Happy New Year!

I arrived today in Quy Nhon, up the coast from Nha Trang a couple hundred kilometers. Of course, the day I leave, the sun came out, but it stayed sunny the whole way and I am enjoying fine weather. On the way I noticed a couple left points that were surfable, and there is swell in the water (see photo from last night in Nha Trang showing the pounding shore break!) The minivan in which I was riding was careening way too fast down the road to get any photos, and as it was, I could barely stay sitting vertically as we slammed back and forth on the twisty road. In the small bay where I am staying there is another left point with treacherous rocks (I would not recommend it for surfing). Tonight I watched a man in one of the round bamboo boats paddling out to reach a fishing boat off shore, timing his paddling like we surfers do to avoid the crush of that whomping left, but without the ability to duck dive. I felt for him! Especially since the mode of paddling seems horribly ineffective. There is but one oar fastened to the front center of the boat, and the boater works it back and forth across the front of the boat. I have no idea how this even works.

On the beach I saw a little sandpiper, the same as we have in Encinitas and I told him I knew his brother (talking to myself, I must be getting lonely!). I then saw a plastic wrapper and said I knew its brother too (actually, the plastic bags and wrappers far outnumbered the birds and shells on the beach).

Last night, I got out of bed shortly before midnight (as I had been advised by the locals to do), and went out to the street to see everyone. Yes, everyone was out. Motorbike helmets as far as the eye could see. Motorbikes were just parked in the street and on the sidewalks, and people just waited for the strike of midnight and for the fireworks to start (people tend to just wear their helmets around instead of worrying about stashing them somewhere, and I have become so accustomed to the accessory, that it took me awhile to recognize how odd the crowd was, all helmeted up). Promptly at midnight, a spectacular 20 minute fireworks show started, and people rang in the new year with ooh’s and aw’s. As soon as it was over, I sprinted to my hotel, since lingering would surely mean being run over by a motorbike. The photo shows lit-up cartoon like oxen in front of a hotel. 2009 is the year of the Ox.