Blogs from Vinh Long, Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, Asia - page 4

Leaving the hassle & bustle behind for the gentle pace of the south We leave Ho Minh City at 8am to travel the 3 hours south of the busy city to enjoy 2 days and a night in the Mekong Delta. During the drive we notice that the motorbike madness turns into the gentle pace of the bicycle, well almost gentle as there are still thousands of bikes everywhere. We reach our destination and we change from Mini Bus to water taxi for a tour of the Mekong Delta by water. The Mekong Delta often referred to as the "Rice bowl", is at the south end of Vietnam is a vast and low plain, divided by the "Nine Dragons", the arms of the mighty Mekong River. The country most fertile soil is formed by alluvions ... read more

Yesterday was a big day for the boy from Vinh Long. He heard his first music (unfortunately Abba). He rode on his first escalator. He saw fish in an aquarium. He took his sixth car ride. And he went to the doctor. We took him to the doctor the day before, the official one required to get his visa. But yesterday we took him to Ho Chi Minh Family Medical Practice. I always went to the one in Hanoi, when I got, yet again, another case of food poisoning since i can turn nothing down in this land of fresh fruit and spring rolls. HCM Family Medical Practice provides fabulous medical care with a team of international doctors, including Vietnamese. Yesterday we saw Jonathan, the pediatrician from Israel. He gave us such an excellent report on ... read more

Will try to send photos tomorrow. so jet lagged, exhausted, but like in a dream, thanks to everyone for the very nice comments, bao is definitely coming home to a world of love.... read more

Patience is a virtue; virtue is overrated. We booked our flight to leave at 5:45 a.m. from Tally airport so that we could be certain to make our connecting flight in Atlanta (and so our luggage would make it as well). Of course our first flight was cancelled because it wasn't full enough, and we barely made it onto an 8 a.m. flight. When we arrived in Atlanta, we asked the Delta rep in a panic if she could call our next flight to tell them we were on our way and her response was "You'd better run", we thought, wow, they really are the only game in town. We boarded the plane, panicked and sweaty, realizing with dread that there was no way that our luggage made it on. And we were the last two ... read more

So what will our flight route be tomorrow Tallahassee (5:45 a.m.) to Atlanta, 3 hour layover, Atlanta to Shanghai, 16 hour flight, 6.5 hour layover, 4 hour flight to Saigon. Sounds long but somehow peaceful. Fantasy of how we would like tomorrow's travel day to go: Check-in prior to flight easily; Fast asleep by 9 p.m.; awake alert and rested at 4 a.m. as flight leaves at 5:45 a.m.; Friend shoots us to the airport; Bags appear tiny so check in person doesn't bother to weigh; Flight on time and joyful layover in Atlanta with gourmet breakfast; Seats huge and comfy on international flight aka big chair in living room; Sleep like a baby and seem to miraculously awaken just before meals served, etc., etc. Reality of how will go: Receive email from Delta exactly one ... read more