23rd February: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Dalat, Vietnam
We were eating breakfast when somebody came into the hotel clearly looking for somebody. Our bus pick-up wasn’t for another half-hour but immediately I had a hunch it was for us. I’d heard about this happening lots and we were packed and ready just in case. We abandoned breakfast and coffee to board our ‘luxury minibus’ (or limousines as they seem to call them here!) and settled in for the long ride to Dalat. We were the first passengers on board and our driver made 3 further stops before we left the city.
Our route took us mainly along single carriageway A-road equivalents, gradually gaining altitude as we turned inland. We both had our typical responses to the first stop, about two-and-a-half-hours in. Mine being ‘already?’ and Kaja’s being ‘finally’! We picked up some banana chips and a watermelon juice and stretched out – these ‘VIP’ seats (similar to those fancy ones in a cinema) were not the comfiest!
Shortly after, we passed the huge Ho Tri An reservoir in the valleys below. A little later, the road travelled through Dinh Quan and its giant boulders which were strewn throughout town. Quite spectacular! The landscape was growing very different from that on the plains near the coast. Today was a cloudy day, with some rain around, and the green hills and forests had the feel of how I imagine highland Colombia to be. Fittingly, we soon began to see Coffea plants with their white flowers blooming ahead of producing those mighty coffee beans.
At our second (and final) stop, dark clouds and heavy showers could be seen all around, but we had still somehow stayed dry. We often past damp roads, but the expected torrential rain didn’t come to pass. Coaches plied this route in huge numbers, truly making up the backbone of Vietnam’s transport network.
Nearing Dalat, food growing areas became obvious including lots of poly tunnels. The region is famous for strawberries, amongst other things. I think it’s a case of strong sunshine and a high-altitude temperate climate, similar to in Yunnan, which allows soft fruits to thrive here.
Dalat is a proper hill town! It’s not quite like anywhere else we’ve visited on this trip, but the nearest analogue from past travels would perhaps be a hill town in northern Italy or Pays Basque. It has the vibe of a spa town too, although perhaps that’s partially to do with the light rain which seemed set in. That’s right – rain! The first time we’ve been out in actual rain in almost 3 months.
We got ourselves checked in and changed to head out to find some food. It was beginning to get dark and, in the rain, and 18-degree temperatures, it felt slightly autumnal. I really enjoyed this feeling, and it actually made me temporarily miss autumn at home. Just temporarily! Dinner was delicious. There was a vegan buffet place nearby and we had a feast. This is our first buffet since Lijiang in China, which feels like an age ago. We tried dozens of different vegetable, tofu, and seitan dishes, each of which had lovely and distinct flavours. Our £3 each (expensive for Vietnam but still great value) meals resulted in two plates of food each, plus awesome fruits, jellies, and different teas. We’ll be back here again! It was still raining, so we left the dark, wet streets behind until tomorrow.