Hoi An - Nha Trang

Well it turned out that the bus from hoi an to Saigon was 24 hours and in Emily's condition (which did turn out to be food poisioning but was pretty bad ... she has only just started eating again!) we decided to stop on the way at a city called Nha Trang, which meant we were only on the bus for 12 hours.

From my last post we had one more day in Hoi An. I got my clothes back from being made and after a few alterations they turned out to be amazing, really good finds! Our Aussie friends (who we have ended up travelling through vietnam with) had a little trouble though, their clothes werent made the way that they wanted and there was quite alot wrong with theirs - so they were refusing to pay the amount that they had been originally quoted. They had paid for one batch and so one of the girls walked out of the shop with them (we all had to catch a bus in 10 minutes... and at this time i was on the computer in the hotel) anyway as she was walking down the road a man with a large metal batton started running after her in the street closely followed by the girl that works in the shop. So ofcourse she saw the baton and started to run down the roadto the hotel - which luckily wasnt far. So i was on the computer and i heard someone run in and go "stop... help help - call the australian embassy!!!" i looked over to the counter and it was Mandii being held back by 2 vietnamese guys who were saying that she hadnt paid for the clothes and they were calling the police! So i went over and told them that we had never met them before and we werent travelling with them but we saw them pay!! ... help travellers alike hey! ... anyway while this was all happening the bus had pulled up and the other 2 girls had been locked in the shop with 20 men until they paid the full amount! ... So Emily and i were trying to stall the bus and eventually they escaped paying 50% of their bill. So bit of a palava but all very funny an hour later when it had calmed down.

We were on a smaller sleeping bus which was a little more expensive, with nicer beds - however the front of the bus was a sitting bus, one of the aussie girls had decided not to pay for the sleeper and so was sittign at the front. After a while she got pretty uncomfortable and tired so decided to lie on the floor, sitting on one of the seats next toher was a drunk vietnamese guy, and lee kept waking up with this guy trying to stroke her bum with his foot - lets just say i was happy to be at the back sandwiched between Sarah and Emily!

I kept waking up on this bus and we would be going seriously fast and driving on the complete wrong side of the road, it was so scary- i actually thought i could feel the bus tipping as it went around the corners, these drivers are really something else!

Anyway 12 hours later we arrived in Nha Trang - this place is amazing it is just like an asian run Miami beach. Lots of huts on the beach with comfortable chairs and people selling fruit and drinks, while pure white people bronze on the beach. I had the really smart idea of washing my oil off in the sea, the waves were quite big but i didnt really think anything of it. Anyway as i got in i was completly tugged under by the waves and couldnt get out becasue of the drag back of the incoming waves. Anyway after one of the waves i stood up and realised that my top had come off! ... Emily thought it was very funny - luckily i had enough sand all over me that i ws slightly covered and not many poeple saw!! - i hope!!

Yesterday we took a boat tour around the islands which was incredible - we went snorkelling and i have to say i was very dissapointed bad vision and also not many fish! ... We definately saw fake coral that had fallen over on the bottom of the sea- very funny! So other than that it was great - a good floating bar a great host (funky monkey) and a resident boy band where the main singer was called lady boy! ... We all got up and did karaoke - i rocked eternal flames and think i have missed my calling in becoming a bangels tribute one woman band. On the way back we saw a boy on the side of the road - and when i say boy i mean lady boy - and as we walked past he shouted at us "5 dollar i make you holla" - i couldnt believe he had saidit and i literally nearly wet myself laughing on the side of the road!

Anyway we had a pretty big night last night and had to check out y 12 today so we are just lazing around the hotel lobby watching endless movies before our bus comes at 7.30 to take us to Saigon. The last bus the aussie girls were on someone bought a pig on and the driver put it down where all the luggage was - anyway when they got their bags out the pig had died from the heat - its so horrible and im really hoping that i will have no stories like that from tonights bus. It is like the first bus we took where there are 45 seats and 60 people on board.... not fun but only 12 hours!

hope all is well! xxxx