The day starts with a 4:30am wake up. The tour bus is coming to pick us up around 5:30am for our 9 day tour of Vietnam. Luckily I managed to pack all my crap last night after tearing up the night club. When we get on the bus, we find that we already have assigned seats. Normally, I really don't care, as long as I am near my friends. But apparently, Vietnamese people are of small stature. The seats are some of the narrowest I've ever seen, and the legroom is nonexistent. On top of that, Amanda and I get the seat on top of the wheel well, so whoever gets the window seat can't stretch their legs. It takes about 20 minutes into the ride to find out that these seats recline like a first class airplane seat: almost flat, or so it seems. I end up straddling the lady in front me, who likes to recline with no warning at full speed. My knees hurt from being knocked so many times. I end up splaying one or both my legs into the aisle.
Aside from the bus from hell, the trip starts nicely. Our first destination is Nha Trang, a beautiful but touristy beachside city. It takes most of the day to get there, so there wasn't much else going on for the day. We spend a some time at various beaches, but don't enter the water because it's a little chilly. By evening, we explore the city for bit, then take a citlo ride around town. A citlo is a 3 wheeled bicycle, with a seat big enough for 2 in front. The driver sits behind and pedals. It looks like hard work, especially since the bike isn't geared. But I don't feel too bad once I find out that my driver is smoking a cigarette and pedalling with one foot.
Once we reach the hotel, we all decide to get a special massage. No, not that kind of massage. It turns out the city is known for their blind masseuses. Supposedly, being blind allows you to be more aware with your sense of touch, or something. Things start off comically with the blind leading the blind, literally. One guy who can barely see, has 4 people holding their shoulders behind him, leading the way to your hotel. Once everyone splits off to their respective rooms, Amanda and I get started with our massage. We decide to go all Asian, and get the medicated oil massage, aka Tiger Balm. At one point, the massueses ask me something that I don't understand, so I say OK. Next thing I know, they bust out something that looks like a penis pump. Apparently, they were asking if I wanted to be "cupped". But instead of doing it old school with flames and a tea cup, they use a suction gun. Luckily, they don't do it too hard, and I'm am not left looking like I got in a fight with an giant octopus.
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