Weds 27th Feb - Tues 5th March
So the next week in Hoi An was pretty much just chilling! On Wednesday Paul carried on with his 'hard work' at the hostel as usual, I spent the day wondering around Hoi An - checking out the market, eating, observing the people and then came back to sit by the river near Sleepy Gecko and was asked to join 3 Vietnamese men in their 60's for some food - a local specialty of steamed tiny mussels with spinach and herbs from the river right there in Hoi An, served with rice pancakes and chilli dip - which were a little like poppadoms! Was delish! Then they made me drink beer, but for the Vietnamese, they don't just drink the beer, they say cheers and then you have to down the entire glass, and before you know it you're several cans in and feeling a little tipsy, speaking broken English with the guy who knows a little and using sign language with the two who don't! Was a lovely authentically Vietnamese afternoon, then went back to the hostel and in walks Maura so we chat for the rest of the afternoon and have dinner at the hostel - we were recommended the pizza which they get from down the road, as it saves Grandma from cooking (Grandma is Larn's mother a cute little old lady who cooks, cleans and does your laundry. Larn is Steve the British owners' Vietnamese wife. He has two little girls, and Ian another British expat works for them too, plus Eck and the other girl - two really cute girls who I taught English to for a bit one afternoon and they taught me Vietnamese! Eck had a reputation for being moody but she was always smiling when I saw her, and she refused to ever hug Paul 'No No Never', but she always hugged me ha!) So the pizza was awesome and then just spent the evening playing pool, chilling, chatting to Paul and hearing Steve and Paul moan about how the hostel was going to be fully booked from tomorrow which is what they hated. Maura had also decided to stay there so she'd be arriving tomorrow. Paul agreed to take me to Marble Mountains in the morning as he was picking up his newly refurbished Honda motorbike that he was sending back to the UK, and then just went to bed.
Thursday:
The next day we did just that, spoke to Maura when she checked in quickly before we went then me and Paul went for lunch at Hua's which was the local restaurant by China Beach, near Danang. Then I walked to Marble Mountains as it was just down the road while he went to check on his bike. Marble Mountains was a mission to climb and walk around, it was a load of small mountains in the middle of no-where with temples, pagodas, caves and some awesome views. Then I walked back and Paul met me saying his bike wasn't ready until 4pm, so he went off to get us some steamed buns for a snack and we sat on the beach chilling and talking until it was time to pick it up. Went to pick up the bike then drove back to Hoi An. I went for dinner in a local restaurant in town as Paul had to get back to 'work'. Then met Maura in the evening and we all just stayed at the bar chilling, drinking beer and cocktails and chatting until bedtime. Turns out the hostel was fully booked, and Paul didn't have a bed, so it was agreed with Larn, me and him that he would stay in my bed - which ended up being until we left. By now it was kind of common knowledge that we were spending a lot of time together so that seemed the logical thing to do. Maura and I decided to head to Marble mountains the next day as she hadn't been.
Friday:
Marble mountain for me didn't happen. Turns out we got no sleep as 'The 7' (fresh out of uni) who were in our dorm decided to come in at silly o'clock, pissed, loud, ordered Pizza and decided to swim in the pool making loads of noise, meaning we got 2hrs sleep. So Maura went with an easy rider and I caught up on some much needed sleep, while Paul 'worked'. Then just chilled til she came back, I caught up on some of the blog and gave the girls the English lesson I'd promised them and they taught me some Vietnamese. Then just spent the evening...yup you guessed it...chilling out at Sleepy Gecko. But before this Maura and I went for a meal next door, then ventured into town to check out the nightlife - turns out Paul was right and there is none (Why Not bar was SO happening, there were 3 people in it at 11pm) - we instead went to a local bar with local men drinking beer, got some red bull in, had a giggle fit on the way home (as Maura couldn't get over my lady-like burping) and then drunk more red bull at Gecko before heading to bed. It was Paul's day and night off tomorrow, so he was going to box up his bike while me an Maura did our own thing and then in the evening me and him were going to go to Hua's for dinner and stay in a hotel in Danang to get away from the dorm rooms for a bit.
