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From Nha trang we took a bus to Dalat. We wasn't going to go here but mark talked me in to it. We left at 7 30 am and arrived at 2 30 pm. The bus journey wasn't great. It was a really strange one for me actually. During bus journey's i found my self asking bizarre questions in my head and i always produce the craziest of answers. At times i wasn't sure if i was sane or going insane. I should really write them down as they would be great reading material but if anyone saw them they may refer me to see a shrink. Lets get this straight, i'm not crazy just in case this concerns people.
Through the mountains we go winding our way up to the highest points and then all away back down. Why don't they build some tunnels i ask!!!
In the book they describe Dalat as "forgiven for thinking you have stumbled in to the french alps". This description is spot on. If only there was snow and ski lifts it would be a dream resort. I went to Andorra a few years ago to go skiing and it was so similar it's untrue. The french feel is compounded by a radio mast shaped like eifel tower.
We checked in to our hotel straight away. Soon after that we took to the streets to find an easy rider guy to book a tour with him for the next day. Basically you pay them $28 dollars ant they take you around the surrounding countryside visiting lakes, waterfalls, evergreen forests, gardens and local production factories. After booking that we took a walk around the local town checking out the good spots. I still haven't found them so if anyone wants to help me feel free to send me an a mail. Back to the hotel to get showered and then went out for dinner and to watch the football, Man united vs. arsenal. What a disaster this night was going to be. We searched the whole town for two hours in desperate need to find the game and had no luck what so ever. We got a taxi to some restaurant which had been recommended to us, just to find it was a stones throw away from our hotel. After a great feast we went to spend the rest of our night on the internet. Walking to the net place towards our hotel we stumbled upon this local bar which was showing football. I managed to catch the last five minutes in time to see arsenal score. What a bad night.
We got picked up at our hotel by our biker blokes at 8 30 am. The first stop was going to be the Happy house. It's described as an Alice in wonderland place. We got there and my first thoughts were like, it's pretty but not great. They have all these themed rooms like a bear room, tiger room,monkey room and even a honeymoon sweet. We toured round all of this in about thirty minutes. This place has taken 17 years to build and they were hoping to finish it in another 3 years. They have no hope. Half of the buildings were not complete and had steel supports coming out of the walls. The place looked like a building site. It was an utter death trap and i'm shocked how something so dangerous can be open to the public. After that we stopped off at some coffee and chilli fields and then a bamboo factory. The factory was someone's house and there was four of them weaving, cutting and pressing these huge siv like things. They produce around four or five a day and only get $2 for each one. They were very welcoming supplying us with local tea and gave us some local tobacco which you smoke from a bong. It certainly rolled back some years. Next stop a silk production factory. This was really interesting. To make silk there are five stages. It starts off as a silk worm, that then forms in to a butterfly, that forms a cocoon. From that they put it in to a huge troth of water which has loads of needle like things which unrolls the cocoons on to these tumbles. After that they can make anything. Next stop was the elephant water falls. These things are huge. we climbed all the way down and went under the crest of the fall. After that a cotton factory and then some huge Buddha. Lunch. We stopped off at someone's house for it and they provided a great spread for us. We saw how local rice wine is made. If you saw the way of production i doubt you would want to drink it... Next stop cable carting through the mountains which would drop us off at some kind of monestry next to the lake. The surrounding gardens were lovely. We took a walk down to this huge lake which was beautiful. How can lakes be beautiful??? Well if you have ever been to the lake district you will know what i mean. Last stop some old train station. This tour was certainly the highlight to Dalat. That night we went out for dinner and had one of the best meals of my life, met some friends and then back on the internet. The following morning we had booked our bus ticket to Mui ne on the coast.
More beach action here i come..
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