Happy (Vietnamese) Independence Day.

It's April 30th, the day the Americans pulled out of communist Vietnam. It's a strange day to be in Vietnam, but we're still in Hoi An, the strange little resort town that doesn't seem much like the Vietnam you'd imagine. It's almost like...I don't know, what I'd expect the south of France to feel like, only with more tourists. We're taking a round-the-clock "sleeper bus. Our last experience with a sleeper bus was a trip, with the soundtrack provided by some strange Cambodian pop show on VHS. The speaker was literally 3 inches from my head, blaring what sounded like a cat mewling amplified, backed by a litany of pots and pans being thrown down the stairs. Also, there were a shitton of foreign tourists who had met in Hanoi and formed a clique of 16, who were incredibly noisy. Also, the "sleeper bus" driver insisted on honking at everything on the road - all night. 2 am? No problem. 3am? You got it, dude.
The only respite during the bus trip was Mr. Bean on tape. Two episodes on VHS. I have never been happier in all my life to see Mr. Bean.
And that bus was only 14 hours. The next will be 24, with a two hour stop in Nha Trang.

But, I'm holding my head high, trying to keep a smile on my face and enjoy it all while I can. Though, I'm feeling a bit strange today - bumped into an Aussie birthday group last night (with one sour Winnipegger) at a trendy bar, the Before and Now. Stayed out a bit later than I should and woke up at 7.30 to get onto a tour bus for the local ruins of My Son.

We've definitely been living large in Hoi An, and the truth is, I almost want to just put my feet up and drink fruity drinks. It's a bizarre realization for me. I get anxious about carrying my baggage through foreign cities, or worry about making a bus connection, or what have you. Really, I'd just like to take it in one chill day at a time. The initial plan was adventure, and we're having plenty of it, but after a taste of the sweet life, a 24 hour ride into the sweaty, and from all accounts anticlimactic Ho Chi Minh City seems like a tiny bit of a chore.

Christ, I just need to drink a little more coffee and enjoy myself, huh? Until next time.