Saturday:
Maura and I had planned to get up early to rent out bicycles to see some of the real Hoi An, in the surrounding villages. So we went and rented out our bikes ($1 for the whole day). After a little unsteadiness and dodging the traffic (and the crazy - 'there are no rules anything goes' system) we stopped for lunch at a little cafe and then ventured out into the little fishermen's villages around Hoi An. We spent a good 3-4hrs on the bikes, needless to say our asses hurt after! We stopped off at a little village joint for some refreshing coconut juice halfway and got lost several times - we went the same route following the signs to the fishermen's village several times, passing the same village people who must have been laughing their heads off at the silly tourists, but we always ended up back at the river in the other village, at a dead end. After about the 3rd attempt we eventually found the fishermen's village by following some different signs...which turned out to be just across the river from where we were before, and another dead end - worth it then!! We cycled back to the hostel and Maura went to pick up her dresses from the tailors while I freshened up, packed for tonight and also packed my bag as we at the time were hoping to leave Sunday evening for Nha Trang on the night bus (even though we hadn't booked our bus yet which we were meant to book today, woops - basically meant we wouldn't be leaving Sunday then!) Then said goodbye to Maura, and me and Paul went to Hua's and Danang for the night, for a little alone time and peace and quiet from 'The 7'.
Sunday:
Drove back from Danang and the weather had turned overcast and it had started to rain. Got back to the hostel and Paul boxed up the rest of his bike and 'worked' whilst Maura and I went into town to book our bus, hopefully for Monday evening now as we knew we wouldn't get on it tonight. Turns out 'The 7' had taken the last bloody spaces on the bus - buggers, though least they were leaving. So we ended up having to book for Tuesday night instead. Then went on a walk to find the cafe we'd eaten at yesterday, turns out it was the 'cafe never to be found again'. So we went for eats across from the Japanese Bridge on An Hoi Island. It was still raining so we went back to the hostel for a bit. Then Maura and I went to have a meal next door but it was shut, so we went into town instead to a lovely little restaurant (it was pissing it down so we just chose the first one we saw - luckily it was cheap and the pasta was amazing!) Stayed there until it stopped pouring it down, which in turn meant we of course had to make use of Happy Hr and their cocktails. A few cosmos later we staggered out of the restaurant and made our way home, only for the heavens to open again, drenching us! So with Maura's bad influence, we decided, as we're wet, we may as well jump in the pool when we get back and act crazy and young like 'The 7'. Got some 7-up and my stash of vodka, decided to skip with the bikini's and just jump on in - bit of skinny dipping won't hurt anyone - NO WET NO FUN! Turns out it was the most see-through pool in the world, 'The 7' arrived home early as they were getting an early night, were appalled with our behavior - pot calling the kettle black - though Greg thought we were legends and Steve took it as an opportunity to promote Sleepy Gecko as the place to skinny dip and thought it was hilarious. Then, cold and wet and getting very late, we both dried off and sat upstairs before heading to bed, but before then, Chloe and Anna turned up after a night out and had been locked out so had to crawl under the gate and Anna got stuck cos her ass was too big - so that amused us all for a while including Steve who'd been woken up by the noise and took loads of pictures of Anna stuck under the gate. Turns out Paul and I were in the dorm room with all the action! The 7 had obviously been bed swapping and Vicky was hitting it off with Greg, and Lucy was hitting it off with the other guy. Me and Paul were just lying there listening to basically an orgy happening in our room, pissing ourselves with laughter. Turns out the Gecko is not only the place for skinny dipping but also the place for Dorm room sex!
Monday:
Spent the morning in town getting a massage, manicure, pedicure and threading done by an awesome lady in the market, then spent the rest of the day chilling around the Gecko as it was pissing it down still, got our duvets and just sat on the roof deck, ordered food, drank beer, the usual. Paul joined us for a bit and then there was a pool tournament downstairs between other bars in the area so he joined that for a bit, then came back up and we all went to bed early. Turns out me and Paul had the entire dorm room to ourselves - peace and quiet at last! Though it was so totally Larn's doing, she had a soft spot for our little 'thing', as the other dorm was full - lol!
