29/4 - Just to let you know, I can read your comments when I am in Ho Chi Minh city, but seeing as I'm in DaLat, not a lot of good, but I was up to date when I left a few days ago.
Also to let you know, I am going on a 5 day motorbike trip from tomorrow, don't worry, I'm pillion.
I am going to Hoi An through the Central Higlands of South Vietnam. It should be an adventure. I'll let you know, if I ever get that far in the blog. So today is the last installment for perhaps a week. Don't panic due to lack of posting. If you really miss me, you can always text me, but I have a Vietnamese SIM in most of the time, so don't expect a quick answer.
And so to the blog.
Packed again, but it is too nice to leave my box on the Mekong, so I pulled a chair outside and sat on the walkway to wave and shout to passing boats. No mooning, I'm passed that now. I got some great smiles from the boats as they went close by, big and small.
Dung came along to say goodbye, she is off into town on works business. She is a smashing lass, I will miss her. I dumped my bags at reception and paid up then nipped along to see the effervescent Diep. She was bubbling over. She gave me a great cuddle then grabbed my arm and wandered along with me, back to reception. I said goodbye and went to grab my bags, she followed me and grabbed one. I'll miss this one too. She came along to the gate with me, where the moto was waiting, telling everyone we passed, that she hadn't already told, she is my daughter. Another cuddle, a peck on the cheek, a peck on the cheek and I'm off to another town. Which one is still undecided, but I'm getting a bus to Rach Gia, I'll decide on the way there. The first guest house in Vinh Long, that I stayed at told me they could get me a ticket and drop me at the highway, the buses don't come into town anymore. You go to the highway and flag them down as they pass. The lass in reception says they come every 15 minutes, so her brother ran me out on the moto. I got to cross the Mekong bridge, a construction everyone seems very proud of. Some people had pulled their motos over to the side of the highway, at the top of the bridge and were stood gazing down the river. I wonder what the grumpy old man would say about that?
The lass in reception was right, the buses pass every 15 minutes if not more frequently. The buggers don't stop though. We stood about an hour and eventually one pulled over, with a bonus, the aircon worked. Time passed quickly, I am an expert waiter now. This was more like hitch hiking, than catching a bus. It brought back memories of my youth, stood by the side of the road, ever hopeful. The minibus wasn't too packed. We stopped to pick up another lass and she brought a durian on. It must have been open because we went about 100 metres and the driver pulled over and threw it in the back, with my rucksack. The bloody stuff stinks to high heaven. There was an old fellow on the bus with a torn off piece of cardboard, hung around his neck with some twine. I haven't a clue what it said, but he looked like a war refugee. He was all there though. I had bought some coconut pastries for the trip, they are only small, so I tried one. I offered some to the old fellow. I knew I'd done it wrong. He was happy to take the bag, eat a few and put the rest in his pocket for later. I enjoyed mine.
We eventually pulled over at some services, a lot more swish than spiderville in Cambodia. I drew some serious stares and some lovely smiles. My height seemed to be the object of amusement. One woman came over laughing her head off, as she measured the top of her head to my elbow. The Vietnamese are not particularly small and sometimes not that slim. The Chinese influence I suppose.
We moved on fed and watered to another ferry crossing where some volunteers get out and go over on foot. It must be some kind of dodge. I'd seen it before, so thought it would be an experience and volunteered. It worked differently on this ferry. I was stood around doing my Gil the ambassador abroad bit and the co-pilot came over and grabbed my elbow to lead me onto the bus before we docked. Live and learn.
Into Rach Gia and there was only 1 tout waiting, so why did he pick on me?? My height I guess. He wasn't a bad lad. He did try to get me to take a moto instead of the long walk to the bus station, until I pointed out to him on the map that it is 200 metres away. I hadn't decided whether to stay here or move onto Ha Tien, a few hours on another bus. The minibus had dropped us outside a cafe, so I took advantage and sat for an iced coffee and a tea, the tea is free. I sat and contemplated a decision, I decided a cake would be nice, but none were available, so I finished sipping and moved on to catch the bus. The cafe owner told me there were no more buses until the morning, but being a cynical young man, I didn't believe him. I was right. I walked the 200 metres and didn't even need a ticket, there's a conductress. I went to put my rucksack in the hold and a lad took it off me and threw it through the window. It was open. The rucksack got put behind the back seat. I used my head and took the middle seat at the back with loads of leg room. Not so clever. This is a local bus. The conductress is very efficient and looks like she is possibly a part time wrestler, so nobody argues with her. She is authorative with a smile, a 100% character. Anyway, my leg room disappeared mostly. All the floor is filled with boxes or stools to sit on. It is all very orderly, not like the cram them on job in India. Still there must have been 50 people, all seated on a 35 seater bus. The wrestler recognised the length of my legs and left me a bit of foot room between the boxes. It is all very friendly, people helping each other and smiling. Leaning on each other and nodding off. An old fella sat next to me, scrunched his legs up on the seat and then sat a young 'un on his knee. I felt like a right old croc. 2 young lasses who were sat next to me, got off, so we moved along a bit and the old fella just leaned on my leg. It made me feel like one of the family.
We rolled into Ha Tien in the dark and the same procedure as usual, someone comes on and grabs your bag, takes it to his moto and tells you where he is taking you. Once we got things straightened out, we headed for my choice. I was told it was closed, but it wasn't. It should have been, the steps were huge and the lift out of order, they asked for too much, then halved it when I started to walk. This is the first time I've had the hugely overcharging experience in Vietnam. A lad had latched onto the moto and followed me to the hotel room and was nagging and nagging and nagging for business, he eventually got the picture and left me alone.
I wandered to find some food, but there was not a lot open, so I picked on a street stall and had something that sounded like paxo salt, but I'm fairly sure it was Saxo who made it, so it wasn't. It was smashing though, noodles, bean sprouts, nuts, fried egg and spicey sauce, probably a few unknowns too, but as long as I don't know about them..................
A bit more wandering to get my bearings. There are loads of billiard places. No wonder Trung and Lim gave me a beating. Some young lads beckoned me over to sit with them on the street outside a cafe. We didn't understand each other, but got along famously with the help of the LP. It was a canny night, they were good fun. I spotted the leader, so made friends with him. It came in handy when one of the other lads tried to get me to foot the bill. The leader fired him off. He then bought mine for me. We could have been good mates. They were a rowdy lot, in there 20's, but a good laugh. The 2 young lasses serving on got some stick, but when they said "Closed", all the lads scattered, the girls were in charge.
Home, read and bed, pretty much in that order.
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