Back on the buses then with no time to lose and next stop Hue, only 12 hours this ride so survivable. I befriended Van, the likeable lawyer from Hanoi who chatted with me at length for a couple of hours, before falling asleep on top of me for the next 10. I commandered Hue from Hue (strange but true) to take me around Vietnam's old capital on his rickshaw before jumping on the next bus, a breeze at 5 hours to Hoi An.
This sleepy old fishing port possibly gives Luang Prabang a run for its money as my current favourite place. I spent a couple of days strolling the peaceful, traffic free sandy streets, watching the world go by with a drink as the day's catch was brought to market, wandering around the numerous art galleries and craft shops, and watching the local cultural performances. The perfect place to stop, relax and escape from the world. Stuck in a timewarp thanks to the modern port down the road at Danang, Hoi An seems to drift on lazily through the 19th century without worrying about the modern world outside. I could have stayed longer, and would happily go back, but the clock was ticking and the bus was waiting...
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