Around the World

Arriving in Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, was a lot easier than in Cambodia. The bus pulled in close to where we wanted to go and the drivers were less forceful. We walked to a traveler's cafe before deciding which of the dozens of places we should stay in. The rooms were $10 a night with A/C for a double so I stayed with a Spanish girl I'd met on the bus. We went to see the old southern president's office called Independence Hall now. It was called the Reunification Palace. It was interesting to see their perspective on the "American" war. We also went to the War Remnants Museum which had some really sad photos. We had Vietnamese noodle soup for dinner. The next day we got a bus to Nha Trang, a beach town with the best diving in Vietnam, although it is rainy season so the visibilty isn't good. We decided to stay at the hotel where the bus dropped us even though it was probably a dollar more a night as they get comission too. We had dinner and then drinks at a pub called Crazy Kim's, which is a school for street kids and a foundation to stop child sex crimes as well. I did two dives yesterday and saw a few fish and lots of coral. They had piles of the round mushroom coral and lots of sea stars and cucumbers. I saw a clownfish dad and baby. I got a little too close and the dad head butted me. I think that is the first time a fish has run into me while diving. Last night was one of the diving guys' birthdays, a 22-year-old from CA so my new friends and I went. It was a lot of fun. We ended up dancing at the Sailing Club right on the beach. Today I wanted to swim and lie by the pool but the weather is not cooperating. I am putting my pictures on snapfish so I will send a link. Tonight I am off to Hoi An, the tailoring capital of Vietnam and a nice little town, or so I've been told. Send me an email if you read this. Love to all.