Very Relaxing, and Yet Very Busy

DISASTER!!!!  MAJOR JANDAL BLOWOUT!!!

I woke up and couldn’t find my jandals anywhere.  I realized I left them at the pool, and now they are gone.  I’m convinced either the hookers or the security guard stole them.  [I spent the rest of the day interrogating hotel staff about the whereabouts – I really liked those jandals].

I know it is hard to concentrate on anything but my own personal disaster, but for the sake of the blog I will try.

We boarded a speedboat (me in sneakers) and went out to a very remote island, Cham Island, where the boat anchored and we jumped in to snorkel.  Because Vietnam doesn’t educate people about how to properly handle reefs, it was pretty dead.  Swimming felt great though as temps are still up around 38.  When people started getting stung by jellyfish, we jumped back into the boat, and headed to a different remote island.  No jellyfish here, but still not great snorkeling.  Being in the water is great though.

Snorkeling turned into laying on life vest like a raft, and tanning.  That turned into drinking.  After some time doing that the speedboat took us to a private beach where we spent the day drinking, eating, napping, and playing in the water.  It is too hot for anything else. Lunch on the beach was picturesque. 

We got back to the hotel around 3 o’clock, jumped into the pool, rented bikes, and then headed over to Yaly and the shoe store for our fittings.  After the fittings, we rode around the town for a bit, bought new shittier jandals, picked up some souvenirs, and mailed them home.

After that it was back to the pool, where I continued the investigation for my jandals.  A shower and change, and we had to go back to Yaly for a final fitting (it is too hot for all of this running around). 

Dinner was at a Mexican/Italian place with Vietnamese flare called Green Chilly.  It was actually pretty good.

We went with an ever dwindling number of people to Before and Now bar.  After a few hours of drinking most of the group called it a night.  My new Italiano friend, Davide, and I jumped onto the back of some guy’s motorbike and headed to a late night beach party 4 km outside the city.  I think it is funny that I am learning more Italian than Vietnamese.  The party was a good time.

   A pretty great day, but I am still saddened by the loss of my jandels L

Funny signs... no shortage here