Home / Blog / Day 68 – Hoi An

Day 68 – Hoi An

After a short 45 min taxi ride from Da Nang we entered Hoi An to a warm welcome at a delightful boutique hotel. The receptionist was super informative and provided a map of Hoi An Old Quarter and additional info like a good optician for new glasses/tailors/activities and what prices were fair for tours etc.

I’d already been researching opticians here as I would like a pair of multifocal sunglasses which I’ve never invested in before given the cost involved in Australia. So we marched along to the recommended optician who seemed to get great reviews from people from around the globe who have used him. The shop had plenty of frames to choose from and I quickly saw some that would work for me. The optician provided a quote (around 1/3 to 1/2 the Oz cost) which I was happy with so he took a look at my script, checked the prescription and measurements and will let me know (via WhatsApp) when the sunnies arrive (turnaround time 2-3 days). Fingers crossed this all works out…I’ll let you know!

In the evening, we went to see the highly popular Hoi An Memories Show https://hoianmemoriesshow.com. Ponchos were handed out as rain was threatening but fortunately this only resulted in a few drops of rain. This show was an impressive spectacle, although we did have trouble following the storyline, but that did not spoil our enjoyment of all the visual aspects. Hundreds of performers take part, lots of impressive stage sets and costumes, fire, water, great sound system and music…we had a good time. The only downside was getting off the island where the show is held with the other hundreds of members of the audience including tour groups blocking exits and then trying to get a Grab taxi back to the hotel!

There are 3 ways to get to Macau from Hong Kong We went for the TurboJet ferry which provided a very comfortable smooth ride. In fact I could have left the Kwells travel tablets behind but past life experiences have taught me that I don’t have the best sea legs on the smoothest of oceans!...

We were looking around for an activity other than temples for a day and Nick came up with visiting a Lotus silk farm. It turned out to be a very interesting tour and it was great to hear the operation is providing meaningful employment for vulnerable local women and caring for the environment and sustainability...

Early start today in order to make the high speed train departing at 9:50am. Believe it or not the alarm had to be set for 6am as we knew the short car ride to the station would be in peak morning Beijing traffic and we had to be at the station an hour before departure....

In another step towards our travels around SEA I graduated this week from Deakin University in Geelong with a Master of Leadership degree. It took me 18 months to complete the course, which I completed online. It was a tough course to complete, with a few different elements; online units requiring typically three assessments to...

So, our last day in Hong Kong, and the end of the trip in our first country. We’ve had a great few days here, but took it a little easier on the last day as we’ve worn ourselves out pretty much with all the walking. BTW, we’ve been keeping a track of our steps through...