My Vietnam Launch – Quy Nhon – 2018 Backpacking

With the wonderful experience of Hoi An I would say this next step was probably the least amount of research I did doing my Vietnam run. I basically looked at the map for the next biggest city South of Hoi An & came across Quy Nhon & chose the best priced hotel next to water … I’ll leave it as a fingers crossed scenario. In the universe we trust.

What is with these limousine van drivers? Again, I’m scared shitless with complete insanity of non-caring of passengers and other road users. When booking, you are never told on the driver’s ability or any references of the company. I am cramped in the rear seat back corner and the van with 3 people too many on their capacity. We are hitting the road bumps that hard with the speed off the van that I have hit my head on the roof at least 4 times which is the same number of missed close calls of other road users. Complete madness. 5hrs of hell!!! Despite everyone providing the protests, nothing was achieved with the driver.

Arriving at Quy Nhon city of 457,400 citizens, the van dropped me off a block or so from my Hotel Trung Khanh with not a minute to spare where I was met by a receptionist non-plussed upon my arrival. With broken English & a wave of her hand she ushers me up the stairs to find my own room number. I settled my gear & walked around the city for a few hours and also found a place that I felt OK to have dinner in & not be too far to walk back to my hotel. The area had a vibe of safe at daytime but weary at night time.

My first night was very unpleasant. Firstly, there was door slamming at midnight, then a family next door was awake at 5am with TV blaring but worst of all was the hotel was on the main port road with what seemed like 100 trucks doing their pickups & repetitive horn blowing before dawn. At 6am the construction crew started the renovations on the above floors. No sleep really. What I found out much later was that the better hotels were on the other side of this peninsula with better beach & sand. My hotel’s waterside was the port entrance area for shipping, hence the transport madness.

The next day I searched the Google Maps & decided to walk the city area around my hotel. I walked about 6klms in high heat & humidity circumnavigating the large construction built tidal lake, the long sandy beach on the other side of the peninsula, coming across large statues & parklands. In one of the photos, you can see the size of these landmarks with vehicles using the 6lane roadway in front of the wall, statues & flagpole. Size does matter, apparently. The sandy beach area with the better-looking hotels was also deceiving, as this area had a multi-lane road bisecting the beach & the hotels and this road was under major renovation, so with the machinery & bitumen laying, the area would not be pleasant to stay in either. At this stage, I was wondering what am I doing here? Seems like a city of very little. The next upgrade hotel would be the resorts near the Southern entrance to the city & away from the culture & city activity.

The next day, after limited sleep again I walked in the western direction & came across an open road ‘roundabout’. I mean it was a 4street intersection (a very large cross road) with no real central circle or point where traffic could easily flow. It was open slather to everyone wanting to go in the direction they wanted with all mixture of transport. Here I am, a pedestrian praying to my God to cross this road plain, it was that large. I used my previous Asian experience of taking the first step, keep walking & never stopping. Traffic was so close to me but some 60-70 steps later I made it! I noticed very few pedestrians were crossing this road plain & I can see why.

Walking along the main road Tran Hung Dao I used Google Maps to direct me to the Thap Hung Thanh temples (Cham Twin Tower Hindu Temples) 11-13^th centuries but it kept failing. After quite some time, almost 1.5klms, I stood checking the Google Maps again but again it was failing. In frustration I was about to throw my phone (kidding) when a welcoming American/ English voice appeared from nowhere. He introduced himself as John Havican & commented I had that ‘lost look’. LOL!!! It was hilarious when I asked for direction to the Cham Towers. Almost laughing, he pointed around the corner of the building he came out of. I was basically 2metres from standing in front of the temple property. He left me to venture to the temples but implored me to step inside his building for more conversation after. What a life changing experience was yet to follow.

These Cham temples, sometimes called the Cham Twin Temples for obvious reasons now occupy a city park block and is one of the main tourist spots of the city. The city has grown & surrounded these magnificent structures into a city park. The construction of these temples 11-13^th centuries is very different to other temples with fine details and specific brick artwork. They had major restoration from 1991-97 using the best scientists & craftsmen at the time to bring them almost back to their original appearance. The main structural factor is the brick structures placed on very large rock/ stone foundations jutting above the ground. The brickwork with defined gothic arch patterns were laid precise in their laying, like it was done by laser cutting it was that accurate.

In checking the doorway of John’s building, it was a centre of special needs. I opened the door & again, was greeted by John and we shook hands. The entry was a quaint café (DEN Coffee) which I immediately loved in the set out. John waved over to the counter staff and the most petite tiny (about 4’2” tall) young girl with the best smile you would ever see greeted me like I was royalty. I was immediately taken by her. I had met the amazing Ho Thao Nhi. Sadly, Nhi is deaf & dumb but makes amazing communication with her friendliness, eyes and smile. I ordered a smoothie that it was up to her in providing to me, “surprise me” I said & she scurried away in haste, so excited. It was superb and possibly the best one I have had backpacking. John communicated to her for me & while I was sipping on the smoothie, she was looking at my photos of my trip on my phone & she was so excited to see them & showed them to her co-worker who was as eager as Nhi. At the same time, Nhi used her phone to facebook friend me & kept pointing for me to accept. Lol!!!  She remains & has been a great fb friend to me. I miss her so. The world needs more of her.

