Nha Trang

We spent all day Tuesday on the train from Hoi An to Nha Trang. Again, grotty, but still fine. After 10 or so hours on the train, we arrived in Nha Trang, on the coast of Southern Vietnam, to discover that our Vietnamese needed to be updated to account for the Southern dialect (very unfair) but more pleasantly to an awesome Italian restaurant, La Taverna, that served us authentic italian (cooked by Vietnamese) pizza and pasta that rivals anything we have ever had at home. On Wednesday, we spent the day on a private boat, swimming and checking out some of the coastal villages that can only be reached by boat. The Vietnamese move around in little round pods that they have weaved from bamboo and then covered in cow dung and varnish to make them waterproof. It was a really relaxing day and we loved being able to swim - the weather is only getting hotter as we move further down the country. We headed out to the Sailing Club for a flash dinner, which is on a gorgeous beach (with waves even!), and then headed to Why Not Bar for some (surprise) pool and drinks. Happy hour was from 5pm until midnight and buckets of vodka, rum, orange/pineapple juice, were US$2 each and beers at 2 for US$1.50. We met a large number of irish and english boys/girls and had a fantastic night, highlights included: Grant and Steve being accosted by ladyboys who were trying to mug them, taking various photos with Vietnamese security guards, the boys dirty dancing with ladyboys, having drinks on the beach, Grant carving up the dance floor with his signature sprinkler move and, as per usual, all of the photos of Grant doing the "blue steel". Needless to say that, after our 4am finish, we are somewhat worse for wear today so have had a mudbath at the nearby mudbath place, had pizza for lunch, and slept all afternoon. Tonight we catch the overnight, grotty, train to Saigon arriving at 5am tomorrow morning.