Lost on Phu Quoc (again)

Well we managed to find the hottest spot in Vietnam on the island of Phu Quoc and have been enjoying ourselves in paradise for over a week. We started out in a beach bungalow but have moved back off the beach to this weird hotel with a museum for a bigger room with a cheaper price.  Its only a five minute walk to the beach and we have been invited to celebrate Tet (Vietnamese new year) with the family!

Kim spoiled me for my birthday again,  a shiny money clip, cake, flowers and a full day snorkelling trip... I even saw barracudas! The day was amazing,  they served us lunch including sea urchin and fish we caught ourselves. Kim was very pleased with herself catching both a fish and a piece of coral.

After the snorkelling trip we had a few drinks at our new hangout The Safari Bar where thanks to an expat we met in Hoi An, Larry, we have met a whole group of really good people.  The owner/bartender Lee is awesome and his wife Sinh is sweet and an amazing cook. After spending some time there we got ourselves invited on another boat trip and two more birthday parties.  Two of the couples we are getting to know have been coming to the island for over ten years!

The seafood here is abundant and delicious. The beaches white sand with warm blue water. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming just like four years ago. Only difference is its a lot busier and way more built up. To bad really,  they definitely are going to lose that care free island feel.  We are going to stick around for a bit and enjoy it while we can.  Besides, how can we pass up an invitation from a local family for Tet? That's just plain rad.

Terracotta Rain

Hoi An has been good to us this past week. A wonderfully romantic city with quiet streets lit up by lanterns and amazing dining experiences.  Days have been spent eating, reading, biking, spa treatments, beaching visiting tailor shops and generally relaxing. We were blessed with a visit from Katie Nix for a few days during which we had a great time eating, drinking and laughing. My favorite time being the terracotta lantern pinata that Katie convinced me to take a swing at and paid for me to have a turn (5000 dong or 25 cents).  Given a stick and  a mask, you are placed ten feet in front of the hanging lantern. Then as you begin to navigate your way blindly several men yell madly at you and play loud music to throw you off. With Kim and Katies coaching I managed to swing hard and true and smash that lantern to bits raining terracotta all over my head.  Rewarded with a yellow silk lantern I was quite pleased with myself.  Even more pleased when we passed by a food vendor selling corn on the cob on the next corner.  Jackpot!  She slathers it in a green and red chili sauce and roasts it over her hot coal bbq. Delicious. Not a sweet corn, more like maize but the chilis are sooo good. First the lantern smashing, now the corn... I am so damn content. Amazing start to an evening.

Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating with Hoi An and I have just broken the news to our laundry/convenience store lady Mrs. Giua that we are leaving for Ho chi minh tomorrow.  I thought she was gonna cry. 'That is not happy news' she says. I promised her we will be back soon because we don't really want to go... its heaven here. For now we are going to chase the sun. Even the locals are complaining about how cold and rainy it is (sure does sound cool when it rains though).  We'll be back soon Hoi An, we love you.

Settled in Hoi An

Well, we are all settled in our hotel room in Hoi An which is to be our home for the next month. The 'resort' we are in is a rather run down place but adds to the charm for me and makes it more budget friendly at the same time. Right across the bridge from the main market we have a great location.

We have spent the last few days remembering our way around the city and taking note of good food and drink spots. We have found two great watering holes and I successfully bartered for a 24 pack of beer for $10 from a small shop. Was quite funny to watch all the reactions as we marched across the bridge to our hotel with the case on my shoulder. Lots of thumbs up and approval from the locals. We successfully found four fantastic banh mi shops (baguette with ham, pate and pickled carrot and daikon and a multitude of mouth watering sauced for $1) and a coffee shop with lattes.

We haven't tried bbq here (don't worry, we will!)  but experienced another rad one in Danang. Stayed three nights in Danang hanging on a weird beach on an odd side of town that reminded me of an abandoned Vegas. Kind of creepy but entertaining to explore.  We've learned at bbq to be taken seriously, sit down and order a large amount of beer... this let's them know you mean business and mean to stay a while. Locals will just ask for a 24 pack and ice.  The empties aren't removed as this is the system to keep tally.  Tables loaded underneath with empty cans is common. After ordering the beer follow with a couple meat dishes and a salad. Picking up a little Vietnamese has helped remarkably and will bring smiles to everyones faces (it also helps in deciphering the menu).  In Danang we had beef in a delicious marinade and paired with a chili, salt and lime dipping sauce. Our salad choice was banana flower salad with fatty pork and a spicy peanut dressing. Next we bbqed spicy chicken wings and ordered squid sleeping on rocks.  Chicken was so savory with hot chili and a hint of sweetness. The squid arrived as beef which was delicious and we reordered the squid which was amazing. A pot of hot rocks with onion and basil arrives which is opened, meat flavored with salt and pepper dumped in and lid replaced.  Then with whatever drink is handy (even if it comes from the neighbouring table) a little liquid is added through the cracks. Seconds later your meat is cooked and it melts in your mouth. Mmm. All of that food and 6 beers, $15!!! And the experience is great:) Our neighbours were super funny and friendly, helping us with Vietnamese which was great.  And boasting how much beer they can drink lol.

Well I don't know about you but I sure am hungry now... off to the market I go.

Hanging out in Hue

Breakfast of Bun Bo (spicy beef noodle soup)

A game of catch with a small bar fly.

Bbq beef for dinner (I got a grill buddy).

Character building

Well that was one hell of a bus ride that's for sure.  We prepped ourselves really well, went to the minimart and got snacks and drinks. We have bought tickets on a sleeper bus which allows each passenger to stretch out.   Psyched ourselves up for a 22 hour journey but sometimes its all just beyond your control. We got picked up from our hotel at five pm and delivered to the bus station where we had a really rough start. After being rudely manhandled onto a run down cramped bogus bus we were kicked off and hustled over to another bus. Phew, we are rattled but its a much nicer bus and thus we are pleased. We head out of Vientiane,  Laos at 6:30 pm.  There is no bathroom on the bus but it stops from time to time which works out ok (although we were told there would be a toilet). We finally fall asleep on the bouncy, fast bus just after midnight. Around 3:00 am we are jolted awake by the driver braking and desparately fighting to stay on the road.  He has crashed through three orange barriers filled with water at a road construction site and has gone off the road. We hang onto whatever we can as the bus goes off the road and feels like its going to flip. Evacuated out of the drivers window (the door no longer opens) we spend the next five hours on the side of the road huddled around a couple of fires. At daybreak our rescuer arrives, a female passenger has called for help and arranged for an escavator. The bus is chained up and pulled back onto the road.  Minor repairs are made (replace the bumper and change a tire) and we all get back on the bus, minor bumps and bruises but nothing major thankfully.  We continue on our journey hurtling along at the speed of light to make up for lost time. Insane. We arrive in Hue, Vietnam at five pm, the exact time that was quoted to us originally even with the five hour delay. As my buddy Dan Farmer would say, 'Builds character! '

And now we are stoked to be back in Vietnam, totally didn't realize how much we missed it. It's cheaper and the food is way better! Plus we at the beach now and I can eat seafood!!!

Lao Rock Star

Happy New Year everyone! I sincerely hope that everyone had a great time ringing in the new year. We did so at the most amazing Beer Lao Sound Tent in downtown Vientiane and had a complete blast. We started out the evening getting picked up at out hotel by Lenny (whom we met in Vang Vieng and currently resides in Vientiane). We walked to his friends apartment and spent the evening drinking beer and sharing a take away Indian feast from Jamir's (who lives and runs a restaurant across the street from the apartment). Excellent food and conversation with a bunch of volunteers living in Laos. Such a sweet life, helping others and living on the Australian government dime. After dinner we walked to the most amazing new year party at the temporarily Beer Lao tent set up downtown. Tons of locals were out slamming back Beer Lao and enjoying local rock stars. Incredible! They were all so happy and belting out the lyrics. Impressive really, the Lao people drink quite a bit but never does that smile drop or the happiness fade. There's a certain innocence to the people that I admire.  I had fun photo bombing one group of teenagers who realized with delight that I was in their photo and proceeded to pose with us. After the count down and more singing we proceeded by tuk tuk to a local watering hole and enjoyed more festivities. Had to walk home because it was also apparent that all of the tuk tuk drivers had either gone to sleep or partaken in the festivities as well lol.  Awesome night!

We went and visited COPE (Center of Medical Rehabilitation) instead of the Beer Lao factory tje other day. After having heard of it we simply had to check it out. An amazing exhibit on cluster bombs in Laos and COPE services for bombs survivors, it certainly opened our eyes. I am even more impressed by the contant state of happiness we encounter here. COPE helps those that have been and still are affected by the 'secret war' where the USA conducted more the 580, 000 bombing missions on the country of Laos from 1964 to 1973.  They remain the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita.  Approximately 80 million unexploded bombies (small bombs that are dropped in one big canister) remained in the country after the war.  Their main focus is the making of prosthetics for those that have lost limbs, removal of active bombies still in the country and educating the local farmers and children on the dangers of collecting scrap metal from the bombs.  Amazing to see and learn, a really well set up organization. Check it out www.copelaos.org

Today we are psyching ourselves up for a 22 hour bus ride back to Vietnam. Got some snacks at the mini mart and said good bye to our new friends. Looking forward to Vietnamese food again, mmm!

By the way, Jacob you were right,  they really are obsessed with Angry Birds here, super funny.