Vietnam 2024 – Trip Report 2

Wednesday 4 September – Thursday 5 September – Hue

Wednesday 4 September

A lazy start, and not out until 8.45am.  It’s hot already, and the thought of a bike ride doesn’t seem as good an idea as it did last night.

Into our street, and the food options and possibilities have all changed.  Long weekend versus normal working day, I suspect.

Yesterday’s breakfast lady is of no help in the food department today, and begins motioning us to head back down the road.  But due to language issues, as well as us not being overly bright, our confused look results in her giving up, and simply walking us back down to the T intersection we just walked through.

Across the road, and we’re ‘handed over’ to a new and unknown breakfast lady.

It’s a noodle soup, but this one actually has meat in it, with the meat being beef.

It’s good to see it, and taste it, again.

Breakfast done, I go to pay, expecting it to be 30 000 Dong each, seeing as that was what her previous customers were charged.

But my expectation is incorrect, with our meals, apparently, worth 40 000 Dong.

It annoys me, especially seeing as we were ‘delivered’ to her.

Up the street, around the corner, and past yesterday’s café, finding another one a bit further up on the main road.

Cà phê sữa đá ordered, and it’s delivered promptly with a trà đá each, and we sit outside and watch Hue begin its day.

Coffees are alright, the world watching better, until the time comes to make a move.

I head over to pay 50 000 Dong, seeing as 25 000 Dong is printed next to cà phê sữa đá listed on a board attached to the wall.

But no, apparently ours are 30 000 Dong each.

I can’t be bothered questioning it, but yep, I’m annoyed again.

It’s not the money, it’s the act.  I do like Hue, but I really want to love Hue, and this is not helping with that desire.

The vast majority of people we’ve had dealings with have been lovely, but there’s been a few that are impacting my thoughts on the place, which is frustrating.

But it’s probably more disappointing that I’m allowing the minority to influence my opinion, and while I would like to ignore that group and move on, I’m finding that rather difficult to do at the moment.

The heat is also contributing, and I’m now becoming acutely aware that that heat is also impacting Lisa, which just adds to my level of annoyance.

It’s barely started, but it could be a long day, and it’s highly unlikely to be ‘Disneyland’ today.

Back to Eva’s, sunscreen on, and downstairs a bit after 10.30am to get acquainted with our bikes, and the wheel lock that they possess, which I’ve never come across, or probably just never noticed, before.

Along the streets of Hue, constantly trying to remain on the correct side, and then over the Perfume River.

The desire is to go left, but all the traffic we’re surrounded by makes it far easier to go right, so I give in and go the wrong, but much safer and easier, way.

A U turn up near Dong Ba market, and then back to the Citadel, upsetting a couple of truck drivers with our choice of lane.

Down the right side of the Citadel, and while it’s all pretty familiar, I’m struggling to get my bearings, until we come across the second moat.

I now know where we are, and we actually manage to find Kota’s place, which was the scene of our failed Hue attempt in 2022.

Around the corner, see a guy doing orange juice (15 000 Dong), and the easy decision of replacing some of the fluids we’ve already lost, is made.

We sit and recover, while an amputee guy in a wheelchair on the street, looks on intently.

I motion to him if he would like a drink?  He shakes his head.

I then notice he’s selling lotto tickets, so I give up and head over.

Holding up two fingers, I say ‘hai’, and then show him a 20 000 Dong note.

He smiles, lets me choose my tickets, and the money is handed over.

I then place my tickets in his shirt pocket, giving him an acknowledging smile as I do.

He’s a little surprised, but happy, and gives me a knowing nod.

Turning around, I see a little, as in very, very little, old woman standing beside me, with her hand outstretched in anticipation, and hope, of money.

With the thought that I could become a little like the Pied Piper if this keeps up, I just can’t say no, so a small amount is handed over.

The smile she gives me makes it all worthwhile.

It’s not a lot of money, but there has been more handed out this morning than I had anticipated.

Hopefully there’s a rebalancing of karma….

