Day 380-382- Tailor Heaven

Off the train at six in the morning, we had a short bus ride to our hotel with one problem in mind: we couldn’t check in! As we waited for our rooms everyone did different things from eating breakfast, trying to sleep on the loungers by the pool, using the free net or freestyling.
Before we check in we decided to get some breakfast in a restaurant called Cargo and it was amazing. Hoi An is one of Vietnam’s most pleasant towns, it somehow escaped damage during both the French and American wars and its charming two-hundred-year-old wooden-fronted shop-houses are among its chief attractions. It is the tailor capital of Asia.

95% of the shops are tailors! It’s a beautiful city, like it’s frozen in time from years gone by. After breakfast Caroline brought us to her usual tailor as she knows they wouldn’t make us pay the full amount without trying on our clothes first.We each had our own personal sales woman and the haggling began. The first order of business was to get measured up for our suits.

The saleswomen were very touchy feely with us and loved a pinch here and there! We had trouble controlling them!We each picked out what type of suit we wanted from a catalogue and picked out our material and shirt/lining and shoe colour. I managed to haggle very well and get a great price right of the bat but the lads would have to raise there game at the second visit and they did. They turned on the charm after we tried on the suits and loved them and Conor sweetened his deal even more by giving away a fragrance he got from Chemist Warehouse! Every time we went back we ended up getting fitted for an extra item, whether it be another suit, jeans, shorts or a leather jacket! And we kept getting great deals!Tonight we were going for dinner in the same restaurant we went to for breakfast: Cargo.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated and its only flaw was a really low ceiling that was a hazard. After we were all done ordering Gary decided it was too hot and sweaty so he headed back to the hotel to change his shirt. We started to get worried when the food arrived and he still wasn’t back. We got even more worried when we had all finished eating and were ordering dessert and he still wasn’t back. While he was gone the wall behind us had been taken over by massive cockroaches and geckos. A fight even broke out between them! Eventually he returned and we all applauded him for finding the restaurant when he banged his head off the low ceiling!

After the dinner we headed to a local pool bar for a drink. We took over the pool table and we were informed by Caroline that the guy racking up the balls was an amazing one-handed player! I asked him for a game and he accepted. He only played one handed and he got off to a blistering start! I fought back and after an amazing attempt by him I potted the black for the win!The next morning we headed straight back to the tailors to try on our clothes and haggle them down a bit more. I was unhappy with my leather jacket but they redid it in a heartbeat!

Mike’s Shopping List:2 suits, 3 shirts, 2 ties, shoes, leather jacket, jeans, shorts and flip flops: 415USD

Conor’s Shopping List:1 suit, 1 shirt, 1 tie, shoes, jacket, customized jeans, shorts: 320USD

Gary’s Shopping List:1 suit, 2 shirts, 1 tie, shoes, jacket, shorts: 320USD

A great couple of days shopping! We sorted out the delivery prices and said our goodbyes to our assistants. We posed for photos and gave them a tip and they were delighted. Most women over in Vietnam get beaten by their husbands and it’s accepted so we felt the need to do something nice for them. We got the email for the store if we ever want anything shipped over.That night we went for an unbelievable Indian meal and after to a bar for more beer and some great banter with our group. Our stay in Hoi An has been incredible and it’s now one of our favourite places we’ve been!

Mike