The Search for the New Palace
So now checked in to our cute little hotel room with a balcony overlooking rice fields the reality hits - we need to find somewhere to live quickly. I had exchanged emails with local real estate agents and with appointments set for the next few days we were hopeful.
We originally had romantic visions of a traditional house located by the riverside where we would wave to local fisherman as they delivered fresh fish to our door. The reality is that the during the rainy season in November the river floods, leaving the town accessible only by boat. Oh well i was never going to like the potential creatures lurking by the river but a girl needs to dream.
In order to see all the propoerties, we realized we needed to go native and hire motorbikes - eeks I had a pretty scooter as a teenager which I rode in heels everywhere but that was more than 10 years ago ! Alan claimed to be proficient - but in our 18 years together this was news to me. So within 5 mins we were ready to go on our new scooters - no documentation or experience required, just the $5 a day. The lack of availabilty of a pink scooter was disappointing but offset by the pretty pink helmet with "I love Lipstick" on it made up for any disappointment - Safety 0 - Style 10.
We were mobile and cautiously wobbling down the street behind the real estate girl who was trying not to giggle. So despite my requirements of a 3 bedroom house, we arrive via rice fields and narrow lanes to a cute but miniscule house which would struggle to house even my shoes (OMG this was going to be a nightmare). They proudly showed me the vegetable patch next to the house that I could lovingly tend if lived here. So since my arrival in Hoi An I have been compelled to wear flat but still princess like shoes but gardening !!!!
After some explanation on the need to have 3 bedrooms to house our endless "non paying" guests, we proceed to the next property. Feeling much better as we arrive at a 3 storey house, a little worried about the tiny lane and how Asian Tigers would access with their truck but more concerned on replicating the shoe closets of my previous house we entered. Wow great house - my only concern a bizarre deep pond separating the living room and kitchen by a small stone bridge which would challenge my balance after a few glassess of wine !
The next few days took us into the countryside to see houses with little else except rice fields, a house nicknamed by us "the little house on the prairie", the white house owned by a wonderful artist and an exorbitantly priced house with a tiny pool on the main road. I was beginning to wonder whether we would find our perfect home.
The beach at An Bang....
Finally a suggestion we visit a house at An Bang beach. We had
never visited this beach about 2km from town but by now we would consider
anything. Wow the beach was amazing and we were in love, who cares what the house looks like, I was going to be a beach babe.
never visited this beach about 2km from town but by now we would consider
anything. Wow the beach was amazing and we were in love, who cares what the house looks like, I was going to be a beach babe.
Finally the house...
Well the house was great and with my usual planning and list making I had already sketched out where my furniture would go. The higlhight being a roof terrace from where i could hear the ocean - I couldn't see it but I'm sure they could cut down some of those trees obscurring my view. The An Bang beach area is protected from development, except my newly built house it seems and the ominous open space next to my house made me wonder but I was in love.
Moving in...
So 10 days after our arrival in Hoi An we leave the hotel with all the staff promising to visit the new house and we take our 3 suitcases and move into our new home.
The truck arrives...
3 days later the furniture arrives following a 2 day road trip from Ho Chi Minh and as they open the doors to the first of 2 trucks, I gulp and wonder if all this will ever fit in the new house - 159 boxes in total
!
!
How is this ever going to fit !
Thanks to our wonderfully skilled and incredibly patient removal men it almost all goes in following some on-the-go changes to my little room plans. The excitment and novelty of the foreigners moving into the village peaked on moving in day as people wandering in to look around and say "Xin Chao" (Hello) as we unpacked. Its a little unnerving to be unpacking your pants to see the neighbours smiling at you !
As school finishes the parents bring all the children to the gates to witness the show and everyone takes turns sitting in the hanging chair in the front garden - what have we let ourselves in for !
As school finishes the parents bring all the children to the gates to witness the show and everyone takes turns sitting in the hanging chair in the front garden - what have we let ourselves in for !