The ride continues, and we eventually reach the end of the big Citadel, where the question is put to the intrepid one; out and down the side, or back pretty much the way we just came?

Outside is the answer, so we do.

Onto a main road, with the train line running beside it, and while it was hot before, I’m not surprised to see, and feel, the heat at a whole other level out here in the open.

It’s not long before her decision becomes a regret, and we make our way back into the big Citadel, before finally reaching the river again.

Onto the bike / walking path, and while it’s all nice enough, the heat, and the slight head wind, is making it all rather difficult.

Past a couple of people fishing, a few people sleeping in hammocks, and even a cow and her calf, enjoying the long grass next to the river.

Back a bit closer to the road, and with a girl spotted with a nước mía đà cart, it’s very quickly decided that the ride needs to take a break.

Over the road, and both the girl and the nước mía đà (10 000 Dong) are lovely.

Suitably cooled, but not for much longer, we continue, eventually reaching the telltale signs of an imminent tourist attraction, with various vendors selling various things, at higher than ‘normal’ prices.

We quickly arrive at Thien Mu Pagoda, and while I could hardly be described as a lover of pagodas and temples, it is actually nice to see it again after 10 years.

We take it in turns looking after the bikes so we can both have a look, and while the building itself is certainly the attraction, it’s the car, along with some photos, of the Buddhist monk, Quảng Đức that really gets me.

His statue, or monument, in Saigon, does the same.

Back on the bikes, leaving all the tourists behind, and the ride ‘home’, perhaps helped by having the slight breeze behind us, is far easier and quicker than heading out.

Three and a half hours after setting off, we make it back to Eva’s, considerably hotter, wetter and more tired than when we left.  But it was good fun.

We chat for a bit, while sitting in front of a very effective fan, and discuss our options of getting to Phong Nha in two days’ time, with the preference being an early-ish van or bus.

More chatting, and the hole in my backpack, which has actually grown since I first noticed it the other day, is also brought up, and I’m not surprised at all when Eva says she knows someone nearby who should be able to help.

She’ll take us there tomorrow morning, and then suggests we visit her preferred breakfast place straight after, where they do clam soup.

Sounds good, but Lisa, being the seafood averse person she is, is not totally convinced.

Now close to 3.00pm, and seeing as we managed to miss lunch, we really need to do something to rectify the lack of food.

Knowing that we will have well and truly missed the local variety, the decision is, reluctantly, made to head into the area that I love so much, and that is where the tourists congregate.

Over to the DMZ Bar, and a perusing of the menu reveals absolutely nothing appealing.  Our helpful waiter, seeing our problem, then hands us a second menu, this one containing actual Vietnamese dishes.  Albeit rather expensive ones.

With dinner not too far off, we share a plate of spring rolls and lemongrass pork skewers, along with a pineapple juice each.

It’s all okay, but at 300 000 Dong, including VAT, it would want to be.

But really, and while we probably didn’t have too many other options, I’d prefer not to have to go down that path again.

Drop Lisa off, and begin the walk up to do my afternoon thing.

I hear a noise above the not overly busy traffic, and turn around to see a fairly large branch laying on the road, having come off a tree I just passed.

To keep the traffic moving, civil duty kicks in, and it’s dragged into an empty car spot, to become someone else’s problem.

To my beer place, and I’m it.  But not for long, when an Australian couple walk in.

They’re from Queensland, and doing the motorbike thing, heading south after spending a fair bit of time in Phong Nha, which they really, as in really, really, like.

That, coupled with a mention of someone I might ‘know’, but don’t really know, who lives there, has me, well, perhaps not excited, but maybe more just interested to finally get the opportunity to see Phong Nha.

Beers, and chat, done, it’s back to Eva’s after doing a supply run at my convenience store.

A shower, which was possibly never more needed, after our bike ride, is much enjoyed, and then out by 7.00pm, and over to our street.

Changing it up, we find a place doing barbequed chicken and rice, and as we partake, snippets of information gleaned by simply watching, is put together.

Some different faces, but a similar face or two from this morning, suggesting that our dinner family, may in fact also be our breakfast family.

