BootsnAll Travel Network
Add this blog to: MyYahoo, Google, Bloglines, RSS


Articles Tagged ‘Hoi An’

More articles about ‘Hoi An’
« Home

Lauren’s Birthday and never underestimating the kindness of strangers

Monday, September 1st, 2008

So the big day is here. It is around 3ish in the afternoon here and Lauren is on the phone to various family members. I think there may even be a surprise guest entry from the birthday girl herself on this very blog later, so keep eyes peeled.

So far today we have visited one of the many tailor shops that Hoi An is famous for and Lauren has been fitted for a beautiful dress. The process was real fun, with Lauren looking through swathes of celebrity magazines and finally deciding on a Cameron Diaz number. Then came picking materials and fabrics, another interesting even considering the shop is kitted out with 100+ different shades and patterns. I won’t go into too much detail because I’m sure Lauren will be excited to explain it all.

Today is our last day in Hoi An and for Lauren’s birthday we are going to get her a manacure/pedicure, a massage, and then to a really nice looking sushi restaurant (and some fizzy wine) later tonight. I’m really happy as Lauren seems to be having a wonderful day so far.

Mae, the lady who runs our hotel, and her staff were very sweet to Lauren this morning. She greeted us with big smiles and gave Lauren a single red rose and a birthday card. It was incredibly thoughtful and on this kind act alone will be recommending the Vinh Huy Hotel to our fellow travellers heading north.

I must admite I’m not overly looking forward to our trip to Nha Trang tommorrow, it’s 12 hours long on a sleeper bus and while it won’t be the 17 hour uber-marathon from Hanoi to Hue, it will still be uncomfortable enough should the bus turn up with barely enough legroom for a midget.

Posted in Travel, vietnam | No Comments »

Vietnam and me: Full Agreement

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

Something of a phenomenon, although I have been shouting it from the figurative rooftops for a very long time now, but locals all through Vietnam have been approaching Lauren to tell her how beautiful she is. At first Lauren thought it was some sort of bitchy remark, but it has happened in every city we have visited so far. Incredible.

Hoi An remains particularly beautiful. Our hotel owners at the Vinh Huy hotel are very nice and friendly, they seem genuinely interested in our days and in Lauren’s birthday (which she is getting excited about!) I just reaised that I studied and got a first in my creative writing modules for three years at degree level, and the best words I can come up with to describe our Vietnamese friends is that they are both ‘nice’ and ‘friendly.’ I’ll put it down to the searing heat that has seen me drink over 3 litres of water in 5 hours and not visit the toilet once.

Tonight we are going to go and see if we can catch a glimps of Miss Vietnam down by the river. Better than watching it on the telly.

In regards to HSB friggin’ C, we had to once again go through the routine where I phone them. Once again they apologise profusely because they thought I was in Englad. Once again I give them my itinerary and explain that I haven’t been in the U.K. for nearly 3 months now, and once again they promise that it will never happen again. Hmm…

Today we bought tickets to Hoi An’s ‘Old Town’ a world heritage site situated around the river. The ticket gains you access to a variety of museums, bridges and other places of interest. Plenty of beautiful pictures taken, and plenty of interesting facts gleamed. (No, Hoi An couldn’t really have been the trading post of the Japanese during the late 16th century, could it?!) The heat is blazing though, and subsequently we are eating very little and drinking very much. Oh, and I have gone for three days being a vegetarian, mainly so I can move ever more into the realms of smug travel blogger. 

Posted in Travel, vietnam | No Comments »

Busy little streets

Saturday, August 30th, 2008
Arrived in Hoi An without too much trouble. The sleeper bus that arrived to pick us up this time was, mercifully, fitted with beds big enough for me to lay down in almost flat. One interesting quirk in Vietnamese driving ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Travel, vietnam | No Comments »