Monday 14 September 2015

Cruise Day 8 - Nha Trang (Vietnam)

We got up fairly early to go up on deck to watch coming into the bay before breakfast. In this port we were anchored out and tendered in to Nha Trang (Vietnam). There was quite a wait for the tenders as only 4 were going.







At the port there were some market stalls, but we got on buses and were taken into town to go to the market. On the way was quite interesting, all along the waterfront were fairly nice parks with topiaried trees and sculptures, but unfortunately as soon as we stopped we were assailed by pedicab & taxi drivers wanting to take us around, and it did not stop, even after you said no, they still followed you and if you stopped, or pointed at something the next thing they were in your face again.























We wandered through the markets, but we didn't have any money and I didn't want to even stop and look at anything I liked the look of as then the stall holder would start at you. Eventually we walked back to the beach-front and sat under the trees, but even there we weren't safe, we had a woman trying to sell glasses and sunglasses (even though we pointed to the ones on our face!), then a man trying to sell paintings. First he said he did them all, but after we pointed out the different signatures, he admitted that he had 4 old men at home (war veterans with no legs he said) who did them, and he just sold them. Eventually he must have seen better marks and ran off hurriedly. Shortly after, we were approached by a woman who sat next to us and started to run her hands over Darryl's sweaty body while telling him he was a handsome man and she loved him. Found out later that she was possibly feeling for a money belt.
I went to the toilet at the hotel where we were dropped off and Darryl was propositioned by another hawker offering to arrange for anything - drugs, women, boys and girls. We eventually got back on the bus, and had a wander around the marked at the dock, which had the same products as in town, and got the tender back to the ship.
At lunch on the ship, we were told by the people we were sitting with, that they had accepted rides from pedicab drivers who stole money out of their purse while they were reaching inside to pay them for the ride. The previous day, we were warned at the lecture on Vietnam to be very careful when arranging rides with taxis and pedicab drivers as they have a reputation for demanding extra payment or stealing.








After lunch, and a nice chat with a man who was giving us Australian travel hints Darryl went to play his sports for the afternoon.




After dinner we went to the Show with Andy Joy who played the Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Piano, Piano Accordion and carrot! He also sang quite well.

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