It’s 5am and I’m jogging down the coastal boardwalk with dozens of others. The sun hasn’t yet started to pierce through the clouds and early-morning exercisers have filled parks and spilt onto the road.
There’s a distinct calmness occupying the typically bustling strip – aptly lined with high-rise hotels, bars and cafes – as locals and visitors take advantage of the coolness before the humid 30 degree heat sets in.
It’s an atmosphere I relish in at home in Sydney, and look forward to when travelling interstate to coastal cities in Queensland and Western Australia. California’s Venice Beach is much the same.
This time, I’m in Danang, Vietnam.
Sun Tra Beach Road is a beautiful strip of road lining Sun Tra beach and fuses “party city” Danang with awe-inspiring mountains, guarded by an enormous 67-metre statue of Lady Buddha.
I’m so distracted by the stunning landscape that I clip my toe on the path and topple over. Embarrassingly gaining attention of an elderly woman who immediately rushes to my aid. She’s very worried about the blood on my knee, and while I smile and assure her I’m OK, her eyes follow me as I hobble myself back...
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