Asia et al

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything. I like to wait until I have something of some interest to report! We spent some beach time at Mui Ne - a couple mile strip of beach very famous for the kite and windsurfers. The kite surfing was very cool to watch, 10 of the world's best kiters were there and man, could they catch some air. I would love to try it but watching the learners left me a bit shy to give it a go just yet. The beach was kind of dirty and the water not a very pretty blue so we really didn't do any water stuff. Just lazed about and buzzed the strip on our rented scoot.

I left Mui Ne and Ivan behind for a couple of days to go to Nha Trang. When you are together 24/7 sometimes it's just best to take a break - as much as you love and care about someone, when you don't have alone time, it can get very stressful and when you are road weary, little horns are apt to sprout out of the top of your head (that would be me) so I journey on to give Ivan some practice time at the beach. I hate Nha Trang, it rains all the time I am there and I got lost so many times because of the wiggly back streets that I almost cried. Nasty little tourist trap it is and I could not wait to leave. When the cabbie finally picked me up for the airport, it was in a nasty little rattletrap cab that maxed out at 80kph and the airport was 35 kms away! We got passed by everything on the road including donkeys and I think one of the wheels was actually square. O h well. A one hour flight to Danang and then a 30 minute ride to Hoi An. Ivan, in the meantime, took a bus from Mui Ne to Nha Trang (about 4 hours) and then another one to Hoi An (about 11 hours) - he was a bit beat but because I was ahead of him, we couldn't organize a train or plane but he's a trouper.

Hoi An is jampacked with tailors! you can't swing a cat without hitting a tailor shop in this town. It's a world heritage sight and very old. Really quaint place and very pretty. We went to My Son - the Cham ruins for a trip one day by bus and back by another slow boat (we keep swearing off them) not such thrilling ruins when compared to Angkor Wat! I have attempted to have some silk clothes made with some good and not so good results. The first pair of pants I had made were so short I refused to take them which sent the shopgirl into paroxysms of rage as she screamed and hollered and spit at me. I refused to take her insults and persisted until the owner of the store caved in and gave me my money back. It's epidemic here, they do poor quality work, expect that you will be gone the next day and have no time for recourse and pocket your money. The next place made me some cute tops but screwed up a dress and pants so again I took only what I wanted and went again somewhere else. It was exhausting but overall I'm pleased with my buys - I got a rockin' jacket made and sent home so sometime in the distant future I will go home to a new coat. Ivan got a midnite blue silk jacket made and a black shirt and we bought him a silk dragonfly tie - zowie.

Walking down the street one day we hear "Hey, world travellers!" I turn around and there's Maggie Tai! So cool as I heard she was in Hanoi and that very morning emailed a friend for her email address and lo and behold here she is in Hoi An. We've been hanging out with her and her dear friend Maureen and it's been great to have pals to talk to. We will meet them again in Hanoi and Maggie (bless her golden heart) will make a stab at fixing this atrocious hair-do of mine. Hoi An is our favourite place in Viet Nam so far, so cool and charming with great restaurants, amazing art and shoe stores and ubiquitious tailor shops. Our hotel, suggested to us by Dan and Kita was really great - highly recommended for $15.00 night it was heaven. Big buffet breakie with banana pancakes, omelets, fresh fruit etc. included and free bikes and internet. What more could you ask for?? The name is Phuoc An.

Ok, well, today we are off to Hue for a couple of days and then on to Hanoi. Asia is coming to a close soon and none to soon I would say. As much as we have enjoyed it, there is only so much rice you can eat, so many scooters you can dodge and so many temples you can visit. I am dying to get to Australia for a barbi and some english recourse and the blue blue water. Until Hanoi....