Nha Trang

Well, I think Andy has eloquently encapsulated our feelings for what is now our favourite country! At times we wonder if we could have perhaps skipped some of the places in the North of Vietnam, to allow us more time in the glorious South. But in reality, they probably served as a good grounding for the rest of our travels. We certainly wouldn't have been in touch with the 'real' country as represented by the culture of the Hill Tribes of Sapa or by the unchanged-for-centuries living within the Old Quarter of Hanoi. It's amazing what a spot of sunshine and a beach can do for your optimism. Especially when the beach just happens to be equipped with the most comfortable sun beds, a massage hut and a lovely bar with pristine loos. All that AND there is a feller on guard to ensure that no hawkers disturb the tranquility. How fantastic. We've even discovered a reincarnated Mark Walker :)

We had become resigned to being prodded awake
by old ladies touting their mangoes and after
several minutes of "No thanks, I just had one," them sitting down next to you for the next half hour, gumming away whenever you dared look at them. One particular lady is destined to adorn the walls of our next home (when we get one). She was most affronted when, after many hours of attempting to sell us fruit, I had bought a dragonfruit from Lily. So down she plonked and whittered away in Vietnamese about Tiger balm for ages. I ended up not only with a pot of ubiquitous balm, but also with a dubious bottle of green oil which she kept snorting, as if to demonstrate it's magical properties. I'm only hoping it's not some sort of beauty elixir, else I better start worrying. I felt it was the least I could do after taking that brilliant photo :)

Nha Trang definitely has a more touristy feel, which always brings good and bad to a place. There's a supermarket which sells shampoo, wine and Nivea! It also seems to sell lizards, dried and mounted on a palm cross (we think for a convenient snack, but we haven't asked). Our hotel is spotless, very friendly and only in it's second week of opening. Any shortcomings are immediately countered by the wonders of the beach...a lovely sailing club (great nibbles), the comfiest sun beds imaginable, a massage hut and possibly best of all, a feller on guard to keep the hawkers at bay! It still manages to maitain a laidback air, as demonstrated by us waiting two hours for our dinner to arrive the other night. So we are finally able to read our books in peace and get planning our next destination, whilst working on the tanning. Having said that it has now been raining torrentially for 24 hours!

The other day we took a boat tour of four islands. Rather than the relaxing voyage we had anticipated, we were subjected to a full day of 18-30s booze cruise shennanigans on an overcrowded rowing boat. It was all a bit hectic, with the tour guide setting up a floating 'bar' in the sea. He seemed to be enjoying himself more than anybody else and wobbled around for the rest of the day. He took us to a bizarre aquarium, full of huge fish in tiny tanks, all aboard a sort of concrete "Ghost Ship." We did meet a friendly turtle called Emma, which made everything O.K. There was also a nice reef to snorkel around with some lovley coral and colourful fish. The visibility was actually quite good - about 15m, which is better than expected for the time of year...we hope to dive in a day or so.

Yesterday was spent lazing on the beach again, where I sampled a massage (supposedly 150,000 dong (a fiver) for 50 minutes. It was very no-nonsense and a shorter time than promised. I will keep searching...I'm desperate for a repeat of the amazing massage I had in India. We then took a motorbike upto the enormous seated buddha who resides over Nha Trang. Rather like the statue of Christ in Rio, it can be seen from all over the city, but you only realise its scale when you're up close. Sitting 27 metres high, it was an awesome sight as the sun set behind him.

Monkey Island is near here and although it sounded tempting at first, the monkeys are a bit too tame, some with a nasty temper. Dogs aside, monkeys are a bit rabid but this wasn't what put us off. Rather, it was the advertisement of a monkey and bear show. We've seen the photos. Monkeys in dresses riding bikes (surely a danger in itself?) and performing bears. I think many people know my views on dancing bears, which is all very hideous in itself, but here they make them wear a Ra Ra skirt aswell...unbelievable...