The Amazing Eurasian Odyssey
as told by characters Matthew Garrick and Stephen Williams Part 6: Landing in Da Nang

The train was by no means luxurious by normal standards, but compared to the train in Cambodia, it could be considered a five- star hotel. It was to be about an 18- hour, overnight ride to Da Nang. We both had the top bunks, as a luggage space at the top of each berth allowed us to spread out since we are taller than your average local.

Earlier in Ho Chi Minh City, we decided these train rides would be a good time to catch up on our reading, so we stopped by an English book store. Matthew grabbed

The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas, and I decided it was finally time to put back

Shakespeare's A Midsummer

Night's Dream, which I have been meaning to read for awhile.

After a few hours with my nose in the book, I decided to walk around a bit to stretch my legs. While in the hallway, someone approached me and said, "Hello." I discovered he had lived in Saigon during the American War. He told me of the times and of his American friends, who he never saw again.

Clearly intrigued by this young visiting American, which is by no means extremely rare nowadays but still a little uncommon, he invited me to the dining car.

We arrived in Da Nang a few minutes late and decided to stay away from the city at a place called China Beach, which was where the first U.S. troops at the beginning of the American War landed.

Our hotel was only a hundred meters from the water, and it was beautiful. We immediately headed for the beach, which was relatively empty except for a handful of tourists. Suddenly the place was swarming with locals. It seems after 5:30, the beach is a popular after- work spot.

The hotel offered motorbikes for rent. By American standards, they are more than a moped but not quite a small motorcycle, a far cry from the 1100cc beast I ride at home.

In Ho Chi Minh City, the traffic was so bad I would not dare drive a vehicle despite my previous bike experience. But Da Nang was different; much more laid back. We would have no problems despite Matthew's bumpy start. His bike had a faulty clutch.

The next morning we went to check out Hoi An, another beach city a few kilometers down the road. We spotted Rainbow Divers, a National Geographic dive center and decided since Vietnam is said to have some of the best diving in the world, and it wasn't that expensive, we should do it. We scheduled two dives for the next day and headed out.

We passed an empty airbase filled with the shells of decades- old hangars. This was the old American airbase during the war, and it has surprisingly survived without demolition (or re- use).

Once back at China Beach, we found some pretty ladies who greeted us the day before and offered us a free tour of the nearby Marble Mountains. We headed up a staircase of uneven, mossy stone that led to a group of pagodas and temples with burning incense.

It was impressive and reclusive. One part led into a natural cave with a small opening of light through the limestone ceiling.

Carvings of the Buddha and ancestors adorned the slick walls. We joked that if we were to step on the wrong tile, poisoned darts may shoot from the walls. Like the Angkor complex, it evoked some serious Indiana Jones.

Our tour ended with a view of the sunset from atop the mountain as we peered out of a precariously perched gazebo. Vietnam is a beautiful place. It has the clearest skies and the most amazing sunsets that blend a seamless spectrum of painted pastels over the horizons. The nights, away from big city lights, boast a field of twinkling stars.

Rainbow Reef, aptly named such for the number of rainbow eels seen in the area, was extremely impressive.

The alien world of creeping sea slugs, prickly anemones, and curious clownfish is a treat. I came to the conclusion I had built up diving in Vietnam so much that nothing less than swimming unicorns would have amazed me. I would put this area on par with the great dive spots around Phuket, Thailand, where Matt and I received our certifications.

We returned to the hotel in time to pack and find our way back to the train station for our ride to Hanoi. It was to take only a few hours more than the ride from Saigon to Da Nang. On to the capital!