Thursday

I slept in a bit this morning, made it out of the room about nine thirty and sat down at my breakfast street stall, finished my cigarette in time for the Pho Ga to arrive at my plastic chair “table” then wandered around for my coffee. 

The only thought today is to get out of here to a warm beach for New Years Eve so I drop by a travel agent I’ve visited a couple of times with enquiries. We go through some possibilities and I head back to my room to do the research on my laptop. Sihanoukville in Cambodia was top of my list but I’ve left it too late and there’s no accommodation left so that’s off the list.  

Phu Quoc was next on the list, an island in the south of Vietnam where you can actually see Cambodia from the north of the island but it’s more of a resort place and probably not going have much of a NYE party crowd. 

I head to the lake for a coffee to relax my over thinking brain, narrow down and research the logistics on the iPhone, then grab some lunch. 

I think I have a solution so now my next thought is a haircut, mainly so someone can even up my sideburns, I can never get that right. Then I wander aimlessly and decide it’s time for an afternoon beer as I walk past “Spy Bar”.  

I stop in for a beer and get talking to a young English guy called Jamie. Karma has a funny way, turns out it’s his uncle’s bar that he’s watching over while his uncle has gone back to England for Xmas. 

Jamie is also here to teach English and through his uncle, who has been here for ten years and has many good connections, gives me the business card of the company he is working his way up through and should be able to set me up with some work. 

Everything is quietening down for the next month so that works out perfect, I’ll go south to warmer climes for a while and should be able to pick up some work when I return. 

The “Spy Bar” also turns out to be a bit of an ex-pat bar of teachers and westerners who are working here, the networking place I’ve been looking for! 

So after a few beers and exchanged details I head off, pick up the photos I got taken this morning for a VISA in case I was heading out of the country and get back to my room just in time, the sun is going down and I’ve been in T-shirt and thongs all day but I’m going to need a jacket and shoes to head out to dinner. 

The maid didn’t clean my room today she just took the dirty towels and left me a clean one. I think this is a hint that she likes me out of the room by nine so she can get her work done, for twelve dollars a night and a balcony I have no problem with this. 

There seems to be something happening down at the fountain centre near the lake so I go to the City View Café for dinner – I haven’t been there for a while. A couple is just leaving the primo table and I slink in to perch myself on the balcony over looking the lake and the stage set up at the fountain. 

Today is the 67th anniversary of the formation of the VPA - Vietnamese Peoples Army.

Who's drunk in an elevator?

I have a spectacular chicken fillet in cream sauce with vegies and yet another bottle of vodka while watching the gathering below for the stage performance of magicians, gymnasts and well, I’m not quite sure what some of these peoples act is. Eventually I pay my bill and make an exit while the hooker who has been stalking me is not looking and retire for the evening.