Day 83 - Nha Trang
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Saturday 30th October
After almost 12 hours in an 80cm space, I was glad when the bus finally pulled into Nha Trang bus station (not before it pulled in for petrol ... 1km from the bus station!)
The rain was pouring down but somehow, as everyone else sheltered in the roadside station, I managed to flag down a Mailinh taxi and went straight out to Diamond Bay Resort, home of the 2008 Miss Universe pageant, where I was to meet Kym, Debbie, Donna and Julie from Moree, as we had arranged in Hoi An.
Arriving at the resort at 7am, I was cautious about calling them up so early, but as Kym had said, she was an early riser and was well awake when I knocked on their door. I dropped my bag and showered, and then they managed to get me into the breakfast buffet by using one of their breakfast tickets for tomorrow (I ... ahem ... altered the date on the coupon).
They were due to leave at 1:30pm for their 3:55 flight, so we hade a few hours to kill after breakfast. As the rain was pouring down, there wasn't a lot we could do, so the ladies all retired to their rooms whilst I hit up the gym. I almost had to swim to the pool - the water was literally up to my knees, and of course my running shoes (which have a mesh front) were absolutely soaked, so I ended up doing weights and strength work barefoot!
We all had lunch in the restaurant - about the only two places accessible in the resort were our rooms and the restaurant, situated in the same building as the lobby - and then we got the bad news: we were stranded. The road to Nha Trang was flooded, the airport was closed, the train tracks were flooded and the buses were stranded. I had planned to leave to Ho Chi Minh City on a lunchtime train tomorrow, but on hearing that the tracks were flooded decided to purchase a flight first thing Monday morning (there were none left on Sunday). The ladies were stuck - our afternoon revolved around calling the airport and airlines to see if they were re-opening, but it was to no avail. They weren't going anywhere that night - but neither could I!
So, after travelling to Nha Trang to take up their offer of a free room, they all ended up staying in the resort for the night they'd paid for - so I bunked down with Kym in one of the double beds. The resort was very helpful though, offering all of the guests a free dinner due to us not being able to get out. I was starting to think it wasn't too bad - free breakfast and dinner, internet, water, a gym - what else could you ask for? (Provided I could get out on Monday!)
After almost 12 hours in an 80cm space, I was glad when the bus finally pulled into Nha Trang bus station (not before it pulled in for petrol ... 1km from the bus station!)
The rain was pouring down but somehow, as everyone else sheltered in the roadside station, I managed to flag down a Mailinh taxi and went straight out to Diamond Bay Resort, home of the 2008 Miss Universe pageant, where I was to meet Kym, Debbie, Donna and Julie from Moree, as we had arranged in Hoi An.
Arriving at the resort at 7am, I was cautious about calling them up so early, but as Kym had said, she was an early riser and was well awake when I knocked on their door. I dropped my bag and showered, and then they managed to get me into the breakfast buffet by using one of their breakfast tickets for tomorrow (I ... ahem ... altered the date on the coupon).
They were due to leave at 1:30pm for their 3:55 flight, so we hade a few hours to kill after breakfast. As the rain was pouring down, there wasn't a lot we could do, so the ladies all retired to their rooms whilst I hit up the gym. I almost had to swim to the pool - the water was literally up to my knees, and of course my running shoes (which have a mesh front) were absolutely soaked, so I ended up doing weights and strength work barefoot!
We all had lunch in the restaurant - about the only two places accessible in the resort were our rooms and the restaurant, situated in the same building as the lobby - and then we got the bad news: we were stranded. The road to Nha Trang was flooded, the airport was closed, the train tracks were flooded and the buses were stranded. I had planned to leave to Ho Chi Minh City on a lunchtime train tomorrow, but on hearing that the tracks were flooded decided to purchase a flight first thing Monday morning (there were none left on Sunday). The ladies were stuck - our afternoon revolved around calling the airport and airlines to see if they were re-opening, but it was to no avail. They weren't going anywhere that night - but neither could I!
So, after travelling to Nha Trang to take up their offer of a free room, they all ended up staying in the resort for the night they'd paid for - so I bunked down with Kym in one of the double beds. The resort was very helpful though, offering all of the guests a free dinner due to us not being able to get out. I was starting to think it wasn't too bad - free breakfast and dinner, internet, water, a gym - what else could you ask for? (Provided I could get out on Monday!)
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