t’s been a while since we wrote a blog and that’s because we are well into wind down, chill out mode before the return home at the end of April. One thing we have learned is not to rush about from one tourist hot spot to another, desperately ticking off the ‘must sees’ as we go. It’s just as interesting to stay in one place and simply observe life going on all around you and appreciate the differences in culture and outlook. People get to know you and after a while you can have a bit of banter with them.

The bus journey from Dalat was eventful. We were on the 2.30pm bus, had seats at the front and were waiting for the bus to leave (it was only 25 mins late at this stage…….) when the drivers mate fiddled with a couple of switches and what looked like clouds of dry ice descended over the steering wheel. We laughed…..then decided to get off the bus….quick!! The people at the back were coughing and spluttering by the time they spilled out…hmmm..not good we thought. About 10 mins later, the bus guys put a young lad from their office in the bus, closed the doors, left him in for 5 mins,…. he lived, ….so it was back on the bus and off we went. Canaries and mining come to mind.

The scenery was spectacular as the road winds through mountains, climbing up and down, and swerving side to side round hairpin bends. After 3 hours, and on the steep downhill descent, there was a smell of burning. We pulled over and everyone got off the bus while the brakes at the back had 15-20 mins to cool off and stop smoking. Back on the bus and about 30 mins later there was a loud bang. This didn’t sound good and the driver brought the bus to a slow halt just as he limped in to the normal stop restaurant. What fabulous timing to have a tyre blow out!

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Everyone off the bus again for toilet break, food & drink while we waited for the driver & his mate to have their food before taking the bus for repairs in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Set off again (about 2 hours late by this time) thinking it won’t be long before we get to Nha Trang, only for the road to turn into a rutted dirt track for the next hour. Average speed was about 10km/hour. Finally we got to the sealed road and waited for the driver to put his foot down…..and waited….and waited….average speed did not get above 40-50kms/hour. We suspect that the brakes were now completely shot and the driver seemed reluctant to take any risks.

Finally arrived in Nha Trang around 8pm to be greeted by our friend Hugh pointing to the nearest watering hole……well done Hugh……..”see you in 5 minutes” we said!!

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Nha Trang is a well established beach resort with a 6km beach, park like promenade and plenty of bars, restaurants and hotels geared towards both foreign and local holidaymakers. The westerners bake on the beach during the heat of the day and drift away by late afternoon. That’s when the locals arrive for huge games of football, family picnics on the beach and flying kites. The beach area is even floodlit at night!

We found a great hotel for $20/night a few steps away from a ‘Bia Hoi’ where you get a litre jug of beer for 7000 VND (about 25p) and you get to sit on kiddie size plastic chairs and watch the world go by. The place is tiny but very popular and spills out into the street as nearby businesses close for the night. We enjoyed the great food on offer at the restaurants and were such frequent visitors to one Italian place we got a leaving present of a bottle of wine on our last night.

Next stop is Quy Nhon around 200kms up the coast.