Nha Trang, Vietnam (June 25 - July 3)

So we have been here for a long time, but we are relaxing in the beach side life and even achieved our SSI certification as open water scuba divers!! So its not like we are just laying around, that was hard work. We really had no idea what kind of skill was involved in diving until we were 18m down on the floor of the ocean. We did the 3 day course with Adrienne and her boyfriend Brian arrived a few days later and we have been having a blast experiencing all the restaurants in town and playing crib. Went out for bellinis on Canada Day where a local bar had a Canada Day party. Unfortunately, there we met a very embarrassingly drunk 19 year old from Ottawa who just graduated from high school and is now representing Canada. The beach is across the street from our hotel, so that is nice, but everywhere we go we are relentlessly harassed by locals desperately trying to sell books, postcards, paintings and pretty much anything else. We still can't figure out why they think selling heavy books to backpackers is a good idea.

So tomorrow we are headed to Hoi An, where we have splurged ($32 a night!) and are staying at a resort hotel with a private beach. Remember how we were spotting cockroaches everywhere (as you do)? Well that was all fine and good until Tawnya ended up with one crawling on her in her bed at 3am. After a vengeful murder of the creepy thing, it took a while for us to calm down which made our 6:30am start pretty terrible. But hey, what worse things could happen now? Worst fears confronted and conquered! Jodi awoke to a horrific scream and thought Tawnya was being murdered, so we suppose a little bug was no big deal. The room itself is huge and very clean, so this guy was obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time and we have seen no others.

Age and Brian have just returned from their motorcycle riding and we are going out for supper on the beach again at the Nha Trang Sailing club. It is pricey for here but still cheaper than home and has incredible food. A lot of the other places in town have really bland westernized food so this place is a huge treat. Really though this country is ridiculous as you can live like royalty for next to nothing. For example, we had a 1 hour full body massage in a super nice spa yesterday for $12. You can get them cheaper but this place was wicked. Literally head-to-toe and even a belly rub! The best thing was that the little man's hands did not wander and they were very professional (we have heard other stories).

So that is life on the coast of Vietnam, can't really complain, but even so, we do realize how lucky we are to live in Canada. It has been great having Adrienne and Brian here, we have not felt homesick at all and it is exciting to have new people to talk to!!









One of many dinners with Age and Brian.







View from our hotel