Tuesday:
Our last day! Paul went to Danang but returned in the afternoon before we left. Me and Maura went into town for coffee and pancake and then just chilled at the Gecko until our bus in the evening. Paul came back pissed off as turns out it was a lot more than he'd originally been told to send his bike home, so wasn't sure what he was going to do about the bike he'd just boxed up - store it at the Gecko until he gets back in September I guess (he's leaving for Australia on Friday for 6 months to work on a travelling funfair up the east coast, before coming back to S.E.Asia, unless he decides to get sponsorship in Oz). Larn, Eck and the girls all took great pleasure teasing me and Paul about my impending departure - awww you sad, going to cry? etc - Larn's response was particularly hilarious; To Paul 'No more Boom Boom tonight, but don't worry, I've put all the girls in your room so you won't feel lonely!' lol. So we said our farewells, I probably wouldn't see Paul again unless we met by chance in Oz - it was quite sad leaving the Gecko as it had become a home away from home and we'd gotten attached to all the people there, made so many memories it would be a hard week to forget. We then headed to the bus station for our night bus to Nha Trang. Sat on the top bunks this time, took random photo's of teddies which the 62yr old british woman and the old local man next to us found hilarious and she called us strange. However, she was the one who had vodka and orange in a flask, was singing along to her Ipod ALL FREAKING NIGHT and woke everyone up with her slurping while she ate a freakin' avocado at 4am in the MORNING! lol She was a nutcase! We also did random story-telling, which involved teddies, and teddies liking particular scenes from Pulp Fiction, which caused the Italian guy next to Maura to bolt upright and give us looks like we should be locked up for thinking such crazy things! The random story-telling was something we'd picked up off Paul to bide time whenever we were chilling at the Gecko. Then we tried to sleep until we arrived in Nha Trang at 6am the next morning.
So the next week in Hoi An was pretty much just chilling! On Wednesday Paul carried on with his 'hard work' at the hostel as usual, I spent the day wondering around Hoi An - checking out the market, eating, observing the people and then came back to sit by the river near Sleepy Gecko and was asked to join 3 Vietnamese men in their 60's for some food - a local specialty of steamed tiny mussels with spinach and herbs from the river right there in Hoi An, served with rice pancakes and chilli dip - which were a little like poppadoms! Was delish! Then they made me drink beer, but for the Vietnamese, they don't just drink the beer, they say cheers and then you have to down the entire glass, and before you know it you're several cans in and feeling a little tipsy, speaking broken English with the guy who knows a little and using sign language with the two who don't! Was a lovely authentically Vietnamese afternoon, then went back to the hostel and in walks Maura so we chat for the rest of the afternoon and have dinner at the hostel - we were recommended the pizza which they get from down the road, as it saves Grandma from cooking (Grandma is Larn's mother a cute little old lady who cooks, cleans and does your laundry. Larn is Steve the British owners' Vietnamese wife. He has two little girls, and Ian another British expat works for them too, plus Eck and the other girl - two really cute girls who I taught English to for a bit one afternoon and they taught me Vietnamese! Eck had a reputation for being moody but she was always smiling when I saw her, and she refused to ever hug Paul 'No No Never', but she always hugged me ha!) So the pizza was awesome and then just spent the evening playing pool, chilling, chatting to Paul and hearing Steve and Paul moan about how the hostel was going to be fully booked from tomorrow which is what they hated. Maura had also decided to stay there so she'd be arriving tomorrow. Paul agreed to take me to Marble Mountains in the morning as he was picking up his newly refurbished Honda motorbike that he was sending back to the UK, and then just went to bed.Thursday:
The next day we did just that, spoke to Maura when she checked in quickly before we went then me and Paul went for lunch at Hua's which was the local restaurant by China Beach, near Danang. Then I walked to Marble Mountains as it was just down the road while he went to check on his bike. Marble Mountains was a mission to climb and walk around, it was a load of small mountains in the middle of no-where with temples, pagodas, caves and some awesome views. Then I walked back and Paul met me saying his bike wasn't ready until 4pm, so he went off to get us some steamed buns for a snack and we sat on the beach chilling and talking until it was time to pick it up. Went to pick up the bike then drove back to Hoi An. I went for dinner in a local restaurant in town as Paul had to get back to 'work'. Then met Maura in the evening and we all just stayed at the bar chilling, drinking beer and cocktails and chatting until bedtime. Turns out the hostel was fully booked, and Paul didn't have a bed, so it was agreed with Larn, me and him that he would stay in my bed - which ended up being until we left. By now it was kind of common knowledge that we were spending a lot of time together so that seemed the logical thing to do. Maura and I decided to head to Marble mountains the next day as she hadn't been.Friday:
