Vietnam - Day 7

It is Wednesday April 14 and our day begins in Tuy Hoa, at a resort owned by a retired Russian Air Force pilot. He had flown missions in Afghanistan, and when he retired he came to Vietnam and built this resort. We had arrived at the resort after dark, and had no idea what the place looked like. When we opened the door to our room and looked out, we were greeted with a view of the South China Sea from our front doorstep.
After breakfast, a few of us wandered around the resort. The grounds were immaculate, the scenery stunning. Here we found such a contrast from what we had been experiencing over the past few days. From poverty to wealth. From humble dwellings to a palatial resort. From hungry citizens to well fed tourists. Located on the resort grounds were swimming pools, man-made waterfalls, a small exotic zoo, and an outdoor ice cream parlor!

It was difficult for my mind to switch gears. Just as we were becomming used to the heat and simplicty of rural life, we were suddenly thrust back into civilization. It was a bit of a jolt to the system, as we took advantage of air conditioning, cold drinks, and ice cream! I believe the Vietnamese pastors traveling with us were just as surprised as we were by our surroundings. They seemed (to me) uncomfortable in the air conditioning and the luxurious accomadations.

Hind sight is always 20/20, and looking back now, I wish I would have taken the time to talk with our traveling companions - to get their observations from a Vietnamese perspective. Over the past fw days, we (the motorbike riders) had developed a close bond with our Vietnamese brothers and sisters. But the language barrier prevented us at times from discussing deeper issues.

We left the resort a little after 9:00 am and continued south along the coastal highway. We stopped a few times for gas, water, and to stretch our legs, but most of the day remained uneventful. We continued along the coast, and the view of the South China Sea was spectacular. We stopped for lunch in Nha Trang ( I had a ham sandwich with a bowl of chicken and mushroom soup) then continued south.

Today was a long riding day with a lot of kilometers to cover. As instructed by our "official" friends, we did not stop to visit any churches today. No, today was a traveling day, so we really didn't have much time to even chat with our Vietnamese escorts. Our route took us along the coast, through many fishing villages and small towns. The rest stops were brief, just time to stretch our legs and grab a warm water, then off again.

Again, I couldn't help but notice the contrasts between the people we saw in the mountain villages and the people we were now seeing along the coast. The people here along the coast seemed a bit better dressed and busier. Off course part of that might have been due to the influence of foreign tourists. Here we met people from England, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. Lots of tall, white people here at the resort villages. Lots of big muti-storied resorts hotels. Lots of people rushing around on their motorbikes and cars. Personally, I am ready to return to the mountains!
Finally, around 4:30 we arrived in Phan Rang Thap Cham. Here was another resort right along the sea coast that primarily catered to foreigners. As a group, we were hot, sweaty, and tired, but that didn't keep us from running to our rooms to change into our swimsuits and jumping into the warm salty water of the South China Sea! How refreshing! The warm salt water was wonderful.

After our dip in the sea, we showered and changed for supper. As you can imagine, the menu was heavy on the seafood side. What can you expect when the reort is on the beach. Fish with rice. Fish with noodles. Fish with this and fish with that. Geez, what I would give for a Big Mac!

By the way, this picture is for those of you who enjoy eating shrimp. Vietnamese shrimp are called prawns. There are three prawns on this plate. When served, you must seperate the head from the body and then remove the shell from the tail. Nothing like haveing your supper stare back at you, eh?

Thus our 7th day in Vietnam ended along the sandy shore of the South China Sea. It had been a long riding day, but the warm salty sea had helped to ease our aches and pains. I don't think anyone had any difficulty falling asleep that night. Tomorrow, we continue south along the coast.