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Monday morning Jeff and I crept out of Casa de Andrew and John not to wake the boys from their slumber. The place was a complete hole, and random neighbors were coming back to retrieve bowls and plates from the night festivities (take note of this comment for later). As bad as we felt leaving it a mess and as much fun as we were having in debaucherous Saigon, it was time to leave. The boys and the whole couchsurfing experience definitely made Saigon such a memorable place for us!

At Ease with the Easy Riders

Casey Lary
2007-04-21 23:11:26

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Monday morning Jeff and I crept out of Casa de Andrew and John not to wake the boys from their slumber. The place was a complete hole, and random neighbors were coming back to retrieve bowls and plates from the night festivities (take note of this comment for later). As bad as we felt leaving it a mess and as much fun as we were having in debaucherous Saigon, it was time to leave. The boys and the whole couchsurfing experience definitely made Saigon such a memorable place for us!

Exhausted, wounded, and still on our high from an excellent Christmas, Jeff and I got on our bus bound for Dalat. It was a nice long 8 hour ride where we were able to recoup and plan out our next adventure. I was able to sleep, keep my foot up, and take in the beautiful scenery around me. It was a bit of a chaotic bus ride with the horn constantly going- similar to any bus ride in Asia it seems. I first read about Dalat in an airplane magazine on my way to Hong Kong. I remember looking at the photos and thinking it so wasn't the Vietnam I had envisioned. It described this small little romantic city nestled in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam. It described gushing waterfalls, hikes, and a Bohemian atmosphere. Dalat was described as the perfect getaway for lovers. Indeed, when the French occupied Vietnam, they tried to make Dalat a tourist destination, claiming it to be the "mini Paris." Today it is one of the most visited spots in Vietnam by locals, as well as foreigners. We were also told it was quite chilly and that locals dressed as if they were expecting a huge blizzard. Since reading that article I was hooked on going.

Upon arriving, the blogs and magazine articles I read were correct- it was cold! I had to dig into my backpack to find my winter clothes that I thought I would not need again until heading back to Japan! The lake was beautiful, and in the distance there was the Vietnamese Eiffel Tower. I was without lover, but who needs one when you ...