13th May 2015

At precisely 1:16 am this morning, I received a text from Charlotte. The house alarm had been triggered by Jamie, who was unable to turn it off. A flurry of messages followed as I sent instructions, and by around 1:30 am, I managed to switch it off remotely. Relieved, I sank back into my comforting, unalarming pillow.

Breakfast was a delightfully international affair. I opted for the Asian selection, enjoying dim sum and other dishes, while Sue went for a European-style meal with fresh fruit. Afterwards, we caught the 9:00 am shuttle bus to Hoi An. The twenty-minute journey offered us our first proper glimpse of the surrounding area. Unlike the north, the paddy fields here were being harvested. Families of farmers were out with their sickles, gathering bundles of rice plants. It was a picturesque scene of bobbing bamboo hats and brown tunics, though I suspect the reality was back-breaking work, and they had likely started long before we sat down to breakfast.

We were dropped off in a car park near the Old Town, next to a restaurant. I checked with the driver to confirm this would be the pick-up point later, and he assured me it was.Making our way through the narrow streets, already bustling with locals and tourists even at that early hour, we soon came across a roadside kiosk selling entrance tickets. We bought two and learned that Hoi An Old Town is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The tickets featured tear-off sections, allowing access to five of the twenty-two historical buildings within the site.

Armed with a map provided with the tickets, we meandered through the streets, deciding on the spot whether to use one of the portions for a particular building. At the first location, we ended up buying a couple of sketches. Next, we visited a bridge built by Japanese traders, followed by the Cultural Centre, where we were treated to a performance by a Vietnamese folk band, complete with singers and dancers. The dancers told a story, and for once, the accompanying singer’s voice was clear and pleasant, no hint of a cat clawing its way up a galvanised windpipe.

During the performance, we unexpectedly found ourselves playing a game of bingo, with the chance to win one of four hanging lanterns. Sadly, we didn’t even come close to fifth place!

The day was warming up, making it necessary to stick to the shadier side of the street. After another purchase, this time, a unique item featuring heads with beards made entirely from dried bamboo rhizomes, we made our way to the riverbank. There, we selected a restaurant with a pleasant garden setting for some refreshing drinks.

Feeling suitably cool and revitalised, we left the shade of the banana trees under which our table was situated and set off to explore our next destination. We soon arrived at the historical Community Assembly House, where we marvelled at its intricate wooden structure. I couldn’t resist buying a good luck coin for my birth year. Interestingly, it features the same lucky creature as Jamie’s,  a snake! Sue’s coin represents a horse, Charlotte’s a dog, and Sarah’s a rooster.

For lunch, we dined at Miss Lyn’s. Both of us opted for spring rolls: Sue chose vegetable rolls accompanied by a refreshing watermelon juice, while I had prawn rolls with a concoction made from barley, hops, and water.

Our final ticketed stop was another house, featuring a delightful cool garden adorned with a magnificent ceramic dragon set within a tranquil pool. We also managed to visit one additional ancient building after the ticket collector took pity on us, as we had run out of allowances.

I must say, I do like the Vietnamese!

From there, we made our way back to the pick-up point for the shuttle bus, as directed by the driver. Arriving fifty minutes early for the 4:20 pm bus, we passed the time idly, enjoying ice cream in the nearby restaurant. To our surprise, Ron and Jenny, whom we had met in Hanoi and Halong Bay, arrived on another hotel’s shuttle bus. We exchanged pleasantries and chatted briefly before they left to explore the town themselves.

A few minutes later, much to our annoyance, we spotted our shuttle bus departing from the far side of the car park, empty and without stopping at the designated pick-up point! Despite Sue dashing to flag it down, the driver had already turned onto the road and disappeared. After a brief deliberation about whether to wait two hours for the next shuttle or take a taxi, Sue, feeling tired and in need of a cold shower, voted for the taxi.

On arriving back at the hotel, we lodged a firm complaint with Reception, who promised to investigate the matter. While Sue headed off for her much-needed shower, I sat at the Services Desk browsing through the selection of available tours. Unfortunately, while doing so, my glasses broke. A kind member of staff took them away to be repaired, though I began to wonder if my so-called lucky coin was anything but; perhaps I’d been conned?

Later, Sue rejoined me, and my glasses were returned, now expertly mended. Together, we booked a couple of tours for the next two days.

That evening, we returned to the same restaurant we had dined at the night before. At the end of our meal, the owner joined us for a long chat. We talked about children, schools, family life, her childhood, and the changes she had seen over the years. We could have stayed longer, but eventually, we paid the bill and headed back to the hotel.

Before retiring, we took a short detour to the beach. There, we admired the twinkling lights dotting the sea, their gentle glow creating a serene end to the day. Finally, we returned to our room, hopeful for an undisturbed night’s sleep, fingers crossed!