The train ride from Saigon to Nhatrang was pleasant enough. We rode as the locals in a standard seat. I had the advantage of having little blue sleeping pills, so I slept almost all of the trip.
I may not have mentioned…. I was contacted by email at the last moment by a nephew of a co-worker who is travelling the world. He juggled his flights and met up with us in Saigon. He was only in Saigon for 2 nights, but he took it by storm. He is now in Nhatrang. From what I have seen so far, he is also getting bit by the Vietnam love bug. We will see if it lasts. Anyway…..
Some of you may know that I had a choice of houses to stay in. We had planned to stay in the house close to family, but as usual, things move very fast in Vietnam. We moved into our house in the neighborhood. It was a disaster!!!! Dirty as hell with cockroaches scurrying everywhere. My wife and neice got to the house before me, and found tasks to keep me away as they knew how outraged I would get having to deal with the carnage. By the time that I returned at the end of the day, they had exhausted themselves getting it into livable condition. It is now back into the big beautiful house I purchased except for one thing. The original owner realised that he sold to me at the bottom of the market, and the property was going up, up, up. In his bitterness, he has removed everything from the house. Water systems, air conditioning, and even bathroom mirrors…. And the 14,000,000. ? I will fill in the details in my next post. But now for a little basic information on Nhatrang.
Nhatrang is a resort city in Vietnam. It has a 14 km stretch of white coral sand beach, and is blessed with some of the most moderate weather. It is a beautiful small city filled with palm trees, great restaurants, and activities galore. I wish I had my camera here with me so I could share a picture. I am seated in an outdoor cafe, looking over breaking waves of a light blue ocean…. even in the dark. A waitress so beautiful my breath is taken away, has just left me with an ice cold Heineken.
Nhatrangs population is around 300,000 but it seems much bigger. Almost everything can be had, however, it is still a bit behind the times and some things need to be shipped in from Saigon. At the moment, construction is everywhere. Hotels and resorts are being built choking out the local poorer population.
A final teaser and note:
Job opportunities here are incredible. As a foreigner here, I have the ability to make a wage that is far beyond what can be made by a local…. enough to have a decent life without a pension to support me. However, it is not legal for me to work here at the moment. The people here think no problem…. a new story to be told maybe.
I am experiencing things soooooo fast. Have lots of good stories, all to come out a little at a time, as internet time permits.
I have heard it is -37 and heavy snow from my hometown….. here it is sunny and +30 Ho Ho HO
Yeah, it’s -31 C as the high here today in Edmonton, and dropping to somewhere like -38 to 40 overnight. When you are sweltering in summer you may be scurrying from air conditioned spot to air conditioned spot the way we run from heated building to heated building right now though!
I thought all that nice weather would mellow you? Bbbbbbbbbbbut you seem to have developed a nastly streak! You better have at least 3 Saigon Specials early, if you can handle them?? Colleen says HI to Mai and a hug also.
Hey!!! give a guy a break, I am goint through the beers one by one…. Soon will be at Saigon special. Beseides, I want you to read about how great it is here before I snap off a cold special and rub it in your face
Heineken?? Where’s the Sagion Special??