When you're alone, you're not alone, not really allllllone

10 points to whoever can name the movie the title is from!!!

So I've been on the road a little over 24 hours and I have to say I am not only surviving, but I am really enjoying myself.

I waited at my hotel at 630pm for the bus, but found out that it did not arrive til past 730pm. I was almost ready to throw in the towel and ask for a refund, but I waited instead. I got a row on the bus to myself, but I was soon joined by a cute boy who's name I found out 16 hours later was named Paul. He immediately took out his book to begin reading, yet asked me a generic question or two. Next thing we know its nearly 1130pm and the whole bus is silent so we opted to stop talking and attempt to sleep. The bus stopped at 1am, and we all got out to pee and eat. Since I had ignored my friend's in Nha Trang suggestion to buy food before I left, I was very very hungry. After the stop, we talked on an off the rest of the morning. He was a 21 year old from Perth, who was a tradesman. He had been traveling for a few months, and his sisters wanted to join him and choose his time in Vietnam to do so. I am not sure what we spent so much time talking about, but we never seemed to run out of things to say.

We arrived in Hoi An at 6:30am. I knew there was a bus leaving to Hue at 8am and one at 2pm. Traveling wise I thought it better to go right to Hue, knowning that I could always come back to Hoi an. I bid farewell to my new friend as his sisters had already booked him a tour for the day(random: he said to me "cheers for the company"...silly Aussies). I found a travel agency and found a tour to take at My Son through the Cham ruins/ancient city. My tour left at 8am. The bus pulls up, and my new friend was in it, along with his sisters. He finally introduces himself as he introduces me to his sisters. One of his sisters was great! A teacher, really bubbly and friendly. The other one hardly spoke two words to me. I wound up hanging out with them most of the afternoon at My Son. My son was essentially an ancient village of Cham people(chinese Hindu's), that the Viet Cong used as a hiding place during the Vietnam war. Out of 68 temples on the grounds, only 20 of them remain intact. Everywhere you could see bombing craters and buildings in virtual ruin. I apologized on behalf of my country. I met another group of people also from Australia, but adults, because my new friends had moved quickly through the tour and I wanted to take my time. I met back up with the siblings but quickly bid them farewell again because I had to get back to the travel agency and they had a boat tour already booked, however I have this feeling that I will see him again tomorrow, as they are traveling up to Hue.

I board the bus at 230pm and after a stopover in Danang, we arrive around 530 about 1KM away from our destination, and we sit there for almost an hour as the busdriver and operators change a tire. I finally arrive around 615 to one of the main backpacker alleys, to a child asking me if I was staying for the night. I nod affirmatively and he takes me to his hotel. Since I had studied my Lonely Planet guide book, I knew this one was in there, and knew it was something I could trust. After showing me expensive rooms with internet in room and 3 beds, I got them to give me two single beds with TV, Air Con and private bathroom for $8 a night. Not bad at all.

I spend an hour or two relaxing as I have not had any sleep in over 24 hours and had pretty full days, but quickly realize that I need to eat dinner. I head to the first place opens, that winds up being the most reccommended bar in the city. I am quikcly joined by two danish brothers who are endlessly fascinated with the fact that I have never seen any "good movies". About two hours later I bid them farewell, promising to return tomorrow, as I have to get some sleep because I am exploring the DMZ at 6am tomorrow morning. Yet, I am now online.

I am really enjoying myself. I am amazed how easy it is to talk to people while traveling alone. I assumed I would constantly feel akward, or look like a social leper, but that is not the case. I had the option to travel with one of the volunteers to Saigon, but I chose instead to give it a go on my own, and to travel to places less well known, and more culturally and historically rich. I think I made a great choice. Even in Australia, when I traveled alone, I merely did it just to do it, but here, I am really enjoying myself. Its very exciting to always be meeting new people, and realize that I can do things on my own. I am hoping tomorrow, I will be rested enough to stay out fairly late and really get to see if I can "go out" on my own. I can't believe how much I have grown and tested myself here. Australia, Italy, France, even Disney was nothing compared to what I am learning and experiencing here. I am really on my own, and not only surviving but having the time of my life.

Oh and having free internet in the hotel definately helps.

Peace out, see ya on the flip side!