Getting in to routine

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It's been a week now - so I need to get into some kind of routine. The morning seems to come around earlier when your retired. I am waking up "naturally" between 05-06:00am - although sometimes the rooster in the yard next door makes sure I hear him!! A quick check in with Kathie via FB - and then its swim shorts, singlet, thongs and goggles - and on the treadly and cycle 2kms to the 500m stretch of beach between the Victorian Beach Resort and the Golden Sands Resort. The number of other people on the beach depends on my arrival time. If it's before 06:00am - there's usually a dozen or so locals there having their morning "bath". Sand is a great exfoliant - and it's not uncommon to see them rolling around in the wet sand then having a rinse before heading back home - or for some - to their workplace. If I arrive between 06.30 and 07.00am - I usually have the beach to myself - except for the local fisherman who is hauling in his nets or bailing out his tung (basket) boat. This morning I am early - so I am sharing the beach with some locals. I notice quite a lot of jellyfish in the water this morning - so after about 45 minutes of swimming and water aerobics- it's back to the homestay - with lots of "xin chau's" (good morning) along the way. The Vietnamese have to be some of the friendliest people in the world. You don't know them - yet making eye contact or some other gesture with them usually brings a "xin chau" - although many know enough English to say "good morning". By the time I arrive at the homestay I have almost "drip-dried" - so I grab my phone and take a seat in the breakfast/garden room. I am usually the only one there as other guests are still sleeping. The standard choice for breakfast at most homestays is:

Bread (Vietnamese roll) with omelette

Bread with fried eggs (2)

Bread with scrambled egg

Noodles (think instant)

Fried rice with vegetables

Pancakes (3 small with marmalade)

Pick one from the above

Tea

Vietnamese coffee (black or white; hot or iced)

Lemon juice

Pineapple juice

Watermelon juice

Pick from the above although the tea comes as standard

Fruit plate (usually watermelon, banana, pineapple, apple) comes as standard

After breakfast it's back to the room and into the shower. A quick check of the e-mails to see if there is any outstanding travel business or requests for X-mas tour or other such services. Time then to chat with Kathie on FB Messenger and find out what's happening back in OZ.

I usually spend a little time in the room before deciding to head out somewhere, but today was spent catching up on the travel blogs - then making a start on the website for my friends across the road and their little restaurant - which they are hoping to make attractive enough to get some foreign guests from the nearby homestays and resorts. It's amazing how quickly the day goes when you get engrossed in projects like this. The only time I leave the comfort of my cool room is to go to the aforementioned restaurant for lunch - then it was back for the afternoon session on my laptop. I left the room again to go across for evening meal and a few beers. The computer work left me a little jaded - so it was back to the room - a quick chat with KLY. A quick check of the blood and I was only 5.9. Good boy Trevor. Evening pills then into horizontal position. I fell asleep with the TV going (again!!)

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