Nha Trang

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 02 February 2006 12:56:28

This morning I was left to my own devices as my travelling buddy (and the Vietnamese speaker of the two of us) went scuba diving. I walked around for a while then spontaneously agreed to pay a cyclo (think cross between a bike and a rickshaw) driver to take me to the Long Son Pagoda which I was told was impressive.

At one point when he turned into what appeared to be a narrow side street I thought it might be the end of yay. But it turned out that to lead to the pagoda. I walked up the 152 stairs and examined the giant buddha at the top of the hill and the new gong.

I'm in two minds about riding in cyclos. It feels like I am somehow exploiting the driver because he is pedalling me around and it feels like I'm a slave driver or something. But on the other hand, because I feel guilty, I don't haggle over prices for cyclos so they actually get a very good rate of pay from me. And if I didn't hire them, they wouldn't earn any money...

Have been thinking a lot about poverty and wealth distribution since I've been here. It's heartbreaking seeing how some people are living. Or trying to live.

Only one more day in Nha Trang. I must say I'm not particularly sad about this as I am not a very beachy/watersports person. Tomorrow we're going out on a boat to look at islands and stuff. It should be fun. Then oh yes, I forgot! The train tickets are ALL SOLD OUT til er the day I'm meant to be enrolling at uni. So we have another hugely long bus ride to look forward to. Did you know that you can buy Valium over the counter here? We bought some (for the experience) and it might get utilised on Saturday!