Liliana’s South East Asia Adventure

So take a guess at whats happening in Nha Trang?  Thats right folks it’s raining.  It’s not just raining its a complete monsoon.  Luckely I have a cheap poncho that is keeping me some what dry.  Anyway this city is a beach town which is basically known for it’s beaches.  It’s in Southern Vietnam.  The first day in Nha Trang I went to the beach and laid out.  Supper nice.  I went to a place called La Louisiane Cafe.  For less then a dollar I rented a lounge chair under a big umbrella made with palm frans.  The water was lovely but not as aqua blue as Thailand.  Never the less nice.  I meet a girl from Australia who grabed another lounge chair near me.  We chatted etc.  They served food and drinks to you if you wanted which I did.  For lunch I decided to have what the Australian girl was eating. It was a noodle dish with vegetables.  If you eat the same thing everyday then you go crazy for something else.  I’ve cheated a few times and had Pasta and once pizza obviously without cheese.  Last night I had Mixed vegetables and potato’s and beans.  They were baked beans.  It was such confert food.  It reminded me of mom although I don’t know if baked beans and potato is very Kentucky.  It’s quasi southern.  

Yesterday I did an island tour which is the touristy thing to do.  Basically they take you to four islands.  At the first one your suppose to be able to snorkel but the equipment was horrible. I should of known.  After 20 minutes or what ever I gave up.  At first the snorkel part was not attched to the mask so I tried to stick it under the mask but that allowed water in.  So I had to go back to the boat to find a snorkel and mask that were attached.  To top it off the company or some other official guy wanted to charge us money to go snorkeling.  I was complety pissed off and starting saying this is B #$% you can’t charge us.  We were never told about these fee’s. I’m like either let us dive for free or take us bak to shore.  Well after what seemed like 5 minuters or so some guy said ok everyone lets go snorkling for free.  So we did but it sucked any way.  The few times my mask was not fogged up or with water I saw some amazing fish.  A 1-2 foot rainbow fish with orange yellow blue etc.  Lovely.  After that we got back in the boat and went to the second island to eat lunch on the boat.  Don’t ask about the food.  I basically had rice and potatos.  I was told their would be vegetarian food but not the case.  Oh well I had some fruit later and some mini cakes. 

So at this second island we were told that you had to pay 5,000 dong to go there.  None of us were told about these extra fees.  If we had been told it would of been different.  At first I though tit was 50,000 which is like 4.50 USD instead of 33 cense.  Anyway I don’t get off the boat and say I’m staying on the boat I’m not paying this fee.  I wasn’t told about it.  For the tour I payed $6 USD.  Anyway the guy then says follow me and I say what.  You can get me in for free.  Well he does and I tell these 3 other people that were also upset about this fees popping up to follow me that I’m getting in for free.  So I go through the gate but he won’t let the others go through.  Some how he lets them in also.  We then stary laughing at how much it’s going to cost to do the different sports that were mentioned.  They said while on this island we could water ski, play soccer, volley ball etc.  The lucky number seemed to be 50,000 dong.  I went up top someone and siad how much for a volley ball and she says 77,000.  I started to laugh.  I go back to the other guys and say ok guess how much.  They were just as shocked as me.  Anyway luckely our boayt had a volleyball for free that we could use and we did.  We played V ball on the sand which was fun excpet for this one guy.  Men will be men but this one guy would be in the back row and he’d go to the front to try and hit the ball over.  I tried telling him nicely that bavk row was back row and front row was front row.  We were playing for fun but still don’t be a ball hog.  It started to rain and I went to go sit underneath so i wouldn’t get wet.  Kinda silly being that we were at a beach had already been in water but I was being picky.  Anyway we left after an hour or so and went to the third Island where we had to pay $2 to get into some aquariam.  At first I wasn’t going to pay the fee and was going ot wait but then everyone decided to go check out the fish etc except a few vietmese.  It was small interesting fish etc but not like the California Academy of Science but then of course we were on some Island in Vietnam.  They had a couple Threatened/ Endangered turtles.  I know they weren’t doing any conservation work with these turtles.  One was a Hawksbill I believe and the other was a green turtle. 

Ok so I guess we didn’t go to 4 islands because I can’t think of another.  I ran into my friend again the nurse.  He’s been down here for the last 5 days diving.  I found him at a bar near his hotel.  O wrote him and realized he was here.  We hung out last night with some other travelers he had met and chit chatted.  Anyway it’s still raining like cats and dogs.  I was going to go to the beach but not anymore.  What i’m going to do is go to the mud baths today for $6 USD.  They also have hot springs.  Perfect day but I have a feeling it might be crowded. Anyway I’m gong to book my ticket for tonight on a sleeper train to Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh and then if all goes well directly take a bus to Cambodia. I will go to Phnom Penh which is the capital.  I know it will be hard but I will see the Killings fields which are sad part of cambodia history.  Pol Pot who killed millions of his people.  It’s one of those things that you don’t want to see but should.  It’s like the Holicaust museum.  Anyway I’m not there yet.  Will write probably after I get to Cambodia.  i’ve written enough to make you get tired of reading.  Again I want to say thanks to everyone who respnds back to be.  I read them with pleasure.  It’s probably been an hour so I’, going now.  I have yet to find a Internet place that has a USB port so for now no new pictures.  If I can find one today I will.  P.S.  I will have some pictures for Laos still and the rest will be Vietnam.  Ciao all