A little annoyed, and after what happened this morning, I can’t help but feel that the 50 000 Dong price for each meal may be slightly over the odds again.

I hate that I’m thinking that, but it’s more than just seeing what is being handed over.  There are, and not for the first time, mannerisms that I’m noticing.  Or at least I think I am.

Back to my beer place, and a couple we saw last night, have also returned.

We eventually get chatting, and Simon and Sonia just also happen to be Australian, with them living in country Victoria.

Lovely couple, and they too are heading to Phong Nha, but doing so tomorrow.

The time arrives to make a move, and while Lisa heads back, I make a detour to the convenience store for the shampoo I forgot earlier.

I can’t find it, so charades are used on the young guy behind the counter.

It doesn’t go that well, with the result being that he points me in the direction of where they have their hats displayed.

We do, however, get there in the end, but in the process, I get in the way of a local waiting by patiently.

I apologise, to which he smiles, and says, “Have a nice day”.

It’s a tiny insignificant little comment and interaction, but I loved it, even if he did get it slightly wrong.

Back upstairs for the usual routine of Trip Advisor, Facebook, and a fair amount of contemplation on the day.

I knew early on that the day was unlikely to be a Disneyland day, and I was right.

But it was still a good day, with the bike ride being something I’d wanted to do for a while.

As hard as it was in the heat.

But there were also aspects of the day where I felt let down; taken advantage of, if you like; and that frustrated me greatly.

Not because of the money, but because I just didn’t, and don’t, because of where we like to stay, expect it.

Tourist central?

Yep, different.

Where you find the ‘real’ people of this amazing country?  Those essentially untouched and unaffected by tourists?

No.

And yep, I realise that that may well be a little naïve…..

But, that rather insignificant interaction with the young guy in the convenience store, helped me to think about all the other pleasant and friendly ones we’ve had, which far outweigh the not so pleasant ones.

It, perhaps strangely, helped restore my faith in Hue, and to realise that I need to concentrate on the ‘good’ experiences, and to not dwell on the not so ‘good’ ones.

Not so much an awakening, but a remembering, of the rollercoaster that Vietnam can be.

Thursday 5 September

The alarm is saved from doing its thing, and we’re downstairs, as promised, by 8.30am to see Eva.

Outside, and around to ‘our’ street, with Eva leading the way, while I carry my injured backpack.

Into a small shop which is a house, and Eva chats to an older lady sitting at a sewing machine.

Conversation had, while the non-smiling lady peruses my bag.

She keeps it, Eva says something about her pulling it apart and repairing it properly, even though I said I would be happy with some kind of patch, and it will be ready this afternoon.

As we exit, offering my sewing saviour a smile, but receiving nothing in return, I ask Eva the question, just so I can be prepared when I return later.  The answer is about 10 000 Dong, which, while not expecting it to be much, is a little less than I thought it would be.

Off down the street, and into Eva’s preferred breakfast place.  It’s absolutely full of locals, and no one looks anything like us.

I love it.

The clams; the intrepid one, being a non-seafood eater, is looking very nervous; come with either noodles, instant noodles, or rice, with noodles being my choice.

It’s nice, and really, with the size of the clams; they are tiny; you’d be hard pressed to know they were actually clams.

Lisa tries it, and the colour returns to her face, as her worst fear becomes a non-event.

Eva then informs us that she normally has two servings, and not for the first time in the last 10 years, I wonder how the Vietnamese eat so much, especially in the morning.

I can’t do two, but as a compromise, Lisa and I share a second bowl.

We sit and chat for a bit, which because Eva is so friendly, is extremely easy to do, before she heads off to do school duties.

Down the road a bit, a café is found, and being full of locals, as well as in desperate need of a cà phê sữa đá, it’s an easy decision.

Sit, while savouring the best coffee we’ve had in Hue so far, and just watch the world do its thing, while Lisa disappears out the front to do parenting stuff on the phone with the girl back home.

