Da Lat - Day 2

The weather was much improved for our second day, so me and Rasmus decided to go for a trek up a volcano, as you do.

We needed to get to the starting point, so chartered ourselves a couple of moto drivers. We had seen this chap standing on the street corner touting for business, so I approached him and negotiated so good a deal that when his friends came with the bikes, they simply refused to go and left again. After finding one friend who accepted, the chap ended up taking us himself!

It was a fun ride, zipping up hills and round bends to the village at the foot of the mountain. The walk itself was not quite what we had expected. There was a tarmac road winding up the hill and seemingly no alternative. Only once we were half way up did we find a proper path, which took us into progressively more difficult jungle terrain and eventually we gave up and turned back. We then made our way to the top via the road, which was frequented by other, mainly asian, tourists who were in the back of Jeeps. They seemed to find us amusing, as tough we were part of the attraction! We just waved back.

On the way down we bumped into an old guy on a motorbike, who we had asked for directions earlier, though he didnt speak a word of English. He gestured to the bike and we politely refused, thinking he was trying to charge us, but he insisted. So, down we free rolled all the way to the village and he didnt charge us at all. My bad knee was particularly grateful for the ride that saved us loads of time and pain! We also timed it beautifully, as sat there waiting for us was the local bus.

Having made it back to town earlier than expected we set out walking to find the 'crazy house'. A bizzare fantasy house designed by a female architect who must have been little short of crazy herself! (See pic). The house even has wierd little rooms where you can stay if you are a tad unhinged yourself. It was a bit of fun and filled the time before dinner quite nicely. A rather fitting way to spend halloween also. Actually, we met a procession of school children all dressed up as scary things as we passed through town later. American style halloween has made it all the way here too!

Feeling like I had exhausted much of Da Lat's potential I booked my bus to Saigon the next day. Having heard news that the others had been trapped by floods in Nha Trang (there was 2 foot of water outside my hotel) it seemed like a good idea to try and escape the rain by heading south again.