Day 223: Thunderstorms — Nixing the Seaplane — Arrive in Hoi An
During breakfast on our final morning on the boat, the skies that had been threatening for the last 12 hours finally opened up and let loose an epic, epic downpour with some of the most dramatic and loudest thunder/lightening I can remember seeing. James actually shrieked and dove under pillows at the loudest/closest — not being dramatic, it was his genuine terrified reaction.
We were heading to the harbor but the captain had to throw down an anchor because our boat was veering off course. We waited it out. It was loud and dramatic but the water never got that rough. If we didn’t have antsy kids it would have been perfect for curling up with a book in our room. Alas James wanted to bounce around the walls and needed to be “managed.”
Doesn’t want me to read my book. 
The rain and thunder eventually let up enough for us to come into the harbor. It was still pouring and thunder-y, though. This wasn’t ideal, because we were supposed to catch a picturesque seaplane flight back to the Hanoi airport for our connection to Danang (we’re headed to Hoi An).
Tiny seaplane in sideways monsoon-like thunderstorm. No thank you.
Even though our tour operator insisted the seaplanes were still flying without issue, we decided to bail and find a ride instead.
But first we had to say bye to our beloved friend Jax!!
We hopped a two-hour van and made it to the Hanoi airport, where Khan was waiting anxiously. He was so nervous that as we dashed to the security line to wait, he hovered and paced and stared at us nervously as we wound our way through the line.
“Why is Khan just standing there?” James wanted to know. “I saw him take a picture of us,” Willa reported. Khan took lots of pictures of us over our days together and it didn’t long to realize he was doing this to document for his bosses back in the head office. “See! They’re out doing all the things we said we’d take them to do and they’re having a BLAST!!!” Ha, poor guy.
We just politely waved at him a few times and texted that all was good when we got to the gate.
In fact our flight was delayed 45 minutes. The two flights we’ve been late for this year — to Hong Kong and today — both were delayed. Very lucky. We had time to grab a bite and use the bathroom.
The flight was only an hour to Danang. I’m watching “Dead to Me” and loving it.
When we landed in Danang — Vietnam’s 4th-largest city — Teddy noticed that one of his Briggs & Riley suitcase wheels was broken. It still rolls, but half of the part is missing. Must have broken off en route. After 57 flights something finally broke! These bags came with a lifetime warranty, though, so we’re getting a new wheel sent to Singapore.
We were greeted by a guide named Jan and drove the 45 minutes to Hoi An, where we’re staying in a rented house down a side alley in An Bang Beach area.
Hoi An is a beautifully preserved old city that feels like a mix of Cartagena, New Orleans and a movie set. Our house is outside of town near the beach at An Bang, which is a dirt-road village lined with extremely casual roadside cafes, coffee shops and tiki bars. All brightly hand-painted signs and banana-leaf palms. Catering to tourists, but the locals all live around here too — operating markets and restaurants out of their homes.
Everyone smiling and waving at all times.
Somehow all of this exists but it doesn’t feel commercialized or ruined, despite the souvenir shops.
By the time we pulled up to our place it was dark and we were hungry and tired. The housekeeper was waiting there to show us around. Teddy and I were both immediately struck by the resemblance to our beloved housekeeper Nancy back home. We miss Nancy!
Teddy walked out to grab some pizza and a bottle of wine, and we ate at our table before crashing around 9:30.
