Hai-Au Hotel International Vung Tau

... squid and crab. The evening on the ship saw us allegedly celebrating St Patricks night. In turning out "typically Irish" food we ended up with the least exciting food of the cruise so far. Another day at sea en route to Sihanoukville in Cambodia, touch up our waltz and a bit of reading and a trip to the gym, plus the morning walk. Ship quite crowded with people trying to take opportunity of the hot sunny weather. Expanses of ageing flesh on view today.

... Lyam is a very good eater. He is very easy and never complains when he is being treated for scabbies and his pulmonary infection. Dung, a doctor friend, will be coming to look after him today. Something funny just happened. Once again Annie missed something. She missed Mya saying Papa for the first time and she just missed Lyam walking on all fours. We can't wait to show Mathieu his little brother. We are sure he will like him. Talk to you all later!

... understand. After our swim we enjoyed a meal and a few drinks. As we were enjoying the meal we broke three chairs...now at first I was a little embarrassed since my big butt was the one who fell through the chair first, but then 2 of the monitor's chairs broke too! It was pretty entertaining. All in all it was a great trip for everyone.

... names and who they were with to. There is a rule apparently that sons and daughters of Vietnam Vets can add their dad's names to it, and funnily enough I qualify for that, so I did. There were about a hundred names on the walls, and while I didnt know who Dad was with, the guy said he would follow it up and add that to my entry for me! M: It was a nice day trip, and we wished we had brought our stuff along as it was quieter than Saigon ...

... purpose, and they avoid you. We tried the market (got some spoons and Vietnamese hats - hope they travel well). Went to the War Remnants Museum (US bombers, tanks, helo's on display; photos inside, Agent Orange section). Once again, depressing and difficult to explain to Baily. So far on the trip we've been to a train museum and this war museum (trying not to bore kids). Today, Baily said "Why aren't there any Girl Museums?" Hmmmm. We'll ...

... Cambodia are much better. The nightlife in Saigon is solid. Bars, cafes, and clubs abound in every form. I spent one night in a country western saloon complete with a Vietnamese band singing Johnny Cash. Another evening I was in a packed café/lounge blaring Avril Lavigne's latest single. The beer was always cheaper than a buck even in the nice places. Saigon was plenty of fun and an interesting city. Next I'm taking a bus to Dalat in the central highlands.

... in them so you could fight for your life and country. I started hyperventilating, even in the 20 meters of tunnel we got to go through. I could squat and crawl on my knees in the packed-dirt tunnels, but when there was no light overhead or up ahead, I'd start to panic. I couldn't handle it for barely more than a minute, the tight space and little oxygen and scalding heat. This might sound small-minded but the discomfort of those things is enough to ...

... de recupere le lendemain. 2-Depart pour Ho Chi Minh (Saigon le 31). Arrivee surprenante dans une circulation d'enfer. 4-5 millions de motos pour 9 millions de population. 10 minutes pour traverser notre premier coin de rue sans feu de circulation....mais apres quelques temps, on apprivoise la ville et decouvre une belle ville dont l'influence architecturale et style de vie Francais a laisser de belles traces. Les gens ...

... two hour flight to Hanoi was only the beginning of our traveling for the day. Qhuan (pronounced qwa) was to be our guide for the trip - he grew up in Hanoi but had family that still lived in Mai Chau - the village we would ultimately end up in. The five hour bus drive North North West from Hanoi lead us through every terrain Vietnam has to offer. We started in a major tourist city that lead out into small suburbs dotted with falling down shacks and huge French buildings, our into ...

... to a great day. Our last day in Vietnam was another full day of vendor meetings. At the WECA office we met with Artex followed by Najimex who both specialize in bamboo products. Over the next few hours I learn a great deal about the process of farming, processing and producing bamboo goods. It's interesting to hear more details about the ecological value of bamboo, as it is a highly plentiful resource and grows 50 to 100 times faster than most other woods. We ...