Our last day in Hue we caught a bus to Hoi An - a quaint little beach/resort town. We were all very eager to explore the first tropical beach of our journey. However, the beach would have to wait - for now - as we didn't arrive until later in the afternoon and the sun was already starting to go down. Our quide suggested that we occupy our time by visiting one of the very talented tailors that Hoi An is known for. We had passed several shops on our initial orientation walk and after longingly gazing in at the beautiful flowing dresses we just couldn't resist. They can make ANYTHING and are very talented seamstresses. We browsed the racks for patterns we liked before choosing the fabric and colour. We had our measurements taken and told to come in for our first fitting the next morning - everyone got something made.
So here comes the fun part. The seamstresses and other shop ladies were so interested with our light skin, curves, and breasts that they just couldn't keep their hands off us! When we came in for our fittings we were assulted from all sides! There was no real change room and they certainly weren't shy so it felt pretty much like a free for all. It was all in good fun though, and no one was actually offended. The manager was particularly taken with my breasts and took any opportunity to cop a feel. She would smile and giggle then give me a little pinch. My breasts are pretty fabulous.
The next day our guide had arranged for us to take a tour through the countryside on bicycles followed by a picnic dinner on a boat. The scenery was of course fantastic and we were able to catch a quick glimpse of the real Vietnamese lifestyle. We rode through a few rural neighborhoods, along the river, and through coconut plantations - everyone was preparing for Tet celebrations with their families. People are incredibly friendly here and love westeners. They would wave and smile and shout new year's greetings as we cycled past.
We came to the river's edge and a small fishing boat. This rough and scruffy old Vietnamese skipper was waiting for us - our captain and our cook. He took the fishng equipment out of his boat and set up benches for us to sit on. He took us around the river and finally settled on the most perfect private beach for our picnic. We all helped unload the food and seats. Our captain went to work straight away, cooking us possibly the most delicious meal of our entire trip. Appearances are decieving - this man was warm and gracious and a phenominal cook. We dinned on bbq shimp, tuna, chicken, beef and pork. Good thing I'm not a vegetarian! It was incredible. We stayed to watch the sun set before packing up and heading back into town.
That night was the Tet celebrations. Lucky for us, there were five other Intrepid groups in town for the festivities and we all arranged to meet at a restaurant/bar to celebrate together. We swapped stories and tips - it was really nice to hang out with some fellow backpackers and gain perspectives from all their different viewpoints. The evening started heating up and before we knew it the booze was flowing and we were dancing on tables! At 12 o'clock everyone raced down to the riverside where hundreds of multi-coloured candle laterns were floating down the river, which were meant for making wishes. The streets and shops were adorned with thousands of lanterns and lights, setting the whole town aglow. We waited eagerly for the fireworks to start. They were also fantastic, and they far surpassed the calibre of Canadian fireworks. The sky was on fire. We ended the night with one more drink before walking back to the hotel - the smell of incense filled the night air.
Our last day was spent at the tailors for our final fittings on the beautiful dresses they had prepared for us. Even though everything was fine we didn't want to leave them empty handed - wink wink. So one more tushy grab was in oder. We changed into our new clothes and went for drinks at a riverside open-air restaurant. The beer was less then 20 cents for a pint. I can see why people like it here.
The next day we headed for a new destination - Nha Trang. It's similar to Hoi An, but much more modern. The beach is very popular and usually crowded. Nevertheless, that was our first stop. We packed up our towels and sunglasses and headed for the ocean. We grabbed a couple of loungers and ordered some fruity drinks before proceding to slather on sunscreen and start our baking session. Little did we know, we were in for more then just a little tan. While we were in Hoi An, Kels and I were duped into buying fake sunscreen from some women with a roadside shop. It was right after Tet, so she went on and on about how lucky we were for her because we were her first customers of the new year. She totally over-charged us, but we were desparate. She even offered us a ride to the beach on here motorbike - which we accepted. I think she was laughing the whole way. So now, after hours on the beach, our friend Hannah looks over and says "I reckon those Canadians are looking a little sun slapped." Indeed we were - slapped silly. We dragged our lobster bodies back to the hotel - cursing the sunscreen women the whole way and attracting many stares and shaking heads. Well, beach-day done. We stayed undercover and inside for the rest of the stay in Nha Trang. We did do some shopping - you know - to help with the pain.
We were coming closer to the end of our trip in Vietnam; soon we would be leaving for Cambodia. Our next and last stop before crossing the boarder was Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city).
I have found the Vietnamese to be some of the friendliest and most gracious people (other then Sunscreen Lady), and I can't even begin to express how much I enjoyed my time here. I recommend Vietnam to any traveller looking for a little adventure or some down time in a tropical paradise. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I hope one day I'll get to do it all over again.
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