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dan's big trip
So we all left for Nha Trang, all really eager to get there. We had heard many good things about this place, great beach and an amazing nightlife. Everyone perfect location in my eye's. The only downside to this place is some of the locals.
We got on the bus about six in the evening. A nice thirteen hours crammed on a bus. We all started off with two seats each and every time someone got on I would pretend to be sleeping hoping Know one would wake me wanting my spare seat. Selfish I know but I wanted to get some sleep. It only lasted about an hour before someone asked for me to move my feet so I swapped seats and sat next to one of my friends called Laura. This was going to turn out to be a bus trip I will never forget. It was about one in the morning and the lights were all off and more a less everyone a sleep, except a few of us. The round we was going down was diabolical, possibly the worst road in history. Well for me anyway that is. There were pot holes everywhere. Huge one's. We needed a space buggy I swear not to complete this mission. Usually the bus drivers drive like maniac's. You would of thought you was competing in some sort of race. Maybe the Vietnam derby, I just don't know. We had already had a near miss with a motorbike. We swerved at the last minute and most people fell out of there seats. Anyway about the pot holes. Were going fairly slow to to try and avoid them. Wasn't working to be honest. At one stage we went on to the other side of the road to avoid a bunker of one. There was a bus coming the other way which started flashing us. I think it was just warning us about the road up ahead. Anyway so were heading towards this flashing bus dodging pot holes and mark was convinced the driver had fallen. Pitch black, dead quiet and most people asleep and then there's mark!!. Screaming at the top of his voice ("HEY, HEY,HEY. WAKE UP, WAKE UP") whilst banging on some guy's seat in front of him. How embarrassing, I just sunk in my seat and pretended I didn't know him. They stopped the bus, turned on all the lights, the guard and the driver get up and stared at him if to say, "what the hell is your problem". If looks could kill. By this time everyone was awake and all eye's were on mark and he calmly explained in an embarrassed manner that he thought the driver was a sleep and we was going to crash with another bus. My god I felt for him. I was so embarrassed to even know him, so god knows what he was thinking. He had done what many people probably wouldn't off. He thought we was in trouble and alerted them. Good on him really but this time he got it wrong. So close to being a hero but unfortunately he will have to wait for that status.
The world is a small place. I was chatting to my mate Laura and she asked if I had lived in Hayward's Heath all my life. I said no Horsted Keynes too. She only turned round and said I know someone from there called Jenny caldawell. I was like "oh my god I know her, I was friends with her son deano who unfortunately passed away" She was like " dean and Gemma. I know them. I went to school with them". She said once before that she recognized me and mark but she couldn't think where from. It turns out we both went to his funeral and wake. Her father use to business partners with dean's dad and her mum is still friends with Jenny now. Strange hey. I'm all the way in Vietnam and this happens.
Anyway we arrived here about 7 am and got a hotel with in ten minutes. This is a first as usually we sweat our arse's off for two hours looking for somewhere to stay. A little sleep and then we hit the beach which is a ten second walk away. There was about eight of us chilling down there, getting a tan and messing around in the surf. There was a really plush bar on the beach front where we spent most of our time hanging out in the day time. We had all planned to meet here and then go in to town to get something to eat and have a few drinks. We ate and then went to a bar called (Why Not) We went in there and you would of thought it was a nursing homes day out. Well they wasn't that old. They were playing all these amazing old songs. The oldies were dancing away and we joined in with them all and they were loving it. Unfortunately for them as the night progressed more youngsters came in so the music changed. They left. (hope we hadn't spoiled there night). Everyone was slaughted and there was some American lad called Tucker with us. He was dancing his heart out to Michael Jackson as American's do, and we were chilling in some seats. He took offence as we wasn't dancing to MJ but that's American's for you. For some reason Brandon left this bar and went for some fresh air and food I think. Anyway he saw some westerners completely wipe out this motorbike taxi guy. These idiot's were drink driving and cut the corner in there war time land rover, went on to the pavement and smash. Wiped him clean out. Brandon thinks he had died. Some people pick him up and send him to hospital in a cab. By the sounds of things he was dead. A police man turns up and takes the driver away. One of these guy's was French and must of been living around Nha Trang for a while. He was paying off this motorbikes friends and family on the street to keep there silence or make things better. No money can replace I life. Brandon said what the hell are you doing and Mr. froggy said " don't worry, it will be fine. I'm paying them off. Last year I killed a Vietnamese on a jet ski and it was fine as I paid everyone off" Brandon is a really placid guy and went for the French man. He had to be held back by mark and others. They return to the club and tell us about what has just happened. Vietnam is a lovely country but it's still very corrupt.
