Urban Adventure Tour Hoi An

After breakfast we headed into town to do some more exploring.  We headed in new directions and on the way found shirts and shorts for Gordy, a ring for me and a great new tailor - YALY - they have the best selection of fabrics and I was told by our local tour guide later that they have a very good reputation.  I did weaken and order another dress.

We walked through the markets, which were abuzz with people selling all sorts of trinkets, fruit and vegetables, poultry, fish .... you name it!  I turned around at one stage to see Gordy being led away by a local woman.  I literally had to run after them to catch up only to see him being ferreted away down a small alley ..... when I finally arrived he was sitting with his shirt off being "threaded"!  All stray ear hairs and eyebrows have now been eliminated, hair cut and a massage into the bargain!  I couldn't stop laughing :)

It was getting quite hot so we returned to the hotel for a swim to cool off.  We had to be back at Intrepid Travel agency by 3pm for our afternoon tour ..... a bike ride!  I was suddenly panic stricken!! I haven't ridden a bike for 50 years, and even then it was only once while staying with my cousins :(
Amidst quite a bit of initial wobbling I soon got the hang of it and from then on simply hung on and concentrated for dear life!  After making our way out of town we headed through the rice fields where local women were working surrounded by water buffalo lolling in mud baths and beef cattle grazing in the distance.   We stopped at a local house to visit but they weren't home so we pushed on meeting up with another local farmer and his water buffalo which he insisted we ride!

Every time I climbed back on that bike it felt like I was sitting on a brick!  Not the most comfortable I've ever been and it was sooo hot!  We finally arrived at the boat and after chugging along the river for a while we moored on the embankment where the skipper cooked us a bbq.  Back on the boat we witnessed the most magnificent sunset.  I've never seen the sun so huge and so orange.  The skipper dropped us off on the edge of the town and we had one more short ride to complete our journey ..... ouch!  After the cab ride back - the poor driver was so confused as I tried to give him 35,000VND when it should have been VND35 (A$2 for a cab ride!), we headed straight for the pool then up to our room.  We have a 7.30am pick up tomorrow for our private tour to My Son.

Hoi An

 I'm glad I'm not the electrical worker who has to sort this lot out :(

 We dined at the 'Morning Glory' last night after walking through the Old Town for some time.  Gordy has to learn to say know to "everyone"!  We were followed continuously as he would became engaged in the trader's conversations and they were then relentless!

 

The Red Bridge Restaurant

 Sunday we spent most of the day by the pool after breakfast.  We then caught the 'free' bus into the middle of town to pick up the clothes we had ordered the day before.  Two suits with extra pants for GC plus two dresses and a pantsuit.... all finished within 24 hours!!

I have ordered a couple of more outfits ..... can't resist a bargain!

Dining tonight at the "Red Bridge".  Great food and soooo cheap!  Cocktails $5, entrees $5, mains $7 ...the most expensive part of the meal was the wine!  An Aussie chardy at $35!!!

Views around Hoi An Sunday evening

Vietnam June 2015

Friday morning, 26th June, Regan has dropped us to the airport and we head down to Sydney where we board a Singapore Airlines flight to Singapore.  Taittinger champagne, good food, three movies and we finally arrive.   We have an early flight to Da Nang in the morning so I have booked into the Crowne Plaza.... perfect!  You walk out of Terminal 3 straight into the hotel. Easy check-in, extremely large room, just what the doctor ordered!

Crowne Plaza

Singapore Airport

I was whipped through the shopping area sooo quickly!   Will have to wait till the return journey.

Flying into Da Nang.  It's quite an undulating landscape verging on mountainous.  Can't imagine what it would have been like to traverse this terrain years ago through the forests as well.

 A 2 1/2 flight to Da Nang where we were picked up by 'Tu" from the hotel.  Hoi An is about 30 kms from the airport and he very kindly stopped at the beach for a quick photo op and kindly pointed out a number of other points along the way - including the giant Buddha.

Gordy and Tu

Workers in the field

Marble Mountain

 When we arrived at the Essence Hotel & Spa we were sat down and treated to cold towels and drinks.  All the features of the hotel were explained before we were taken to our room.

 Our room at the Essence Hotel.

A view from our room over the pool where we spent the afternoon......it's a tough life, but somebody's gotta do it!