Nha Trang

Leaving Hoi An, we stayed on the budget travel circuit and booked a $6, eight-hour bus ride to Nha Trang. It was billed as an air-conditioned, hop-on hop-off tourist bus. But since we were the only Westerners who booked a ticket for that day, the ride turned into a hop-on hop-off minibus for locals. And so we set off in a 24-seater with torn seats and sporadic air-conditioning, and spent the day in the company of Vietnamese who spoke no English. Our dismay dissipated quickly, however, when we passed a bus for those locals who couldn't afford even the $6 fare - the vehicle looked as if it were held together with duct tape, all the seats were filled and passengers were standing in the aisles, there were a dozen bikes tied to the roof, and everyone was seeking relief from the stifling humidity by fanning themselves through open windows. Suddenly, it seemed as if we were traveling in comparative luxury.

Once we arrived in Nha Trang, we found a $12 hotel room with air conditioning and satellite tv just one block from the beach. Then we hooked up with Elliott, who teaches English in Vietnam and is my sister Patty's brother-in-law. We spent several pleasant days in the town, which was a relaxing place to hang out. Lisa managed to get in a half-day dive, we hung out by the beach, and we also enjoyed going out several times for dinner and drinks with Elliott and his girlfriend...