Part way through that ‘best coffee’ (20 000 Dong), and I become aware of something I would rather have not.

It’s slight stomach cramps, which instantly remind me of Bac Ha last year, as well as a belief that a toilet may well be needed in the not too distant future.

Concerned?

Yes.

And annoyed.

Lisa returns, and we head back in the direction of Eva’s.

With a Viettel shop over the road and down a bit, I take a chance on putting off what is fast becoming inevitable, and we set about replacing that small plastic thing in Lisa’s phone.

350 000 Dong for 5GB a day, and Lisa’s days of hotspotting off me are over, now that she has her first ever Vietnamese sim, with thanks to the kind, but matter of fact, Viettel guy.

Back to the room by 10.00am, and yep, the toilet and I spend some not so quality time together.

Rather than doing what I normally do, which is to put up with it all in the hope it will go away on its own, two Vietnamese Immodium tablets, purchased last year in Bac Ha, are taken.

We wait for a bit to see where this might be headed, and while doing so, make the mistake of finding out what Lisa’s conversation with the girl was about.

The main topic was the boy, who has proven the saying, ‘While the cat’s away, the mice will play’, with his poor decision making.

I’m annoyed, because, not for the first time, this has now become my problem.

A repeat toilet performance, a little more waiting, and things seem to be on the improve, with the stomach cramps easing.

The parenting thing, however, is still impacting my mood.  Big time.

Decide to take a chance on the beach idea, and head outside a bit after 11.00am, detouring into the convenience store for a ‘just in case’ purchase of toilet paper. (2 rolls, 25 000 Dong)

Back outside, ‘insurance’ appropriately bagged, and the Grab App is opened on both phones.  A Grab Bike quote of 62 000 Dong each is delivered, button is pushed, and while the map is being perused, a guy over the road immediately calls out.

He heads over, and while his registration doesn’t match the App, he has my name on his phone.

Lisa’s guy then turns up, and we’re on our way.

Through the streets of Hue, and then out.  It’s hot, and at times I feel like I’m cooking, but it’s a lot of fun.

My guy seems to be in a hurry, which is fine, and even speeds up to overtake a girl who just overtook us.

A few minutes later, she overtakes again, but my guy will have nothing of it, and we are quickly ‘back in front’.

Was a little childish, but also quite funny.

Now in the open spaces of outer Hue, past cows on the side of the road, as well as a group of goats running across it, seemingly playing some sort of game.  Across what appears to be a large lagoon, through a pretty ordinary looking fishing village, and then things look a little more appealing as we get closer.

We reach our destination, the Beach Bar Hue,  a bit before 12.00pm, fix up our Grab guys, and pay the 100 000 Dong entrance fee, which is fully redeemable for food.  As we do, we get told that Grab will not be able to be used when it comes time to leave, with our options being a taxi, or the local bus.

Okay……

We walk the path to the beach, passing two people who are leaving, and when we get there, we’re directed to sit anywhere we like.

The possibilities are almost endless, as we are the only ones on the beach.

Well, apart from the seven or eight guys operating the excavators at either end of the beach, as well as a couple more inspecting whatever the work is that they’re doing.

I’ve never been overly excited by beaches in Vietnam, and on a list of twenty reasons why we like to visit this country, its beaches wouldn’t be on that list.

We have a swim in the choppy, and slightly murky looking water, and I’m reminded of how much warmer the waters are, in this part of the world.

Initially it’s refreshing, but after a few minutes you start to wonder if it’s possible to sweat while you’re in water.

Dry off, order lunch; Lisa noodles, me rice paper spring rolls (220 000 Dong in total); and while it’s pretty good, I’m just struggling with the whole food thing at the moment.

A couple of juices at 70 000 Dong each, and then another swim, before once again drying off, but this time with a beer (30 000 Dong) and a mojito (70 000 Dong), because, well, they’re on the menu.

A visitor.

A bit after 2pm, and while it’s been good, I’ve had enough of sitting around doing nothing.

The balance of our bill fixed up, and we begin the walk back towards the entrance, and then past it, with the earlier ‘no Grab option’, still front and centre in my brain.

