VIETNAM, DALAT 2 LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM . . .

I WOKE UP EXTREMELY BUMMED THAT I ONLY HAD 4 HOURS LEFT IN DALAT. ESSENTIALLY THE LAST 4 HOURS OF MY 2 MONTH ASIA TRIP AS I WAS ABOUT TO BACK TRACK TO HANOI TO FLY BACK TO AUSTRALIA. SO I DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THE HOTEL ASAP AND GO FOR A PHOTO MISSION. I ALWAYS THINK THE BEST WAY TO EXPLORE CITY IS TO GET A LOST. I STUMBLED ACROSS SOME REALLY COOL MARKETS. THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE WERE EXTREMELY CO-OPERATIVE WITH STREET PHOTO SHOOTS. I HAVE HEARD OTHERWISE FROM OTHER TRAVELERS "YOU HAVE TO PAY THEM MOPNEY TOO TAKE PHOTOS" BUT THIS WASNT THE CASE.
THERE WAS ONE ATTRACTION I COULDN'T MISS AND THAT WAS "THE CRAZY HOUSE". THE OWNER WAS A VIETNAMESE BORN LADY WHO STUDIED ART AND ARCHITECTURE IN RUSSIA FOR MANY YEARS. HER DREAM WAS TO RETURN TO VIETNAM AND BUILD HER DREAM GUEST HOUSE. AND HERE IT IS. THE STAIRS LEADING TO THE TOP OF THE HOUSE WERE WELL SKETCHY WITH THE RAILINGS ON THE SIDES BUILT FOR SMURFS AT ABOUT 1 FOOT IN HEIGHT. THE OTHER SIDE A PAINFUL 20-20 METER DROP....
I URGE U IF YOU EVER HAVE A LITTLE MONEY SAVED GO VISIT VIETNAM!!!!!! I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE I MET ALONG THE TRIP!!!! HOPE YOU ARE ALL HEALTHY AND WELL...

DALAT... THE LAST STOP OF VIETNAM

DALAT WAS OUR FINAL DESTINATION BEFORE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA. ITIS A MOUNTAIN TOWN, A GOOD STOP OF POINT BETWEEN SAIGON AND NH TRANG. THE WEATHER WAS A WHOLE LOT COOLER COMPARED TO NHA TRANG.
THE BUS RIDE WAS FUCKED! CURVED MOUNTAIN ROADS. THE BUS OVER-HEATED AND LITERALLY HAD TOO DRIVE IN 2ND GEAR THE WHOLE 2ND HALF OF THE TRIP. MAKING A 4 HOUR TRIP INTO 8.

WHEN WE ARRIVED WE SAW A COOL LITTLE BAR NEAR OUR HOTEL. THE BAR WAS SUPER AN OLD SALOON STYLE BAR. WE JOKED SAYING THAT "IF JOHNNY CASH WAS ALIVE HE WOULD BE POSTED UP IN THERE" WHEN WE WALKED IN THE BAR MAN WAS SO EXCITED. HE CRACKED OUR BEER AND INSISTED THAT WE PLAY A GAME OF POOL WITH HIM. AS WE TOOK OUR FIRST SIP OF BEER WITH NO ENCOURAGEMENT FROM US THE OLD VIETNAMESE MAN PUT ON A JOHNNY CASH ALBUM!!!!! NOT ONLY WAS HE A HUGE JOHNNY CASH FAN BUT AN AMAZING POOL PLAYER.

THE FOLLOWING DAY WE HIRED MOTOR BIKES AND MISSIONED IT INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THE LITTLE KID WITH THE PUPPY WAS WELL FUNNY. ON THE WAY BACK WE WERE HIT BY A MASSIVE THUNDER STORM. LUCKILY WE BOUGHT SOME SHITTY PONCHOS, UN-LUCKILY I LOST MY GLASSES THAT DAY TO THE RAIN FELT LIKE BULLETS TO MY EYES....

NHA TRANG.

LAST FEW PHOTOS I HAD FROM NHA TRANG. ONE DAY WE WENT AND VISITED A ORPHANAGE. WE TOOK OUR BOARDS AND HAD SOME FUN.