Couple on the Run: Central Vietnam

Central Vietnam (Danang, Hoi An, Hue)
May 14 - 30, 2014

From Da Lat we started our journey north through Vietnam where we encountered several frustrations. The worst was trying to get our visas extended. There is little reliable information about this process on the internet (a government website would have been nice), so we were going off information from other travelers blogs and travel sites. We tried to go through the immigration office in Danang (seemed a logical choice), but were told we had to do it through a travel company. This seemed very strange at first, but the company said they had to take them to Ho Chi Minh City, so we assumed they just couldn't do it at the smaller office in Danang. We paid the company $85 each for the service and they told us they would have them back to us in 7 days. For the next week we continued our travels as planned, but when we returned to Danang they said they had been delayed due to good old Uncle Ho's birthday (he would have been 124 this year!). They would not be ready for another 4 days. Because we had already bought train tickets to Hue, they said they would take them to our hotel there. 4 days came and went...still no passports. We had our hotel manager in Hue call the company who ensured us they would be there in one more day. And they were. We were relieved not to have to follow through with plan B which would have been reporting them stolen to the local police and visiting the embassy in Hanoi. Although we were relieved to have our passports back in our possession, the whole experience soured us a little, especially after being informed by our hotels in both Hoi An and Hue that the local police can stamp a visa extension on the spot, and they offer the service for $30.

During this time we started to allow other frustrations to build, like how LOUD Vietnam is (constant construction, caged birds, honking, shouting, barking), how there is no designated place to walk safely (the sidewalks are full of motorbikes, both parked and moving, and typically torn up anyway) and how the people here are completely against forming lines (you have to be prepared to push if you want to check out at the grocery store). Writing a blog became less and less attractive... but now, we're back! And here are the highlights of our journey through central Vietnam.

View of Danang and China Beach from the top of Marble Mountain

Danang Riverside Buddah

Paying homage to the Buddah inside a cave at Marble Mountain

Caves at Marble Mountain

In the grocery stores they make you check your bags at the door... unless it's small, then they just staple a plastic bag around it.

The local slow train to Hoi An

Alleyway in Hoi An, an UNESCO world heritage site

Never seen a pineapple growing before... found this in one of the historical sites in Hoi An

Fountain the Chinese Assembly Hall

Our favorite Ma and Pa restaurant in all of Vietnam! A little Cau Lau joint that only serves three dishes, and we tried them all. In the 5 days we were in Hoi An, we ate here at least 3 times.