.
This city has a population of only 350,000 so very similar size to Canberra. Different, but not too much so, to Ha Noi although the traffic is one hell of a lot more civilised!! Our hotel for the next 2 nights is lovely although the bed is so hard I think I might be better off on the floor! I had been warned but was not quite expecting the equivalent of concrete!
We are too tired to venture out for a meal so decide to eat at the hotel. Good choice - $5 cocktails!! We have an absolutely sensational 2-course meal and the total bill, including 4 cocktails, comes to the grand total of $64!
At the airport Chinh stays with us to check us in and then leaves us. He has been so good it is almost like saying goodbye to a friend. I have forgotten that I have duty free grog in my carry on which I cannot take. I opt to check the bag in so have to go back out of security to do so. Half way to the checkin counter I realise I have left my passport and boarding pass with Tyrell & Robyn but as long as I leave the offending bag with them they allow me to go in to retrieve my documentation. All good, and we are on our way to Hue.
This city has a population of only 350,000 so very similar size to Canberra. Different, but not too much so, to Ha Noi although the traffic is one hell of a lot more civilised!! Our hotel for the next 2 nights is lovely although the bed is so hard I think I might be better off on the floor! I had been warned but was not quite expecting the equivalent of concrete!
We are too tired to venture out for a meal so decide to eat at the hotel. Good choice - $5 cocktails!! We have an absolutely sensational 2-course meal and the total bill, including 4 cocktails, comes to the grand total of $64!
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