Summer Days

We are having an amazing time here at Ho Tram near Vung Tau.  This place is QUIET!  I mean REALLY QUIET!  It is set on 8 hectares of magnificent beachfront but really is in the middle of nowhere.  At first we thought that perhaps we had made a mistake and 5 nights here was too long.  There is only one restaurant and the room we were initially given was not suitable.  After a word with the Manager, Allan, we were promptly changed and have since been spoilt rotten.  To the point where he organised a babysitter and a romantic beachfront dinner on the house last night!  If sitting by the pool (of which there are 2) or having a beach to yourself is your thing, then this is the place for you!  We leave tomorrow so 5 nights has definitely been enough as the natives (read: kids) are getting restless.  The resort itself is quite stunning and screams for me to go crazy with the camera.  Sorry if they are a bit too arty but indulge me and I hope you enjoy our stay here in pictures.

Local conical fishing boat.  It has been wonderful to watch the fishermen and women haul in their catch.  It's so lovely to actually finally see the "real" Vietnam again.

Nick is itching to set this thing on fire!

Our place is the one in the foreground.  You can see our balcony where we retire too after the kids go to bed.  Plug the speaker into the iPhone and pour a few  G and T's and we are sorted.

Our little friend on the soap shelf of our outdoor shower.

Work it Scarlett!

The resort is teeming with wildlife.  Crabs, lizards, dragonflies, fish and even a water snake we spotted from our balcony.  Unfortunately, the mozzies could pick you up and carry you away also!

A spot of fishing.

After WAY too many renditions of "One 1 2 3 4 5, once I caught a fish alive"...we finally got one!

Caught from our balcony! (No, it's not the bait...that is the fish thank you very much!)

And then the rain comes......ahhhhh

Gotta love a tropical beach storm.  Still stinking hot but sitting out watching this, fishing and having a beer.  Bliss.

Just watchin' the rain.

The wet season...love it or hate it.

Yep....the only ones.  It's all ours.

Stunning Beachfront.

Pretty much sums up their relationship.  Miss Scarlett is the boss.  I hope she gave him a tip!

My wild summer flower child.  

This is Nghia.  He is an amazing young man.  Adores the children and spoils them rotten.  He has done everything from finding worms for fishing, sneaking into the kitchen for buckets and spoons for the kids to play with on the beach to turning up with balloons for them to play with in the pool.  He speaks no English but he and the children communicate just fine.  They LOVE him.  He has been a real highlight of our time here.

He dotes after Scarlett....and don't she love it!!!

Our loft hideaway where we have cocktail (and mocktails), build cubbies out of cushions and watch the sun go down.

Sometimes he is so young for his age.  Other times, like this, he is like a wise old soul.  I wonder what he is thinking?

Just in case we were coming across as some disgustingly perfect family.  Just a reminder that it's not ALWAYS perfect.

Sometimes it is the little things that amuse us.

This kept us entertained for hours on end!