Fwd: Flooded in Central Vietnam

Things have gotten very interesting over the past day. We flew to Danang yesterday from Siem Reap by way of Ho Chi Minh City yesterday -- right into a torrential rainstorm. Found out at the airport that Hoi An is completely flooded. So is Hue. Water in hotel lobbies, snakes in the water, rats climbing up the stairs. Later met some people who were stuck in their hotel because of the flood waters. So we found a hotel in Danang -- the Golden Gate hotel -- nothing to brag about.

Today we went back to the airport and booked the first flight back to HCM City -- which is tomorrow on Pacific Airways. Found a better hotel on the Han River (which is running high but below flood stage). Had lunch at a pizza restaurant run by an ex-pat named Kathleen Hoff and staffed by the deaf. She has been in Vietnam for 10 years and is very dedicated to her mission. She is also very helpful to western tourists, and gave us some good tips. We're now in an Internet cafe booking a HCM City hotel for tomorrow night.  As Steve and I always said when we ran into tough weather or bad portages in the Quetico, "this too is a Quetico experience."

Will write more -- including blog on Angkor Wat and Siem Reap, Cambodia -- later.