Nha Trang is yet another popular beach resort for the "blank faced, unfriendly Russians" - quote from a local Easyrider. Easyriders are usually old war veterans, now tour guides with motorbikes, and are often very friendly with good English. We only stayed in Nha Trang for half a day, waiting for a bus, which was meant to be a train, to Da Nang. Unfortunately the train we were supposed to be getting was fully booked, only the hard wooden seats were available - which isn't an option for a 15 hour journey! If you've seen the 'Top Gear' special episode on Vietnam, you'll know what we mean.
The weather wasn't great, so we spent our afternoon in Nha Trang drinking, eating, and shopping.

The sleeper bus journey from Nha Trang, was a step up from the one we took from Phnom Penh, no carbon monoxide poisoning this time! We shared the back section with a couple of friendly Costa Ricans, and a German. The only disturbance, apart from the bumpy roads, constant horn tooting, and light flashing, was a smashed window during the night, which was swiftly repaired with sellotape!

We arrived in Da Nang around 11am, and checked into our hotel 'Tuan Phong' for a quick power nap. We awoke bleary eyed but ready to explore. The weather was very overcast, and windy, so with our stomachs grumbling, we went to find something to eat. Our friends we met in Cambodia - Jay and Charlie, recommended a place called 'Tam's Pub and Surf Shop' for its homemade burger. After about an hours walk, we found the place. It looked a little run down, and we were 'greeted' by a miserable Vietnamese man (not Tam), with very limited English. But we got what we came for - tasty homemade burgers, and a nice coffee to wash them down with. What we weren't expecting to consume, was Tam's incredible life story, especially her take on the 'American War'. Tam was just 12 years old when the war started, but seems to be able to recall a lot of it. She lived in one of the villages surrounding Da Nang, and told us that the Vietcong came in one day, and gave them and the surrounding villagers a choice, you either work for the Vietcong digging tunnels, farming to feed the soldiers, or you fight. Otherwise you're killed, if you don't die from being overworked, and underfed that is. Tam had good English, and managed to work along side an American doctor as an interpreter, so she experienced and saw a hell of a lot. She told us many stories about the American soldiers; building schools, hospitals, and homes, supplying medicine for the sick, and treating the wounded, feeding the malnourished, and helping the homeless. Also a heroic story about some American GI's on top of a mountain, helping locals after a bus had run over a Vietcong mine. She told us that they took their jackets off to keep the young and elderly warm, and cut their tshirts and trousers to use as bandages on the wounded. Ending up in just their boxers, with helmets on, and guns slung over their shoulders, in the freezing cold.
A book is currently being written about her life, and views of the war called 'Naked GIs'. We spent over 4 hours speaking with her. She had too many stories to type. But I must say, our view of the American soldiers took a complete u-turn.

The next day we went back to Tam's Pub, and rented one of her clapped out mopeds. We explored the city, and went to a museum called Cham Sculptures. The museum houses a lot of the artefacts from the ruins of the 'My Son' temples. After a history lesson overload, we went off to see the 'Lady Buddha' which stands 72m tall, and can be seen from pretty much anywhere along the Da Nang beach front. After a nice quiet ride along the coastal road, and up a steep final incline, we arrived. She was huge! An amazing marble statue (the largest in Vietnam), set on monkey mountain with some great views over Da Nang.
As the roads were so quiet, I asked Amelia if she would like to try out the semi-automatic moped. She gave it a go around an empty carpark, I don't think she got past second gear before I asked her if she wanted to ride it back to Tam's Pub. I rode pillion the whole way back, apart from a little shaky start, she picked it up quick, and before I knew it we were back, and in one piece!
When we dropped the moped back, Tam kindly offered to take us one by one to the local bus stop, about 10 minutes away by moped. She even gave us a parting gift - a huge bunch of bananas. Such a nice lady.

Crazy local bus to Hoi An....