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Published: July 25th 2013
Friends bought me a Vietnamese lady costume
That's not real money, in case you were wondering.Kate and I came to Vietnam in December 2008 and our exploits have been detailed on this site from the beginnings in Haiphong to the majority of our time spend in Saigon. We've had some amazing times and have become very fond of this fascinating country - although we haven't become very good at the language (we still struggle to pronounce the name - Ngoc...). However....the time comes when it feels right to move on and experience another place. So a new job in China beckons in September and it's time to say goodbye to our home of more than 4 years.
In the meantime here's a brief tribute to things typically Vietnamese we've appreciated over the years.
Cam on (thank you),
Viet Nam - December 2008-July 2013
And here's the stuff we won't forget...
Hot Saigon days, sunshine, pho noodle soup, motorbikes, moon cakes (egg and chocolate pie anyone?), rice fields, chilly Haiphong and Hanoi in winter - but still sitting outside, impromptu singing in class by students, 'Teacher, will you enjoy a small party?', bia hoi (fresh beer) on the streets of Haiphong and Hanoi sitting on impossibly small plastic chairs, motorbikes, flooded city streets,
dogs in clothes, Vinasun and Mai Linh taxis and all their mimics, all product names using the prefix 'Vina', 'Teacher, sing us a song', conical hats, motorbikes, beaches, people wearing motorbike helmets everywhere, feet sticking out of car windows, seafood and sleeping synonymous with holidays, dragon fruit, 'Teacher! How many beer can you drink?', motorbikes, cheap manicures and pedicures (for Kate only, you understand..), coffee, Hanoi Beer, xyclos, honking horns, xe oms (motorbike taxis), hotel breakfasts running from 6-8 am ('have a lie-in! You're on holiday!'😉, Saigon Beer, over-attentive/under-attentive restaurant staff, motorbikes, eating roast chicken with chopsticks, 'Teacher! How many countries have you visit?', hotpot (not Betty's), chickens everywhere, 333 beer, people occasionally pointing and laughing at you on the street, more honking horns and motorbikes, mango smoothies, the occasional taxi driver who actually can't drive a car but smiles a lot and has no worries about lurching into the traffic chaos and promptly stalling, cinemas as a social occasion, not for film watching, Vodka Hanoi and Dalat Wine, unpronounceable names (even after 4 and a half years), baguettes sold on street corners, 'Teacher! How many children do you have?', motorbikes......and a massive group of friends from so many countries
who I hope we keep in touch with and meet again somewhere in the world.
Did I mention motorbikes?
See you next time, Vietnam.
Beep beeeeeeeep!
Kris and Kate head off into the sunset....
THE END
(or is it...?)
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Dancing Dave
David Hooper
AFTER THE APPLAUSE
Kris & Kate...May life be good to you in the Middle Kingdom...China that is. Take a bow...time for your next performance. Hope to see you in Shanghai some day.