Uh, has anyone seen Moms passport?
Trip Start
Dec 05, 2008
1
9
18
Trip End
Dec 18, 2008
Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Since I still had my passport because I take very good care of it, I ended up going with Diep on her motorbike to get Anelise's passport. The ride through Saigon was a blast. Literally, if I lifted my arms out to either side of me, I'd poke another motorbike rider in the eye. It was that crowded, everyone going from 1 to 35 miles an hour, mix in cars, buses, pedestrians and traffic signals that yearn for attention but no one gives them any, you get the picture. It was awesome!
Upon returning to the hotel I was hopeful that Lan had found her moneybelt and passport. She did not. So for the next hour or so we along with Diep and Madame Chau searched our small hotel room. We ended up finding it underneath the bed. The odd thing about that is that it is nearly impossible to get anything under the bed. The frame goes all the way to the floor (about 1/2 gap on the bottom) and there is no other way to get anything down there. We found it using Harrison's flashlight (gotta love the kid, his backpack always has what you need in it) and peering under the bed. The beds only have a single mattress made of incredibly dense foam that weighs a ton. We were able to heft the mattress off the bed and then pry up the boards that the mattress rests upon to enable us to access the space under the bed. There it was, under the very center part of the bed. We could not have shoved it in a more inaccessible spot if we had tried. A great cheer from all arose which promptly woke up Anelise from her nap. It was quite a relief and the first scare of that sort Madame Chau had seen with passports in her 15 years of arranging adoptions. Yes, another first for the Free family!
After all of this, Diep decided it best she hold onto Anelise's passport until we fly out tomorrow for Hanoi. We made one last trip out to Ben Thanh market today and will head out to the same restaurant we hit yesterday because it was that good. Flight to Hanoi tomorrow leaves around 11 am.
I'm going to attach pics from misc times up to this point in our trip to get Anelise. Enjoy.
Comments
Whew!
All I can say is THANK GOD ya found it! (how'd it get under there?)
Looks and sounds like an amazing adventure! All of you look so happy and
...Warm! (a little wet and chilly back here). When you turn in your homework Harrison, you can say 'it's been all the way to Vietnam and back!' Not many kids can say that! I'm really digging getting these updates...so happy for all of you, what a blessing! Lan, I can hardly wait to give you one of those big hugs you like so much! - Tracey
Re: Whew!
We have no idea how it got there - so we blame Anelise. See you soon!
ONLY LAN . . .
could add more excitement to an already exciting trip. Losing a passport would cause great panic and excitement at finding it. I, however, think that the motorbike ride was too much for her and it was her only way out!!! Good planning Lan! I LOVE the pictures and can hardly wait to hold Anelise . . . if she will let me. I keep thinking how lucky she is to have found a family like yours. She already looks like she knows how happy her life is going to be.
Sounds like a Vu thing
Almost losing your passport....hmmm. It was probably Robert's fault anyhow.
Mark
Last Laugh
I'm sure Lan had the last laugh when the passport was found. I'm sure she was freaking out, but it will be a funny story to share with Anelise when she's older. Harrison saved the day so did he at least get out of homework as a reward? He can tell his teacher that he forgot it in Vietnam. Glad you survived the treacherous bike ride, Robert.
Love,
Cam, Mark, Justin, and Kalista :)
LING LING #1
YOUR REFLECTION IS EXTREAMLY HEART WARMING, WE ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS OUR DAUGHTER IN LAW.WE LOVE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES THE FOUR OF YOU MAKE A PERFECT FAMILY. LOVE OMA & OPA
LING LING #1
YOUR REFLECTION IS EXTREAMLY HEART WARMING, WE ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS OUR DAUGHTER IN LAW.WE LOVE TO LOOK AT THE PICTURES THE FOUR OF YOU MAKE A PERFECT FAMILY. LOVE OMA & OPA
That sounds familiar....
hmm, why am I not surprise that Lan somehow lost her passport. Didn't you lose your rental car keys when you were here in AZ...haha.
Daisy and Abby say hi
AAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!!!! Anelise=CUTE!!!!!I had Hannah over last night and she said AAW too. Harrison sure looks like he's enjoying all that homework. LOL:)
sincerely, Daisy B. & Abby K.
ps-the cats said hi!