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Published: January 29th 2014
New year tree
How else to get it home? Found a rare quiet moment whilst waiting transfer to airport for short flight to Saigon, now aka Ho Chi Min city. Not quite the,same though, is it?
Hoi Ann is a relatively peaceful place though the center is a bit manic with the driver's...mainly m/cs and cycles having absolutely no rules..its crammed with markets, and of course, the famous tailors. We went a bit daft yesterday cos its so cheap and they ship it home. So new suits, jacket, shirts, dresses and blouses. Shirley got some stuff made too. More bike rides in country round paddy fields, riding water buffalo, and playing at farmers. 3 nights here, which afforded a rare opportunity to unpack the bags and air the, by now, well worn wardrobe! Also gave us a fair bit of free time just to stroll around, dodging motorbikes and sipping fruit shakes and the odd local beer watching the world whizz by . its unbelievable what these motorbikes and scooters carry...we have seen a family of 6, a 6 foot table and 4 chairs (on 1 bike!), huge orange trees ( for their new year, which starts tomorrow), pigs, chickens, and a live trussed up water buffalo..no kidding. Rarely
helmets and never on children or babies.
Went to cooking class yesterday and learned..maybe that's the wrong word...Shirley learned, I just sort of played with the food a bit..various dishes. Some 6 courses, all of which we ate..that was the good bit! Went to the market with a guide first to get ingredients, none of which I remember..lots of herbs and green stuff. It was a bit manic.. Learned, again a loose term, to make table decorations out of veg...think I'll stick to candles....
Now in our 9th country, awaiting our 14th flight, traveled on 2 overnight trains, countless buses, tuktuks, taxis, 2 cyclos, 7 boats, a water buffalo and an elephant. Its been crazy, exciting, tiring, and fun all in one, and met many new friends, especially in this Asian tour. 16 people, with no personality clashes and all good fun to be with. All over in less than3 weeks, but looking forward to being back home and catching up with our old life, family and friends again. Will be sorry to finish our trip, say goodbye to new friends, and back to Scottish weather and darkness. But Scottish spring is on the horizon, and we've had
an awesome time and experienced many different cultures, and reinforced an appreciation of our privileged lifestyle.
But still nearly 3 weeks left...onward and upward....Saigon and Cambodia awaits us!
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Cris Thacker
non-member comment
The old ones are best eh?
Despite broadening your cultural, geographical and kinship boundaries your jokes are still as rank rotten as when you left.