Wet dogs...

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It's been raining non-stop since the merry eve of chrimble (11 days ago), so vietnam is starting to look and feel a little grey, especially as we've made our way up the coast on the train. flooded paddy fields run into an uninviting and choppy south china sea that seamlessly becomes a fuzzy gloom of a sky. needless to say its made visiting imperial cities, ancient temples and crumbling tombs a bit too bleak so we've spent a lot of time between foodstalls/cafes; eating/drinking, reading, playing cards and occasionally getting to a top five. here are a few randoms that i can remember...


Top five reasons why i'm definitely not cambodian:
1. No one could understand a word i said, whether in pigeon english, pigeon cambodian or sign language (of course not a problem for hel. with her they got it first time, every time). must be my laos accent
2. I don't like Wats. It started in Thailand, got worse in Laos and hit a peak in Cambodia, home to the region's most celebrated temples. It's not for any good reason - like to what end and at what cost they are built by meglomanics welding religious power. I just find them dull unless in very small doses
3. Last year they discovered a new species of spider the size of a dinner plate. No thanks
4. Many Cambodians like to wear pyjamas all day. Pyjamas give me the creeps
5. My least favourite SE Asian food - too much coconut and the most amount of times i've been 'ill', including a maggots in beef incident

For all they've been through though in the last 40 years (and are still) including civil war, US bombings, Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge's genocidal regime and invasion/occupation by Vietnamese, the people we met and the lives they lead are massively inspirational. Just that, clearly my blood is Laos.


Top five things we're missing from life in blighty, not including friends and family:

Helen:
1. White wine
2. Cheese
3. Hair dryer and make-up
4. Running by the Thames
5. Sitting on the sofa, watching a film

Guy:
1. Harlequins. Having a very good season... so much potential (should beat Wasps away today). Ugo playing for England and GP's top scorer??!!
2. Crumpets (only warburtons) with marmite
3. Jacket potato with tuna, cheese and broccoli (close to having a rice overdose if there is such a thing, does make you realise how lucky we are even with choice of foods at home)
4. Red wine
5. Sunday mornings; papers, coffee, crumpets... and maybe even a bit of the Craven and Foggle on Countryfile. Is there a better partnership on TV?!


Top five elements of our lives in Blighty we're not missing, not including friends and family: (I wouldn't want to single you out Dave... whoops)

Helen:
1. Heels (she couldn't walk in them anyhow)
2. Inbox
3. To-do lists
4. TV (aside from the occasional film on sofa)
5. Coffee (new found love of the cuppa)

Guy:
1. London transport (all went downhill when they got rid of the routemaster)
2. Sitting in front of a computer all day
3. Sitting
4. Wearing an ironed shirt, tucked in
5. High street shops - thank god for not having Boots, WHSmiths, the Dyas, Starbucks, etc

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