June 10
I think this is going to be a pretty short post.
This morning we left at 8am for Hue. It was a 4 hour bus ride. Everyone seemed to think the bus was ridiculously hot (even hotter than the first bus in Cambodia which I also don't remember being bad) but I was fine. Thank you Nepal public transportation haha.
While we were driving I was working on my blog. I am determined to catch up! But, around the 3 hour mark, we pulled over and got out of the bus. We climbed a semi steep hill, although it was rather tame compared to the marble mountain climbing, and ended up on top of a hill with an American bunker and an amazing view.
We stopped 20 minutes later for a 30 minute coffee break. A lot of people had ice cream. Mars had 2, one for each hand. I don't get anything. Of course, as always, I got tired and started falling asleep the last 20 minutes of the bus ride.
When we got to Hue, our rooms weren't ready yet. There were a million children running around being loud. Matt took us to lunch at DMZ.
Walking there was miserable. Literally, the heat was ridiculous. It was like your skin was melting but really you were just sweating... But it was worse than normal sweat. Walking seemed like it took effort. Maybe even breathing. It was 36 degrees Celsius but the forecast said it felt like 47. I don't know what that is other than really fucking hot. I want to say over 120 degrees Fahrenheit but no guarantees on that one.
At lunch I strategically chose my seat which was directly in front of the fan. Matt said their sandwiches were really good and he loved the BBQ chicken sandwich so of course I ordered it. It wasn't great. I've had a million BBQ chicken sandwiches that were better than it, but it was fine.
I was thinking after lunch I would walk around Hue for a little bit and on the way back decided that was a stupid idea. Maybe even idiotic. The heat was terrible. So, even though I don't condone this ever, I basically decided to stay in and not go out. The only thing to do was shop anyway. We are seeing all the sights tomorrow on a motor bike tour!
When we got our room (I roomed with Katrina this time), the room was also hot as hell. Like maybe even hotter than outside. It was unbearable. Katrina was so out of it she was just sitting there. I was trying to do anything I could to get the AC to work. There were literally drops of sweat on my arms. The water was being squeezed out of me. After maybe 2 hours of torture and just laying there we found a fuse switch behind the dresser by Katrina's bed and once that was on the AC came on and the room was cool. But jeezus. That was a struggle.
I was so hot and tired that I literally slept all afternoon. I started reading and fell asleep. I think I slept from 2 or 3 to 6:50. It was a pretty uneventful day. But very nice all the same. Never underestimate the power of doing absolutely nothing. Apparently no one could sleep because the kids were really loud. I passed out.
At 7pm we met Matt for dinner and he walked us down to a good place. The man who owns it is well known in Hue for his little trick. He has his own bottle opener that is literally a piece of wood and a nut and screw. He opened like 7 bottles at once by karate chopping them. People come to the restaurant and write their names all over the walls (same with DMZ) and take the bottle opener and send photos of them with the bottle opener around the world back to the restaurant.
For dinner I had some spring rolls and the traditional Hue dish, Banh Khoai. It was some leafy greens and a fried taco shell shaped thing with pork and bean sprouts and some other things in it. You put the lettuce and half of the taco thing in a bowl and put some peanut sauce over it. Its very good. It was also rather filling. I also got a large bottle of water and ended up leaving it at the restaurant. I was so bummed. I paid less than a dollar for it but water is a big deal here! You can never have enough water bottles.
While we were eating dinner it started down pouring. Like monsoon season is definitely here. It lasted about 45 minutes. Matt said that it gets really hot like it was today and then just down pours for 2 hours or so. So, I'm glad I have that to look forward to! Robyn and I took a taxi back. It was 30,000 dong which is a $1.50.
Doing nothing today was great! I still slept all night long too!
I think this is going to be a pretty short post.
This morning we left at 8am for Hue. It was a 4 hour bus ride. Everyone seemed to think the bus was ridiculously hot (even hotter than the first bus in Cambodia which I also don't remember being bad) but I was fine. Thank you Nepal public transportation haha.
While we were driving I was working on my blog. I am determined to catch up! But, around the 3 hour mark, we pulled over and got out of the bus. We climbed a semi steep hill, although it was rather tame compared to the marble mountain climbing, and ended up on top of a hill with an American bunker and an amazing view.
We stopped 20 minutes later for a 30 minute coffee break. A lot of people had ice cream. Mars had 2, one for each hand. I don't get anything. Of course, as always, I got tired and started falling asleep the last 20 minutes of the bus ride.
When we got to Hue, our rooms weren't ready yet. There were a million children running around being loud. Matt took us to lunch at DMZ.
Walking there was miserable. Literally, the heat was ridiculous. It was like your skin was melting but really you were just sweating... But it was worse than normal sweat. Walking seemed like it took effort. Maybe even breathing. It was 36 degrees Celsius but the forecast said it felt like 47. I don't know what that is other than really fucking hot. I want to say over 120 degrees Fahrenheit but no guarantees on that one.
At lunch I strategically chose my seat which was directly in front of the fan. Matt said their sandwiches were really good and he loved the BBQ chicken sandwich so of course I ordered it. It wasn't great. I've had a million BBQ chicken sandwiches that were better than it, but it was fine.
I was thinking after lunch I would walk around Hue for a little bit and on the way back decided that was a stupid idea. Maybe even idiotic. The heat was terrible. So, even though I don't condone this ever, I basically decided to stay in and not go out. The only thing to do was shop anyway. We are seeing all the sights tomorrow on a motor bike tour!
When we got our room (I roomed with Katrina this time), the room was also hot as hell. Like maybe even hotter than outside. It was unbearable. Katrina was so out of it she was just sitting there. I was trying to do anything I could to get the AC to work. There were literally drops of sweat on my arms. The water was being squeezed out of me. After maybe 2 hours of torture and just laying there we found a fuse switch behind the dresser by Katrina's bed and once that was on the AC came on and the room was cool. But jeezus. That was a struggle.
I was so hot and tired that I literally slept all afternoon. I started reading and fell asleep. I think I slept from 2 or 3 to 6:50. It was a pretty uneventful day. But very nice all the same. Never underestimate the power of doing absolutely nothing. Apparently no one could sleep because the kids were really loud. I passed out.
At 7pm we met Matt for dinner and he walked us down to a good place. The man who owns it is well known in Hue for his little trick. He has his own bottle opener that is literally a piece of wood and a nut and screw. He opened like 7 bottles at once by karate chopping them. People come to the restaurant and write their names all over the walls (same with DMZ) and take the bottle opener and send photos of them with the bottle opener around the world back to the restaurant.
For dinner I had some spring rolls and the traditional Hue dish, Banh Khoai. It was some leafy greens and a fried taco shell shaped thing with pork and bean sprouts and some other things in it. You put the lettuce and half of the taco thing in a bowl and put some peanut sauce over it. Its very good. It was also rather filling. I also got a large bottle of water and ended up leaving it at the restaurant. I was so bummed. I paid less than a dollar for it but water is a big deal here! You can never have enough water bottles.
While we were eating dinner it started down pouring. Like monsoon season is definitely here. It lasted about 45 minutes. Matt said that it gets really hot like it was today and then just down pours for 2 hours or so. So, I'm glad I have that to look forward to! Robyn and I took a taxi back. It was 30,000 dong which is a $1.50.
Doing nothing today was great! I still slept all night long too!
rach!! thought i'd check your blog to see how you're doing. will have to read all your posts soon -- still exhausted from my trip/ all that flying.. hope you're having a great time, miss ya! :)
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