With friends like these……

Graham (69Bertie) and Ben (Viet720)

As I mentioned in the previous post, Joy had shown up to join Ben, Graham, and I for a drink. Ben and Graham were ending the day and left, so I followed Joy to where he had left a couple of his travel partners. Where did he take me?? I think it was called Crazy girls, and guess what? They were! It was a bar that employees extremely good looking young women in the shortest and tightest attire you could possibly imagine. I had a good laugh at Joy’s choice of bars, but sat down anyway to get overcharged for a very cold beer. We sat and enjoyed some joyful conversation…..(pun intended) while the explosive aura of estrogen surrounded us. Ahhhhh….. the mood must have been infectious as the business partners Joy met had become romantic and left for what must have been a pleasant night. I said goodbye thinking I would not see him again, and headed off to my hotel to sleep..

After a day of shopping to pick up some simple odds and ends that cannot be

Steak Sandwich

 found in Nha Trang, Graham and I stopped at an expat hangout in Saigon called Phatties. The food was very expensive and not at all what I was expecting. I guess I should have known since there was not a single asian customer in the place. I ordered a steak sandwhich, and that is exactly what I got. I said goodby to Graham and I was wearily going to spendsome time in my room when I received a call from Hau for one more get together before I returned to Nha Trang. Of course!! No problem!! He is a good friend and I will always have the time to spend with him. He also thought Joy was not around, but I had received a phone call earlier that joy planned to try to get together before I left for Nha Trang. OH OH…. Here we go again… Hau, Joy, one of his regional managers and I were having a good time talking and joking when Joy received an important call. He told us that some high ranking people from Laos were in Saigon and were wanting a meet with him. He had invited

Cheers

them to meet where we were, and the  minister of tourism for Laos, and the head of the National committee of tourism joined us. Wow!! A surprise! We chatted and the evening became late…. It was time to go home. The Vip’s decided they wanted a massage before bed and asked where it could be had in the area. Hau did not know, so all eyes turned to me. Ahhhhhh…. It just so happens that a cyclo driver friend of mine (Tang) has shown me everything in the local area. They all jumped in a Taxi, and Hau and I through my directions led them to a very reputable massage parlor. With hand shakes and final goodnights, Hau drove me back to my hotel. I received a text the next day that they had great fun and Joy had a story to tell me. Damn!!! I will not be seeing him until Feb when my family and friends come to tour with me. Joy (the Laos tour company guy) has told me that it is his intention to fly to Saigon and join us on our tour. Great!… The General manager and friend from a

The train drain

 major tour company is to be our guide in Vietnam, and the same for Laos. Not only that, but the minister of tourism….. Sem I think his name was, when he heard I was bringing a group into Laos….no problem with Visas and such. The minister has said he will be coming back to stay in Nha Trang in my hotel. I told him that I am a very simple 1 star and I could arrange a much better place, but he insists that it does not matter. He wants to say here.

I took the day train back to Nha Trang from Saigon as I had done some shopping and I had extra bags. I had booked a sleeper cabin and had a nice lower bunk with enough storage below for my stuff. I was busy writing the last blog on the computer when 2 incredibly beautiful young women walked into the room. They had been assigned the beds beside me. Wide eyed and scared, they departed and convinced a family to change tickets with them. The family sat and talked about me for a while not knowing I could understand. This was a nice family. They way they talked with the tones and the snapping, it might have looked to a tourist that they were angry and untrusting people, but they were simple speculating on where I was from and if I was friendly or not. The

Dragon fruit farm

arguing with them was amongst themselves and had nothing to do with me. They were absolutely amazed that after half an hour or so, I told the wife of a man that it was OK for her to share my bed and sit down since was on a lower berth. From there it was great as usual with the offers of food and instant respect as I was older than all of them. The beautiful girls did return and discovering I was not a threat, apologized about changing rooms. I told them it was no problem because if they were in the same room, I could not have a nap because they were too beautiful. They giggled and thanked me for the compliment. The train ride sort of sucked, and the food was barely passable. I will take the train again, but next time a sleeper at night. Day travel in Vietnam is only good by Air……. Trust me!!

A shot out the window

Post navigation

7 thoughts on “With friends like these……

  1. I have not heard of a single expat having night train trouble….(I am sure there must be)
    Only the occasional tourist.

  2. Night train for Nha Trang? With all the daylight robbing around? No way. Even in thailand were nobody rob people night train/bus/ferries are not a good idea…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *