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This morning after getting to sleep around 2:30am, Rob and I checked out at 10am and as it was raining we decided to mull around the hotel for a bit hoping for the weather to improve so we could go for a good walk and visit the museum.
As the rain didn't abate we stayed in the hotel lobby for a while and then walked around some local shops, popped in to Papaya Tshirts to say goodbye to the girls we met there yesterday and then waited for our bus to take us to Hoi An.
We have learned in Vietnam to allow a good 30 mins leeway from the time they say to be ready for and our 1pm bus eventually turned up around 1:40.
Another lesson we have learned is that the time they quote it will take you to get to a place doesn't include the time it takes to pick everyone up from their hotel (fair enough really).
Our final and valuable lesson is that unless the bus ride is less than an hour you will pretty much always stop at the side of the road where conveniently enough there are shops to buy food and goods you don't really need. - Vietnam is very much a place of kick backs for introducing tourists to. Once you have figured that out you adapt your thinking and time expectations, it's all good!
(Whilst taxis and mopeds with drivers can be pricey this 4hr bus ride only cost $2.38!)
Rob and I decided to wing it this time and not pre-book a hotel.
We were wondering how to get from the bus station into Hoi An so we could grab a hotel when lo and behold, the bus drives right up to a hotel where a guy jumps onboard and he cheerily declares he has many free rooms at very good prices.
Having checked out a couple of rooms Rob very graciously agreed to look at another hotel and as we walked out we were met by a lady who walked us to the next place.
We decided to stay at the second hotel having knocked them down to $14 a night :)
After dumping out stuff in the room we initiated the plan we had decided upon once arriving in a new place. - ie, go straight to the tourist office (there are literally 3/4 ok each street) to see what tours there are so we can book for the next day (many tours are in the morning).
We met two lovely ladies in the tourist office near our hotel and got some advice on tours and also asked for a recommendation for dinner.
The place they recommended was very good and run by a guy called Huey.
He kept saying "top banana" and "lovely jubbly" once he knew we were English!
Huey was keen to take us on a tour and quoted us a price for renting mopeds with him and seeing some local sites (a high price by the way!).
Having eaten a great meal there we left and went back to the tourist office to book a tour to My Son, a place of worship built from the 4th to 8th century for the next morning.
So, all in all a day of hiding from the rain, driving to Hoi An and finding our feet there.
Will tell you all about our tour to My son in the next blog.
Over and out
Bleachy
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