Nearly back to Saigon

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Yesterday I went about 40mins out of Ben Tre to visit Phuongs Mums sister.. She was very friendly and her husband knew a little english.. They have a restaurant out the front of their house like a lot of people with their own business do here.. The Aunty and her daughter (Phuongs cousin) looked white... It was really weird to see these european people speaking Vietnamese and dressed like them (alot of women here walk around in what appears to be pajamas)... She put on a feast and she made the nicest fish I have ever tried.. just melted in my mouth like butter.. all the fish around here come from the Mekong Delta. Massive thunder storm broke out while we were there. Never heard thunder as loud as it gets in Vietnam. Earlier in the day we visited more rellies.. Went to Phuongs grandmas house where we will be having the wedding. Shes renting out space at the moment for people to park there bycicles.. She charges 1000vnd and there were about 500 there I rekin.. I saw an even more extreme toilet at her Grandmas house.. she has a normal sit down one but you have to pour water down it to flush it.. Then out the back is alot of fruit trees... which is all very nice.. and then theres a semi large looking swimming hole (it looks like one anyway) - Theres a wooden hut hanging out over the water... I looked at it and it has no bottom but two planks of wood on their side that u sit on and shit into the water haha.. I went back inside to get my camera to take a picture.. but when I went back in someone was on it so I couldnt take a pic.. Phuong told me this morning that when its rainy season the water is right up by your ass.. and sometimes her Dad catches the fish out of the pond (their quite big apparently) and sells them at the market! haha.. eww!

Its quite cool to see Phuongs Mum side of the family are all buddhists and Phuongs Dad side all catholics.. They all have the same set up in their house tho.. Little alters with incense and either a buddha or a mary statue.. Neither talk about religion with me.. Although Phuongs Dad asked if I wanted to go to church with him today.. I said to Phuong... would your Dad be angry if I say no.. And she must have told them and everyone started laughing.. then she said Id be sitting there for an hour and a half anyway not knowing what anyone is talking about.. they all cracked up again.. Her Mum loves to laugh.. Me and her have been laughing together when Phuong and her brother are arguing.. its really funny to watch.. Her brothers quite funny even tho I dont know what hes saying. Today went to go visit another Aunty.. shes right in the bush but not too far away.. There just building a new houise... theyre building it all pretty much for free.. there just cutting down all the trees around them... THe main wood is coconut trees.. then theyve got a flax roof.. There were these fruit i havent seen before hanging around.. Phuong said the inside is all soft and they use it to make pillows. Phuong saw a big red snake slide across the road when we were driving.. I didnt see it but she jumped.. apparently as thick as her arm. Im glad I didnt cause I keep waking up every night at the moment thinking spiders are on me.. dont want to think about snakes to. Her Mum and Auntys have been laughing at my spider nightmares when Phuong told them haha.. kinda like Dad with his tongue ones..

After this Aunty she came with us to go visit another... I met this one last time.. but got to talk to them a lot better this one. The uncle is very cool.. Old guy, looks like a fisherman. They own a restaurant and its really famous around here.. (looks like a shack tho).. people want his recipes.. but he wont give them to anyone.. not even family.. but Phuong wants him to teach her to cook... she rekins he might because in 5 years apparently he wants to set up shop in Aussie.. Apparently hes got a sister in Melbourne.. theres a lot of Vietnamese there.. He kept asking me how much food cost over there... For something he served us, which fed 7 of us.. he said he would charge 10ausd.. I said it would prob go for 30-40ausd in aus and Id never tried Vietnamese food this good. The food in the country tastes so much better than from Saigon.
He talked to me alot. Wanted to know about me, and told me about him and his family, said I could go to his home country.. And of course I drunk with him... One thing thats constant here.. Is the men drink together.. U cant say no, its a bit of insult.. its like a bonding thing. I took a photo of him and his wife before I left.. he was really nervous and took off his hat and went and changed his shirt haha.. I offered money for lunch.. and he refused.. He said Im part of the family.. i do not pay. Its been blowing me away.. How everyone thinks all Asians are after a rich westerner.. Well this family knows im broke.. They dont care.. THey pay for everything.. I wanted some coffee and these little coffee machine things to take back for me, Mike and his friend and Phuongs Mum bought them and gave them as a gift.. I tried to refuse saying that only 1 is mine anyway.. and she said I can sell the other 2 and put the money on my credit card. There being really good, Its blown me away. Its interesting to see how familys work here, I guess it could be the same back home, but Ive always been a bit stand-offish. All the familys are close with each other.. they hang out together, help each other, are friends with each other so I can see how they end up really big. They just expand when another couple marrys.

After that Me and Phuong came home, weve been having sneaky boom booms haha. Then we slept for awhile and then her Mum came home.. She brought some coconuts and took me out the back.. It was really funny watching her with this machete thing hacking at these coconuts to make me a coconut drink,, then she trows the shells in the river out the back, looks at me and bursts out laughing.. haha..

Then we went for dinner at the grandparents.. they had been waiting for Me and Phuong all day but couldnt go earlier because we ate too much for lunch. Another feast yet again.. Her AUnty and cousin came.. The younger kids know a bit of english they must learn in school but are a bit shy to speak it but they try. I met these grand parents last time.. theyre very cool.. THe grandfather keeps patting me on the back and I had to drink beer with him agian :op... He said to me that hes worried hell die soon.. started showing me his liver spots and told me hes 86. He want me to marry Phuong soon.. (Phuongs worried but said hell have to wait) .. he keeps busy by gardening and doing things around the house.. the gardens beautiful. He doesnt smoke but had a smoke with me.. must have been that male bonding stuff. They really want me to feel comfortable and a part of the family. Im welcome to live here in Ben Tre after we marry.. And we have a place to live at an empty shop, and I can take Phuong with me to the local school to try and get a job.. It wont pay much but will be enough to eat and live until her residency in NZ or AUs is sorted.

Dont really want to leave tomorrow.. Ive got a sore tooth.. Was gonna see a dentist when i go back to aus but Phuong said I can see a cheap dentish in Saigon.. I was a bit weary but she was like .. NO! AUs too expensive.. you need pay credit card, we see dentist here. Im nervous, dont think theyll give me injections but ahh well.. you gotta do what u gotta do :oP

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