Nimh Binh

We were advised by some mad Irish lads we met to visit Nimh Bin. So instead of going to Hoi An where Joanne and Aiden advised we came here. (to get to Hoi An was an overnight train/bus (17hours) and it was quite expensive and because we didn't have much time in Vietnam we didn't want to limit our time!)
So we took a 2.5 hour bus to nearby Nimh Bin. As we arrived in we were less than impressed and started to pay particular attention to the 'Bin' part of the name! It was a grubby run down town. Before we had arrived to our hostel we decided to leave promptly for Hoi An!
Our hostel was cool though, it was an old train station, we had a lovely big room and the facilities were great. We went out looking for some food and were drawn in to a place by a lovely girl waving hysterically at us. As we sat down she explained how the other places here were fast food and American food, not authentic Vietnamese, she then lead me into the restaurant where large pictures of their family hung on the wall 'Family Business'
She advised us to order Small portions as they were large enough! I got typical Beef noodle soup and Daniel got chicken noodles. The portions were outrageous, and couldn't finish it. Initially when wed sat down they gave us bananas and ginger and sugar nuts. Couldn't have done enough for us. We went there for breakfast lunch and dinner while were there. They gave us a goodie bag for our onward train and her husband dropped us to the train station (free of charge!) Legends!!
 
Next day we took some bikes and cycled out to the countryside and we started to see the beauty of Nimh Bin, cycling through little villages and rice fields and rivers. We came across a homestay sitting among rice fields and I excitedly spotted a Kingfisher chased it down the path to take a photo! (Daniel thinks im mad, hed be right!!)
Had a lovely cuppa at the homestay.
 
That night we took an overnight train to Hoi An! We had booked the most affordable ticket. 3rd tier hard sleeper. When we saw our bunk all we could do was laugh. We climbed to the top and immediately felt like were in a coffin, but we shrugged and laughed! It was a rough nights sleep, I think once the driver thought everyone was asleep he put his foot on the gas. The train rattled and shrieked. Before wed got on we heard how a train had derailed the previous night. I was sure we were next. The next morning we actually saw the train that had derailed, covered with Tarpaulin. So ominous!
The train took us to Da Nang and from there we had to get a bus to Hoi An, we were tired, grumpy, smelly and starving! Daniel insisted on public transport instead of a jo maxi!
 
 
 
Trung Truyet Beef noodle soup!!

Chicken soup
 
Homestay

 Homestay

 Eating some lunch

 

 oops this is from Halong Bay when we learned how to make Vietnamese spring rolls :)

 Panoramic of Homestay

 

Cupa tea at homestay


KINGFISHER!!!!!!



Rice fields






Another roadie





















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