Nha Trang, South Coast of Vietnam

Well, apologies for the delay but i have been enjoying myself rather a lot.

I last left you with our arrival in Nha Trang, we settled into our hostel, Back packers house and within a few hours Jenna bagged herself a job at the Red Apple, a bar that is run by the hostel, the most popular bar in the town!

We met lots of great people in our dorm and also Beni and Cecil who we met in Cambodia caught up with us so there were plenty of people to enjoy ourselves with! The weather however, had not been too good to us, still boiling HOT, but we did have a few rain showers which obviously limits what you can do, but not us!!

Raf getting all you can eat for $1

 First impressions of Nha Trang were good, its by the beach, there are lots of islands off the coast and its Vietnam's party town! Why not, eh!? We therefore spent a few evenings drinking buckets of whisky and whatever else they provided, dancing the night away at the sailing club (night club) on the beach and then of course at 3am when craving kebab or chips (which obviously there is none of) we end up sitting in what is essentially some couples living room eating chicken noodles with chopsticks! Very challenging!!

Noodles at 3am =D

Soo i read in one of the many travel books before i left Blighty, that, you have not truly traveled until you have your hair cut in a foreign land by somebody who does not speak your language. Of course, me being me, though sod it, whats the worst that can happen!? We found a Vietnamese salon and off they went with their scissors on my mop of curls (and my cousin Raf's). I felt rather sorry for the lady because she was soo short and even with the chair at its lowest she could not reach the top of my head, so i had to lean back . .  i know what your all thinking . . .  what the hell does my hair look like!? Well, in all fairness she did a great job, did not have a clue what thinning was so i still have a mini fro but all is good, so do not panic, i didn't end up bald or with a Mohawk . . . tempting though! While i was having my hair done i thought i would treat myself to a pedicure and at the end i was pleasantly surprised with the bill, bet no one can guess how much a haircut and pedicure cost me?   . . . . . 4 quid . . . i know i could not believe it either and i didn't come out looking like i had a hair growth disorder or that my mum had cut round my head with a bowl on it, Raf on the other hand was distraught that he now looked like a Vietnamese popstar (as informed by many Vietnamese people)!! haha!

One of the managers at our hostel took a shining to our little group and invited us along to the          

Free FOOD!!!!

opening of his friends Mexican restaurant in town (with free meal) Obviously, being backpackers, on a budget, you never EVER turn down free food, so off we went  . . .  and we are sooo glad we went. Firstly, the free food was absolutely delicious and just kept coming, a total mixture of Mexican and a few Vietnamese dishes. Secondly, the hospitality was amazing, we were socialising with all local people, enjoying ourselves dancing with them and their families to a live band and we were fully supplied with free vodka and jagger shots ALL night long. Seriously, Vietnam know how to party and we were very grateful for the experience and the fact they let us join in and participate with them (and of course for the sombrero that is now permanently attached to my rucksack, lets see if it makes it home!)

Mexican night!

Floating bar off Nha Trang coast

Fresh seafood lunch

We decided that we needed to explore the islands that we cold see just off of the coast and booked ourselves on a boat trip for the day with Beni & Cecil. Bright and early we boarded our boat and went off to sea. W e explores one of the islands and then we went snorkeling in the reefs around the island they call Bamboo Island. It was great, especially as i have never snorkeled before. Other went diving and caught sea erchants. Which were later served up to us inform of soup, it was an interesting taste, sorry to sound obvious but it was extremely fishy, but at least i can say i have tried it. We also enjoyed a live band on the boat and an amazing lunch full of sea food all freshly caught and prepared whilst we were sailing. Towards the end of the day we got to go out into the sea in a rubber ring and sit at floating bar in the middle of the ocean, this experience equals WOW. It was sooo much fun and soo beautiful to sit there off the coast surrounded by all these islands enjoying Vietnamese wine and cocktails, it was, owever a slight struggle climbing back on the boat after a few too many!

Motorbike day - I chickened out!

The best way to see Vietnam is to join in with the locas and go round my motor bike. I have on several occasions been on the back of motorbikes here travelling around, but Beni had the genius idea of hiring our own for the day. So of we went to hire then and as i have never driven one before i had to practice up and down the street. Lets just say, the experience was not only unsafe for me but for everyone on the road too. I have absolutely no co-ordination what so ever! So that idea was out of the window. I am determined to master this skill though . .  watch out Potters Bar!

Well that about sums up our 4/5 days in Nha Trang, it was great fun but we have to keep moving on up to coast so we get to see it all before our visas run out!