Picturesque Hoi An

My bus from Nah Trang arrived early in the morning in to Hoi An meaning I couldn't check into my room at the famous Sunflower Hotel, a popular vibrant place for travellers. It’s only when you travel millions of miles around the world you realise what a small place it is on several occasions I have bumped in to people who know someone you know etc. and just when I thought I’d escaped Manchester Uni a UMWHC girl walks in. Hannah Aktar and her sister Sophie were also travelling through Vietnam, and we also happened to be in the same dorm room so the next few days were bound to be filled with antics!

My first day in Hoi An I went off exploring to beautiful French influenced town. It was full of tailors, cobblers and food markets. I booked a cookery course for the next day, ordered a handbag and matching shoes for my brother’s wedding on return to the UK and went for a spot of lunch. Still enjoying the French influences, I had a delicious baguette with cheese and bacon and fries!

That evening I had dinner across the road with Hannah, Sophie and two of our roommates Nicole and Rupert. Dinner was accompanied by several bottles of rum and a visit to “why not bar” meaning the rest of the night was a bit hazy but jolly good fun! 

The next day I was up early with rather a sore head to attend the cookery course. It started by exploring the markets and being shown what food we would be cooking with and where it had come from. I wasn’t too sure about walking through the fish and sea food section in flip flops with live creatures splashing about but it was great learning all about everything. They lay the noodles out on streets to dry in the sun ready to sell to willing customers. 

We then boarded a boat to travel up a river to the exclusive cookery school. Our welcome drink was a yummy passion fruit cocktail. After a quick tour round the herd garden we started on our first course- Spring Rolls. All the dishes were made from scratch and local ingredients and we got to eat them all. I was completely stuffed by the end. The second dish was a Vietnamese pancake with bean sprouts and beef. We finished off by cooking an egg plant and tomatoes stew in a clay pot with delicious herds and spices. I can't wait to attempt all the dishes at home, I'm not sure they will come out quite the same! 

After consuming all the dishes it was time to head back up the river to Hoi An to wonder back to the hotel. I got to drive the boat!! It was lovely seeing the locals fishing on the river too!

The next day Hannah and I hired bikes to cycle and see the local scenery. We cycled to the beach to check it out and then back again, before meeting up with Sophie to grab some food as they were due to catch a flight that evening u to Hanoi. Before the evening I went to a tailors to order a cute summer dress to be made to measure. I then met up with a few friends I’d first met in Dalat to go to a pub quiz, which we failed at epically!

For my last day in Hoi An I chilled by the pool at the hotel and met some more friends from Dalat Vikki and Rachel. They had been biking it from Ho Chi Minh to Hoi An, so we had a trip out on their bikes in to town and a wonder around. We also squeezed in a very much needed massage. We watched the sunset and the lanterns slowly come alive which made a beautiful picture. I did not want to leave this gorgeous town but the next day it was time to move on to a new adventure.  

With love from Vietnam xxx