When I am too tall, the food is good and the clothes are personalised

The Hoi An market

This is the first time I have been too tall for something. At my height it is not something that happens often. The central markets in Hoi An is first time so far that I can recall that 5’4 is too tall to fit under something.  Luckily it was tarps covering the market and not a doorway or something more painful. It is still a good reminder that I am in Asia though. Sometimes when you are on the road for a while all the strange things becomes incredibly normal. Be it the crazy traffic, weird food, or insane bathroom experiences (I am referring to the weird designs often employed – such as sinks that run straight onto the bathroom floor or toilets that bubble and make noises that sound like skype) or when you don’t blink at a rat running across a restaurant floor (yes this really has happened, more than once).

Hoi An is a small town that totally relies on the tourists. This is really the only reason it exists. A pretty little place that tourists stop in on their way up or down Vietnam to have clothes tailored at cheap prices. Every year the river front street floods. I was talking to one of the staff at a restaurant this morning and she point out to me where on the wall the water comes through in October. About 1.5 metres up the wall (which would be over 2 metres higher than the current water level). She said this makes that time of the year hard hard work for her (when they can work) and they clean out the restaurant once the water reclines only to turn up a couple of days later to a re-flooded restaurant and the whole processes begins all over again.

Me at the beach

The beach here is really beautiful. Well worth the 3km bike ride out of town (yes, I really am unfit!). Huge, beautiful and not very many people around. Today and yesterday Spike has been studying as University starts to kick in (he is finishing the history part of his degree). I have been exploring and shopping...

It is a new experience for me having shoes and clothes fitted. It will be awesome having some tailored clothes. The only downfall so far (minus the money) has been that I am a few kgs heavier than I was when I left New Zealand so am getting them fitted to my current size (which hopefully is just my travel body). I do miss the energy that exercise brings though. Ready to get fit again that is for sure.

They are fantastic little sales women here, they managed to sell me a few more things than I planned on (although a better way of putting it was ‘letting’ me buy what I really wanted to buy and was trying not to as I have to carry it!). So this evening I will have a whole new pile of clothes and shoes to try and pack into my bag. I think it might be time for yet another post home once we get to Saigon. After a 23 hour train ride beginning tomorrow night :S (Spike did pretty well on the shopping front too which a couple of new suits).

Eggplant claypot

I have found some great food here. The Vietnamese eggplant claypot (when you get a good one) is absolutely fantastic! Cooked in garlic and I am pretty sure soy, it is awesome. So so tasty. It arrives at the table still bubbling and smells delish.  One of the other local specialities is a type of wanton thing (it standard comes with shrimp and pork, but we found  a place that does vege style). It is like an open wanton with sweet and sour veges on top. Yummy. 

Back in Hanoi I decided it was about time I listen to my body and braved up to a trip to the doctor for a shot of B12. Nervous as I was a 20 minute moto ride later I was greeted by a modern and friendly international clinic with English speaking staff and a pretty much brand new building. Sweet. They even waived the doctor charge (which was $130US!) and just charged for the jab – 20USD. Now I am fully human again.

I did something really dumb in Hanoi, accidently left my pocket knife in my day bag. Needless to say I no longer have my awesome pink leatherman. Guttered.

Spike hanging out with the cow pig at a resturant on the way back from the beach.