The following day we chilled down the beach once again, discussing what had happened last night. I'm not a big fan of the French anyway and the people who I have met over here have all been so arrogant. There not going up in my book. Sorry if this offends anyone. That night we did the same again. Ate, then went to some bars. Wasn't as good as the first night as I think most people were hungover. The third day and Halloween. Woooooo party. We chilled on the beach again and discussed if we should dress up for tonight and what to wear? The answer was yes lets definitely dress up. What shall we wear and what is cheap? Toga's. Lets use our bed sheets for toga's. What a brainwave. We weaved some leaves to give us our arm and head gear. Well I didn't, Laura did it for us. She went as a mermaid by the way. We was all dressed up ready to go out but we needed nick names. I was Achilles. Not sure why but maybe as I look like brad pit and that was his name out of Troy. Steph was Jane, also out of troy. Mark was Marcus hurralies, Brandon was Maximus, tucker was Augustus and Laura was meant to be aerial. I had everyone calling her Derek or merman out of zoo Lander, She still moans about that even now. We was walking down the streets, getting strange looks, on our way to dinner, where we was meeting more people. At one stage we had a street full of locals whistling and screaming at us. It was great but embarrassing too. We ate and then went to a club on the beach called the sailing club. We got in and got given two bottles of vodka and mixers for free as we made the effort and looked the part. They had a massive party going on here for this and made a huge effort. It was really good. They had spooky banners, bonfire on the beach and a graveyard. There must have been fifteen of us and we had a great night. From now on I'm always going to dress up.The next day we all nursed our hangovers down the beach. Hard life traveling sitting on the beach and partying at night. There is more to traveling of course but the places where we have been going recently have not had a great deal to see. That night everyone still hangover just chilled out watching movie's in some bars. Everyone needs a night of rest and this was going to be it for me. Six weeks of non stop drinking more a less is catching up on me. I'm getting my beer belly back so think I will have to do some running.This day we was meant to be going on a boat tour around some local islands, snorkeling, sight seeing. Ok who am I trying to kid?? It was a booze cruise which included these things. It was raining heavily and the winds were quite strong too. The place below us muine had just had a little typhoon so we was getting the backbone of it. A rainy day so what can we do? Spend it in the pub, play pool, watch films or maybe even sleep. No of these I spent it on the computer trying to get up to date with my photo's and blogs. Slowly getting there. Only two places behind now. Even though you don't do a great deal traveling it's so easy to become really lazy. Even going to a shop to get a bottle of water is a chore now. That night we went out to celebrate our last night in Nha Trang. Food and drinks once again. The following morning me and mark was leaving to go to a place called Da lat. We needed to see some more cultured things as we wasn't doing so sitting on a beach or in a bar.Nha Trang is a gorgeous beach resort. It has many building erecting at the moment and will soon become a honey pot for people to visit all over the world. Unfortunately it needs a lot more police here to run this city. The crime rate is ridiculous. Some guy got shot on the beach when we was here, one of our friends got driven to the middle of know where by a taxi to get robbed. When you walk the streets you get a group off three women come up to you saying "hey good-looking" and giving it all the spill why they pat you down and slip there hands in your pocket and steal what they can. Unfortunately you have to tell them to go away in an aggressive and literally push them off you. You really have to keep your wit's about you in this place. It's the only time on my travels where I have felt out of my comfort zone on the streets. Hey, I have Cambodia to come yet so I best get prepared. Really intrigued to get there as I have heard so many mixed reports on the place.Right 7 hours and then I will be in Da latLaters
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