Nha Trang – All the gang’s together again
The tone for our few days in Nha Trang, the ‘party’ beach of Vietnam, was actually set when we got on the bus from Dalat to head down there. An Irish guy, Dave, had been out with Dean till the early hours the night before. He slept in until the bus was about to leave, and just managed to haul him and his bag out in time. He sat down, just as Dean turned to him and asked him if he had his passport. “Jayzis”, he shouted, and launched himself back down to the hotel.
Yep, this was going to be a heavy one.
We got to Nha Trang a few hours later, and had a bit of trouble finding a room – it’s the Vietnamese holidays at the moment, and Nha Trang is one of those rare places that is popular with both locals and backpackers alike. We were also looking for a room for three people (me, Dean, and Dave), which is always problematic – trying to explain to Vietnamese hoteliers that we needed three beds, not two, was like banging our heads against a brick wall. Finally, when we were incredibly sweaty and exhausted (well, the guys were – obviously I was most fragrant and full of beans), we found someone who offered us two double beds and a mattress on the floor for $10. We took him up on his offer – it was at such a stage he could have offered us a bed in a stable with donkeys and lowing cattle and we’d have snapped him up on it. Now, where have I heard that before?
It was quite late in the day when we arrived, so we chilled out in the room until it was time to go out and eat. We found a lovely cheap place that did good vegetarian food (Dean’s veggie), and had a few beers there before heading on to the busiest spot in town, the Nha Trang Sailing Club.
Now this was a place that we’d heard all about. It was the place to go – the only place to go in Nha Trang after all the other bars shut. Apparently, everyone ended up there at the end of the evening. So we were a bit surprised to arrive there and see what, from the outside, looked like a flash restaurant. Even looking at the menu posted outside scared us – prices were similar to UK restaurants (unheard of over here, especially on our budget). Still, we were undeterred, and pushed on in. And it turns out that by day it’s a flash restaurant, by night it turns into backpacker central. They even serve drinks out of jam jars. Called, imaginatively, a Jam Jar.
Within a short time of being there, we’d bumped into everyone we’d met on the bus – two Australian girls, an English couple, and an English and Canadian guy. It was so much fun to catch up with everyone, and have a few jam jars to drink. I went home relatively early (by Sailing Club standards), but Dean and Dave were more hardcore, staying until the early hours. Apparently on their way home they were almost mugged by a group of ladyboys. Only in Vietnam.
Dave was flying out of Nha Trang early the next morning, and had set his alarm for 6.45am. However, by that time he’d only had about an hour’s sleep, so didn’t wake up, even with me shouting at him and hitting him to turn his alarm off. I’m such a sweetheart when I’m woken up early. Eventually, after about three attempts to wake him, I gave up and rolled over. The next thing I heard was Dave asking “What time is it?” I looked at my watch and grunted “7.40”. “Jayzis” he shouted, and launched himself out of bed. He was meant to be checking in for his flight at that very moment. Still, he never came back, so presumably he got there ok.
I spent the rest of the day sunning myself on the beach. We were expecting it to be raining, or at least overcast – it’s the rainy season here at the moment – but we were really lucky and only got the sun. Dean joined me later on that day and we were soon joined by Pete and James, two guys he’d met earlier in his travels, and Doireann and El, who in turn they’d met in DaLat.
It’s funny, but I suppose obvious – because Vietnam’s a long country, everyone either goes all the way north or all the way south, so you keep meeting the same people all the time. This is fantastic, and means that you get to know people pretty well, and that there’s always a familiar face around. Here, more than anywhere else, I’ve felt part of a big group of people, and it’s making a real change. I don’t know if I could keep it up in every country – in fact, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t, as it usually involves some fairly heavy partying, but it’s ace just now. Over the next few days we met back up with Owen and Pamela (from HCMC), Rich, who’d been to Mui Ne for a couple of days, and my two favourite Canadian brothers, Jamie and Jason, who I’d met in Phnom Penh. Soon it seemed like everyone knew everyone, and it was hard to keep track of how long everyone had been around. I felt like Frenchie at the end of ‘Grease’, when she sighs, “Oh, all the gang’s together again”. Except my hair’s not pink. My bikini is though – will that do?
And so the days panned out. Beach, meal, out with a group of friends. I actually didn’t do any other sight seeing in Nha Trang, although there were a few things to go and see – I was happy right there on the beach, to the manor born, laughing with people who by now feel like old friends. I had a lot of reading time, and I also had a lot of thinking time. This was good. I needed to do some creative thinking, because my next stop, Hoi An, was the clothes capital of Vietnam. The mother ship was calling me home…
Tags: Travel, Vietnam
Suzanne
I now realize the difference between the young and old. The young are so more flexible. I could just imagine my face had they said I could have a mattress on the floor.
There again, when you are tired you will take anything.
Also, I didn’t realize how many people are traveling like you, amazing.
Keep safe and happy,
Love, Lin
Sometimes you just need that chill out time, relaxing, thinking, reading!! I’m on wind down time now ready for our holiday on Friday. Glad all continues to go well and your partying hard!! Sound like a real good crowd you have met. Oh by the way, just for the record- did you sleep on the mattress on the floor or one of the double beds??? Due to previous blogs were you have bagged two seats in the front of the car etc I think I might be right in assuming that it was the bed. Take care. lots of love x
Hi Suze
Isn’t it wonderful the camaraderie of people on the road.
People under estimate, at any one point in time, how many there are doing exactly what you are doing.
In Australia, the big dream in later years is to buy a 4wd and caravan and travel round Australia and they are called the grey nomads.
Sheila and I will certainly be in that group and I reckon it will be fantastic.
There are some amazing places in Oz, but they are miles apart and in between there is nothing, but I look forward to that adventure.
By the way….when you stay with us, would you prefer a nice warm comfortable double bed or a mattress on the floor with your sleeping bag?
Please let me know as I would like to make your stay as pleasurable as possible.
Mike & Sheila
Hi Suzie: First of all it was great ‘speaking’
to you on line – Gabi enjoyed it too! You sound really well – and partying for England by the sound of it!! Nice that you met up with
a lot of the people you’d met earlier on in your travels – bet your little black book is
almost full!! Enjoy it all and keep safe and well. All my love – Auntie Rosemary x
Hi Suze, drinking out of jam jars and sleeping on mattresses on the floor – sound like something out of a Catherine Cookson novel!!!
Incidentally, we’re all dying to know – who did end up sleeping on the mattress?
Great talking to you on Friday. Stay safe.
Miss and love you heaps.
Mum