Donna's a Softy

Yesterday, we hired a driver to take us around the local area. He didn't speak any English, but to be honest it wasn't at all neccessary. At the tour office, they spoke English and so we knew where he was taking us already.
He drove an army style jeep that, other than a brand new steering wheel, looked circa 71. (The new steering wheel did look odd up against the matte army green.) Rob jokingly offered to drive when our driver picked us up and just outside of town - perhaps away from watchful eyes or clear of conjestion, we'll never know - our driver pulled over and let Rob take the wheel. It seemed to amuse him to recline in the back and let Rob do the work. Once we got to the off road section of our trip, he took over once again. To be honest, I was glad to have him dodging both potholes and scooters.
Around Mui Ne there are a few sand dunes that appear from nowhere. Ocean on one front, a lake on the other, and forest around the rest, they seem inexplicable. Local children swarm tourists looking to sell packs of postcards and to rent what looks like crazy carpets. A pale comparision to snow, crazy carpeting down the sand dunes is a little slow. And while you aren't cold, you do have sand everywhere.
The area is also rich in clay and which has eroded to form mini canyons of deep red spires. At one such stop, a pair of little girls were selling postcards. Donna was looking to buy some postcards anyways and so this seemed like as good a time as any. Not having the right change she ended up buying two packs from a nine year old girl named Bo.
We had read in the guide book that the children's aim is twofold. They are certainly there to sell their wares, but they are also interested in speaking English. Bo was no exception. After Donna had bought her two packs, Bo was stuck to her like glue and the two of them were talking up a storm. Bo's English may have been the best English we've heard here in Vietnam.
To say that Bo followed us up the canyon would be a lie. It is far more accurate to say that she dragged Donna up the canyon. She would scramble up steps ahead of Donna and then grab her by the hand and pull.
After seeing the canyon, we climbed into the jeep and waved goodbye.
The next stop, the yellow sand dunes, was probably 2 km away. But by the time we'd climbed out of the jeep and crossed the road, Bo was right beside Donna again. This time we were swarmed by a dozen children, each selling postcards and/or renting a crazy carpet. While the rest of us struggled through the swarm, Bo cleared a path for Donna - half explaining and half bragging that Donna had already bought not one pack from her, but two.
It's a good thing we didn't bring more luggage, or I fear we'd be coming home with a bright little girl named Bo.