14. Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Of all the places that we were to visit on this trip I was looking forward to Vietnam the most and it definitely exceeded expectations. Upon our early morning arrival into Nha Trang bay we were greeted by the inevitable thunderstorm and the rain was on and off for most of the day, but it failed to dampen our enjoyment of this fascinating country. It is also a photographers dream.

For those of us of a certain age, we can remember the times in the late 60's and early 70's when every news headline seemed to mention the terrible conflicts affecting the region. So upon stepping ashore it is immediately obvious that this is a poor country. (We later learned that earning around US$200 per month is good going.) Most people are unable to afford a car and mopeds outnumber other vehicles by a hundred to one. Indeed, only thirty years ago, bicycles were the main means of transport.

We booked ourselves onto an excursion which was to take us off the beaten track and into the countryside in order to experience just a little of village life. Nha Trang is a relatively large city and is building up its tourism industry but once we left the main road, it was like stepping back in time. It was difficult to establish where one village ended and another one began as the roadside was one continuous line of huts and shacks, one man businesses and workshops as the locals eked out a living. People, bicycles and especially mopeds and scooters were everywhere, with many scooters loaded precariously with produce or building materials. On more than one occasion we saw expressions of panic on the drivers faces as they weaved in and out somehow managing to avoid our bus, other road users and livestock.

We stopped many times in order experience village life close up. The first of these stops was at a local temple and orphanage where we watched the youngsters attending their lessons. We gave a handful of after dinner sweets, secretly garnered from the ships restaurants, to the children and saw their faces light up. We then moved on to the local market which was packed and contained all kinds of colours and smells and noise as the villagers bartered for the best deals. The stalls held all kinds of fruit and vegetables, some recognisable and many not, nuts, eggs of various kinds, meats and clothes. The stall holders were happy for us to take photographs of them and their children beamed back.

We ventured onward into a slightly more rural area and stopped to watch the farm workers in the rice paddy fields. Like us, they were not put off by the incessant rain as they toiled ankle deep in water. Alongside, the water buffalo chewed their cud and watched us watching them.

We stopped at a typical village house with its bare wooden walls and roof, sparse furniture and open stove cooking facilities. All houses contain their own miniature temple in ornate reds and golds and the Buddhist icons are easily the most valuable objects in the house.

Our final stop was for some refreshing coconut and tropical fruit at a small hotel alongside the river. The coconut milk and flesh was the sweetest I have ever tasted and among the new fruits we tried was jackfruit....absolutely delicious!

All too soon it was time to return to the ship but not before we had a chance to look through one or two of the simple souvenir stalls on the quayside and had a go at haggling for a traditional Vietnamese coolie hat, a bargain at just one dollar!