Nha Trang
Trip Start
Dec 28, 2011
1
19
101
Trip End
Ongoing
Nha Trang, Vietnam
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Our Nah Trang schedule was chocker block - several italian ice-creams, four superb restaurants to sample, and regular basting and turning on the beach.
We snorkelled at the nearby islands on the first full day, choosing the more pricey snorkelling trip over the booze cruise for tourists; a wave of disappointment ran through some of our shipmates when told there would be just fish - no jello shots from others orifices, karaoke and dancing. I eagerly awaited some good times with my best friend the sea and some beautiful fish.
Marred only by the fact that the water was sub 2 degrees (meaning you snorkelled, shivering, holding yourself for warmth - an ineffective tactic when submerged in icy water) and the cheeky amount of tiny little invisible jellyfish, giving a sensation of continuous pins and needles all over. Jk manned up, whereas I saw sense and hired a wetsuit. I'm not going to lie, I looked fricking hot - the fish were all over me like a cheap suit.
The main event was beautiful - we couldn't take any pictures of the incredible sealife - rainbow, tubular, neon, and all feverishly nibbling jellyfish - so we took an image of the identification board for you. It really brings it to life, no?
That evening we ate at fernandos - for fresh pasta and ravioli. It was the best italian I've ever had. Sometimes it's nice to take a pho break and eat things you are familiar with.
Beach time followed and having religiously lectured and enforced sun cream on JK, I stupidly forgot my belly, meaning I now resemble a man-sized robin. We alternately legged it into the sea, causing a hiss of steam, and JK was last seen gaily playing in the waves, shouting 'I'm a dolphin'.
A highlight of the stay was eating at the local favourite, lac carnh. Ordering tiger prawns and various succulent meats, all marinaded, they provide you with a flaming BBQ to cook it yourself. It was so very tasty, sucking up the authentic smoke in your face, achieved only by less accomplished tourists, we quickly wolfed our meat goodies and slowly ambled back the 2km to the hotel along the beachfront, mustering the courage for icecream and beer with the England rugby match (we refuse to go into the latter as it was a dire state of affairs).
Post rugby and following an aborted 4am FaceTime call with the London girls the following day was hard work. I sprang out of bed at 7am to JK's disgust. It seemed I peaked 8 hours early as whilst cruising to some far away beaches and I fought hard not to nap frequently on JK whilst he scooted - a tricky manoeuvre that 3-year olds pull off her, but me less so.
We found a 4-mile stretch of deserted beach that was obviously going to be the next big thing, there were half-built shells of hotels, perfect Tarmac roads leading nowhere and a pristine car park with nothing around it, most odd and eerie.
We finished our time in Nha Trang with freshly caught lobster barbecued at a tiny street stall followed by the all essential ice cream and the Wales:Ireland match with a lovely welsh bloke we met. Jobs a goodin'
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