Marble mountain for me didn't happen. Turns out we got no sleep as 'The 7' (fresh out of uni) who were in our dorm decided to come in at silly o'clock, pissed, loud, ordered Pizza and decided to swim in the pool making loads of noise, meaning we got 2hrs sleep. So Maura went with an easy rider and I caught up on some much needed sleep, while Paul 'worked'. Then just chilled til she came back, I caught up on some of the blog and gave the girls the English lesson I'd promised them and they taught me some Vietnamese. Then just spent the evening...yup you guessed it...chilling out at Sleepy Gecko. But before this Maura and I went for a meal next door, then ventured into town to check out the nightlife - turns out Paul was right and there is none (Why Not bar was SO happening, there were 3 people in it at 11pm) - we instead went to a local bar with local men drinking beer, got some red bull in, had a giggle fit on the way home (as Maura couldn't get over my lady-like burping) and then drunk more red bull at Gecko before heading to bed. It was Paul's day and night off tomorrow, so he was going to box up his bike while me an Maura did our own thing and then in the evening me and him were going to go to Hua's for dinner and stay in a hotel in Danang to get away from the dorm rooms for a bit.
Saturday:
Sunday:
Drove back from Danang and the weather had turned overcast and it had started to rain. Got back to the hostel and Paul boxed up the rest of his bike and 'worked' whilst Maura and I went into town to book our bus, hopefully for Monday evening now as we knew we wouldn't get on it tonight. Turns out 'The 7' had taken the last bloody spaces on the bus - buggers, though least they were leaving. So we ended up having to book for Tuesday night instead. Then went on a walk to find the cafe we'd eaten at yesterday, turns out it was the 'cafe never to be found again'. So we went for eats across from the Japanese Bridge on An Hoi Island. It was still raining so we went back to the hostel for a bit. Then Maura and I went to have a meal next door but it was shut, so we went into town instead to a lovely little restaurant (it was pissing it down so we just chose the first one we saw - luckily it was cheap and the pasta was amazing!) Stayed there until it stopped pouring it down, which in turn meant we of course had to make use of Happy Hr and their cocktails. A few cosmos later we staggered out of the restaurant and made our way home, only for the heavens to open again, drenching us! So with Maura's bad influence, we decided, as we're wet, we may as well jump in the pool when we get back and act crazy and young like 'The 7'. Got some 7-up and my stash of vodka, decided to skip with the bikini's and just jump on in - bit of skinny dipping won't hurt anyone - NO WET NO FUN! Turns out it was the most see-through pool in the world, 'The 7' arrived home early as they were getting an early night, were appalled with our behavior - pot calling the kettle black - though Greg thought we were legends and Steve took it as an opportunity to promote Sleepy Gecko as the place to skinny dip and thought it was hilarious. Then, cold and wet and getting very late, we both dried off and sat upstairs before heading to bed, but before then, Chloe and Anna turned up after a night out and had been locked out so had to crawl under the gate and Anna got stuck cos her ass was too big - so that amused us all for a while including Steve who'd been woken up by the noise and took loads of pictures of Anna stuck under the gate. Turns out Paul and I were in the dorm room with all the action! The 7 had obviously been bed swapping and Vicky was hitting it off with Greg, and Lucy was hitting it off with the other guy. Me and Paul were just lying there listening to basically an orgy happening in our room, pissing ourselves with laughter. Turns out the Gecko is not only the place for skinny dipping but also the place for Dorm room sex!
Monday:
Spent the morning in town getting a massage, manicure, pedicure and threading done by an awesome lady in the market, then spent the rest of the day chilling around the Gecko as it was pissing it down still, got our duvets and just sat on the roof deck, ordered food, drank beer, the usual. Paul joined us for a bit and then there was a pool tournament downstairs between other bars in the area so he joined that for a bit, then came back up and we all went to bed early. Turns out me and Paul had the entire dorm room to ourselves - peace and quiet at last! Though it was so totally Larn's doing, she had a soft spot for our little 'thing', as the other dorm was full - lol!
Tuesday:
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