 John, an American has a long history of working in the health area of Asia, focusing later in Vietnam and continues to provide services and fundraising for this Nguyen Nga Centre. We spoke for some hours on almost everything and then he gave me a booklet written by a nurse some decades ago on the history of a hospital John was involved in back in the 1970s & pre-war years. I took it back with me, read it & was amazed of what great people can achieve in adversity. I returned the book the next day even though John was willing to let me have it & it was his only copy. After my smoothie I was introduced to the founding member & owner of the centre, Miss Nguyen Nga where she invited me to a concert in the next room by 3 special needs students/ musicians. One, in a wheelchair on guitar, a blind young lady on a 16string Zither & a wheelchair bound lady on a 16string Zither. They were amazing & had great delight in having an audience in their practice session. The photo is taken from a video I took of their performance so the quality is a bit blurred.

I had unknowingly spent 4hrs in this centre, getting the royal tour & treatment & seeing their paintings, handcrafts & jewellery. I was so taken aback on this centre knowing the Vietnamese Govt provides absolutely no funding to these centres. They will only provide some rooms or a building but in Nga’s case, a building she had for ages was taken over once she had done major renovations to the building with no recourse or compensation available. The one they are in is now owned totally by Nga after John’s fundraising over the years. Nga also invited me to her daughter’s café in the CBD early in the evening where they will have a youth concert with locals. I raced back near my hotel for dinner & then showered & dressed just in time for John & Nga to pick me up in their car. Two of the lady musicians were with them as well.

The daughter’s café was overflowing with youth attendance, some of the chairs & tables removed for the concert & everyone was so happy & vibrant. Up front was the microphone, speakers, piano & other musical instruments. The 3 lady musicians played first, followed by some locals singing English songs & then John provided more history to me of the centre celebrating their 25^th year in between breaks. An hour later a young Canadian, Jack arrived and sat with us along with a stunning French traveller, Amy. Jack had visited the centre prior to me & was pushed towards the stage by a few locals. He sang 3 songs on the piano & he was brilliant!! Sadly, time got away from us & John & Nga dropped me off at my hotel & in the hope of meeting again. I was so grateful in the privilege of being accepted into their world of friendship and community.

The next day I walked the town again in search of more attractions & culture only to be called over by a group of 3 men having a break. Cang was a taxi driver on his lunchbreak sharing the time with his brother & a friend. Had a great 2hrs chatting on all type of subjects plus my travels they were kindly interested in. The friend had never left Quy Nhon for his entire life & was very attentive in my stories of Australia & my travels. After this catchup, I returned to the centre as stated earlier to return John’s history booklet. I safely made it through that insane ‘intersection’ again.

John graciously invited me to an Aussie Sports Bar he frequently visits which is owned & run by an Aussie woman. The Quy Nhon Sports Bar serves wonderful aussie food and finally a steak I longed for was cooked to perfection followed by several beers. Perfect relax time. Even watched Brazil beat Mexico 2-0 in the Soccer World Cup with plenty of soccer fanatics filling the bar. Surprisingly, Amy was staying there too in the hotel above & greeted us for a while. John, later dropped me off at my hotel to pack for tomorrow’s departure & upon completion of that task I settled into the reception area to watch another World Cup soccer game live on their big screen well into the night. Alas, our rooms have no TVs. During the game, I noticed a bit more foot traffic. The gorgeous young receptionist who never ever talked to me was being paid some money at times. Finally, I awoke in that there was a bit of prostitution happening. Der!!!! Well, that thought prompted me to retire to bed & eagerly await my next day’s departure.

For this blog, picking a town/ city like throwing a dart at a dartboard can work out if you look deeper & remain open to opportunities. I was taught at a young age by my Dad to think well, make a decision, then make another one if that previous one didn’t work out & so on. Take another step, then another. I’m so thankful in meeting everyone at the Nguyen Nga Centre & what a warming to my heart.

I threw another dart & came up with my next stop, Nha Trang, another coastal city & seems the best travel is still with a Limo van driver, so here I go again for a 2pm pickup & a 4hr trip!  

I’ll end this blog here, so stay safe, happy & hopefully enjoy the photos and kick this ongoing COVID-19 & the more-vile vaccines back into history. Stay tuned for my next blog on my travels at Nha Trang. A point to note; is that I’m continuing a new self-development journey by reading my 2^nd book of Eckhart Tolle .. A New Earth. Everyone must read this book. Truly remarkable. My life summary as written by Neil Diamond “Did you ever read about a frog who dreamed of bein’ a king and then became one, well except for the names and a few other changes, if you talk about me, the story is the same one”.

“I’m not a man that likes to swear; but I’ve never cared for the sound of being alone”.

Communication … Communication … Talk to each other.

Thank you again for reading my blogs and I trust you will stay safe, happy & healthy for 2022 and for it to be a far better year for all. I do not receive any commissions &/or ‘perks’ from the above nominated businesses & locations as I am purely happy to provide the acknowledgement and connection.

I always look forward to seeing the feedback so don’t be afraid to comment. My next blog/s will be more of the amazing Vietnam experiences and quite a few were life changing, & not just for me.

Live life to the most and a quote that I truly love is from Eckhart Tolle ..

“If I am not the hero of my life … who in the hell could be?”