The Funky Monkey

Ok, I just got back from a boat trip to Halong Bay and finally have some time to write. I think my last blog left off when I had arrived in Nha Trang so I'll pick up again from there:

I got to Nha Trang and didn't have a clue where to go. I wandered the streets trying to look for hotels and trying in vain to ignore the many men asking if I wanted an "easy rider." From the big backpack and Lonely Planet guide, I guessed that the girl coming towards me was a fellow traveler. I stopped her and asked if she knew of any good hotels. We got to talking and decided to share a room together....I love traveling - sharing a room with a total stranger from the street! I got good vibes from her though and knew she was cool cat.

Marga (a Dutch girl who's traveling for a year) and I got a room at the Sun Moon Hotel and then went in search of breakfast. We met 2 other French girls at the Same Same But Different Cafe and after the delicious meals in Saigon, I was eager to try more food. What a disappointment! The noodles were greasy and almost flavorless.

We spent the day at a beach resort where I tried sunning my oh so pale skin. I'm suprised people weren't blinded by the glare of my white legs.

That night, we went out and met 2 other Dutch girls and decided to meet up early the next day. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to get up but with roosters crowing, dogs barking, and the townsfolk awaking at sunrise, this wouldn't be a problem anytime during my trip.

We decided we were going to go swimming at the nearby islands but then we happened upon what would be the best boat tour in Vietnam: the Funky Monkey. Our guide promised us that the best boy band in the world would be playing for us but I assumed he meant that he would be playing N'Sync or some other band on an iPod. Little did I know what a treat I was in for. After eating a beautifully spread lunch & chanting 1-2-3-Yo while toasting, we were told to go downstairs. There, before all 50 or so passengers, was a small stage with instruments set up. The drumset was made out of pots & had YAMAHA printed on them in neat letters. A rasta looking older guy with the best smile ever was sitting there waiting to play. To make a lomg story shorter, the band played lots of songs and finally sang Frere Jaques in every language that was spoken on the boat (Japonese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, German, Danish, Chinese, and English if I remember correctly). They made me go up and sing a song about San Francisco but I didn't know any of the words so I just swayed to the beat and chimed in whenever I heard "San Francisco." It was quite a fun day!

The next day, I just layed on the beach and got a massage...if you could call it that. I was lured in by the woman because it was only $6 but I quickly regretted it. Her hands were so calloused that for a long time, I thought she was wearing gloves. The piounding on the head didn't exactly make me feel more relaxed either. Oh well, it was only $6 right?

The next day, Marga and I decided to do some "cultural"activities and so we rented a motorbike and visited the Cham Towers and the 24 meter high Buddha. It was exhilerating navigating the streets and feeling like one of the locals (even being on the backseat). The gleaming white Buddha was amazing and even though Marga ended up having to scold ("Who were you raised by? This is not how your parents taught you to be!) a local boy for trying to steal her water and then sell it back to us, the trip was lovely.

The rest of my stay in Nha Trang was spent at the beach and then it was off to Hoi An...oh yeah, and I figured out what an Easy Rider was. It's a motorbike & guide that you hire to take you across the city or country. One of my favorite lines of the trip was Marga's comeback to the same guy who asked us every day if we wanted a ride: No Easy Rider, Easy Walker.