Down to the main road we came in on, and the relative coolness of the beach is now a distant memory.  It’s still very hot.

We walk a bit; lots of friendly ‘hellos’ from the local kids; and then fortuitously find a woman offering nước mía đà’s (10 000 Dong) out the front of her house.

They’re much needed, and the timing is excellent, as I’m not sure how much longer the intrepid one was prepared to walk.

Sitting and savouring, while Lisa thinks the woman, and now her friendly neighbour, have some interest in me.

I suspect she’s a little insecure after I was called handsome earlier in the week.

Grab bikes are ordered (80 000 Dong), and within 5 minutes they appear and we’re on our way.

But not for long, as my guy stops at a local ‘garage’ to get some extra air put in the back tyre.

The ‘supplier’ of that air has a wry smile on his face, as he looks me up and down.

Was quite funny, but I’m rather pleased that Lisa wasn’t there to see it.

Back across the lagoon, and as we do, the air quality diminishes rapidly, with it being so smokey, it’s actually making it difficult to breath.

Fortunately it improves as we get closer to Hue, and we’re back ‘home’ a bit after 3.00pm.

Quick chat with Eva, and then around to pick up my backpack.

The old lady is still at her sewing machine, and when she looks up, it takes her a second to work out who I am.

She hands over the bag, and she’s done such a good job, I’m not even sure where the hole was.

I ask the question how much, and she spends a minute grumpily rummaging around looking for a note to show me.

She eventually finds what she’s looking for, and shows me a 10 000 Dong note, without even a hint of a smile.

I hand her 20 000 Dong, and as she goes to give me change, I smile, shake my head, and give her a heartfelt cảm ơn.

Her demeanor changes not one iota, remaining grumpy and straight-faced looking, but I like her.

And judging by the repair, she’s very good at what she does.

Back to Eva’s to drop off the bag, and then over to my beer place, detouring slightly to make use of a TP branded ATM down the road.

Into the small, but not that small, compartment, and it’s an ATM like I’ve not seen before, with it appearing to be more technologically advanced than the usual ones.

That’s fine, but it turns out to be far too advanced for a simpleton like me, and I angrily give up in disgust five minutes later, still short of the money I would like to have before we leave Hue in the morning.

Onto the beer place, and they fuss over me, making sure the fan is positioned correctly behind me.

Damn these ‘lasts’, and now they’re making it even more difficult to say goodbye.

Beers had, and the world is watched, interrupted briefly when I stupidly just sit and watch the female owner struggle with one of the two 20kg bags of rice, she’s just returned with on her motorbike.

Not wishing to sit idly by and see that again, I finally do the right thing and help her with the second one.

She’s appreciative, but not as appreciative as me, with the way they have looked after me.

Beers done, and it’s back to Eva’s the long way, due to my earlier inability to get that ATM to do what I wanted it to do.

Down to the river, VIB ATM found, and 5 million Dong extracted after selecting ‘other’.

Easy!  As it should be.

Finally ‘home’, second last walk up the stairs; hate the counting down; a quick shower, and then downstairs to fix up the bill with Eva, as well as confirm, and pay, for our transport to Phong Nha.

540 000 Dong for the van, and they’ll pick us up at 7.00am.

Out for dinner at our place from the first two nights (120 000 Dong), and then down to my beer place for the final time.

Same old, same old, but never boring, but impacted a little knowing that it’s another ‘last’.

It was the same two years ago, and two years later, it’s still no easier.

The time comes to call it, as much as I don’t want to, and we head back to Eva’s for the last time, with our Hue component essentially over.

Onto the bed for the usual, and a little contemplation on Hue.

Will we be back?

I don’t know.

I really wanted to love Hue, and while I like it, the ‘love’ just hasn’t happened.

And Eva?

Yes, I would definitely return to see her and her family.

In a heartbeat.

Alarm set for a 6.15am, and with it already being the wrong side of 11.00pm, I’m not really looking forward to that.

Cheers,

Scott