Before we got to Hoi An, I'd had my eye on a hotel that Lonely Planet recommended and after checking the website, it looked good value for $18: Swimming pool, air-conditioning, television, fruit basket on arrival, near the beach and unlimited cocktails in the pool area from 6:30 to 7:30PM. Today we are checking out and heading to stay at Green Fields Hotel and I am excited. Rachelle wanted to get a taxi, because it was on the other side of town and, of course, we have our heavy bags. However, my economical brain insisted we walk in the heat to save money. Rachelle isn't thrilled with the idea, but begrudgingly agrees. The walk was long, but I thought it was worth the pound or two we saved. We're on a budget after all.
The look on my face when we arrived wasn't a happy one. There was also sweat dripping off it. The front of the hotel is a construction site, not the fancy hotel I had pictured in my head. When we check-in they give us chilled chocolate-chip cookies and orange squash. Then they show us our room. There are dead mosquitos on the bed and what looks like milk on the floor. The woman who showed us to our room calls someone to clean it up and we check out the pool while we wait. Luckily I'm wearing swimming shorts so I jump in.
The back of the hotel - where our room is and where the pool is situated - is actually quite alright, and I am able to forgive the terrible first impression. Back at the room I look at the fruit basket; bruised bananas and a strange, dark purple fruit. I decide not to eat anything from it. The room is nice though, once cleaned.
It's off to the beach. At the front desk of the hotel, amidst the sound of builders outside, we ask about distance and the woman tells us it's about 2.5km, maybe a half hour walk. She recommends we hire bicycles from outside the hotel, but we decide to walk. It was a long way. A very long way, and in the heat it felt longer. The bicycle idea seemed like a good one after 45 minutes of walking. It took an hour to get there in the end.
The beach is technically the same one as in Danang, stretching all the way down to Hoi An. It's a lot nicer here though. More palm trees, higher beach-to-sea ratio and today the sun is out. We swim in the sea and work on our tan. Unfortunately for me, reading sat up has left me with a browned back and white front. I'll have to resolve this tomorrow. After a few hours, we get a taxi back to the hotel. I have to shower before we go back to Yaly tailors to try on my suit for the first fitting.
The suit looks great and I'm happy with my design choice. Only small amendments are needed on the shirt, waistcoat and trousers. The right-hand shoe is way too tight and that needs fixing too, but I can tell it's going to be a worthy buy once finished. Tomorrow I have to come back once more after the changes.
After the fitting, we went to the river front for dinner and shared a pizza, pasta and baguette - we were hungry. Then it was a quick walk to get back for unlimited cocktails hour by the pool of our hotel. We made it and the unlimited free cocktails offer seemed a little different to how it was advertised. There was one cocktail choice only, poured from a jug, and you're only allowed three glasses per person. The cocktail was drinkable, but not great. Never mind. I swam in the pool before we called it a night. I was very tired and nodded off quickly.
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