Good Morning, Vietnam!

Saturday, January 14, 2012
Posted by TwoLively

We spent the night at a resort in Phan Thiet (near the sand dunes.) The Travel Agent was not happy with this resort, since they didn't give our bus driver free lodging (a customary nicety reciprocated to the driver in exchange for bringing guests to their establishment.) Our entire front wall was basically a window, with a huge curtain to block out the outside world (we hope!) At midnight, we had some drunk Russians (this is a Russian tourist town; they like to travel here for weekend getaways) sit outside our door, and talk/laugh loudly.

Random Musings:The last two hotels we've stayed at have had tile floors, and mysterious spray hoses near the toilet. We thought it was a primitive bidet...but those that tried it, said it power-sprayed with force (and I'll trust their word...!) So now we're thinking they are sprayers for cleaning the bathroom??? The weather here is surprisingly beautiful. It's mid-eighties (?) but there's always a breeze. I thought the humidity would be worse than Hawaii--but it's not. Anyway, we are going to enjoy breakfast (outdoors, under a ramada) and then we'll be boarding Emergency Exit. I'm afraid to ask how long the drive is today...
--TwoLively

LATER:
The drive was about 7 hours, but we stopped at the White Sand Dunes, so maybe the drive was really around 5 hours? Along the way, we passed an area that was known for raising lizards, and we passed the first established military base in the Vietnam War (it's still in use; the Bus Driver's nephew trained to be a pilot there.) It's taking longer to reach our destinations than The Travel Agent planned--which stresses her out because it cut into our sight-seeing time. We weren't able to do Mud Baths today. But we don't care; everything is beautiful, and we're having sooo much fun! Even though we tried rigging up an anti-nausea band (using a bandaid and a fruity Breath Saver), the drive made Tootsie car sick (yet again!) 

At the White Sand Dunes, Oz had the ride-of-his-life on an ostrich. (I hope somebody caught it on video!)

Here are more shots of our group (MarcoPolo jokingly threw his arm around The Travel Agent's Sister, and it kind of freaked her out!)

We tried to take a jeep ride, but as we were loading up, the guys changed the price--so The Travel Agent walked (she's a bitty thing, but she takes no bull.) While The Group strolled around a lake, MarcoPolo and myself (TwoLively) went on a quad ride, which was 200,000 dong + 100,000 tip per person.

I haven't downloaded anyone else's pictures, so you can't see that our quad driver were very young teenage boys. Before we started off, The Travel Agent told my driver 3x that I didn't want to go fast. Sweet-mother-of-pearl, if that was a "slow ride", I'd hate to see fast! There was one sand dune that was The Grand Kahuna of dunes, every time he got near it, I'd start thinking, "not that one...not that one.." But, yes, eventually we did "that one." To top off my terror, there was a sheer drop off on some of the sand dunes...and I'm afraid of heights...and of falling to my death, too! On the exhilirating ride, my sunglasses blew off, but MarcoPolo's eagle-eyed driver spotted them and retrieved them. Our quad drivers stopped a few times to take our pictures. MarcoPolo's driver even ran off, and came back with his-and-her tree branches to hold for props. Thankfully we didn't "kick the bucket" and lived to cross this off our Bucket List. (Shoutout to my sand-duning friend, LeAnne: Are you crazy?)

Rice cakes that actually taste good, Cambodian 500 year old monument ruins, Vietnam War US military base

We ended up in the city of Nha Trang, which has been voted the most beautiful beach in the world. When we arrived, it was raining, which further disappointed The Travel Agent. However, we love rain, too! We're staying at a resort, and our room overlooks the beach, and has a balcony. Tootsie scored the sweetest room: it's the end room, so it has views from two sides! Montezuma ended up with the worst room: the view overlooks the roof of a restaurant. I wanted to point out a few interesting things. In Vietnam, in order to have electricity in your hotel room, you have to insert your key into a outlet on the wall. So, whenever you leave your room, your power shuts off...and. since MarcoPolo likes his room ice-cold, we've had to rig it. Also, the door to our room is opaque glass. At night-time, when our room is lit up, I'd rather not be a silhouette, so I try to block it. Everyone in our group got Ricky & Lucy beds--except the single lady, Tootsie, who got a HUGE bed! The best way to describe our beds is "bento boxes" 'cause they are really small. These beds aren't as long or wide as a twin bed (and our blanket is narrow, not even the width of the bed...it's more like a towel!)

Our Bus Driver wanted to guide us to a restaurant that served Western food. As Tootsie puts it, he marched us up the beach. Not "walked"..."marched"! We marched a good mile, in the pouring rain, and then we marched back, and he dropped us off at The Louisianne Brewhouse. Everyone was happy with the food. MarcoPolo and Monte had pizza that looked AND tasted like pizza! Tootsie had real mashed potatoes. And TwoLively's fish didn't have a head or tail. Glinda was happy with mint and chip ice cream. Oz was happy, since his beer was dirt-cheap AND tasty! Double-score!

We browsed in the shops on our way back, then part of our group went out for drinks, and part went back to their rooms. Directly under our room was a stage, so we stood on our balcony and watched break dancers spin in the rain (gives new meaning to "break" dancing.)

Emergency Exit (which the hotel makes us park on the sidewalk) / Happy New Year banner / Break Dancers