Advertisement
Published: October 10th 2010
Hello Everyone!
Time seems to fly by between blogs right now, probably because we're so busy. Seems there's a lot to tell you about since last time....
We are now the (very) proud owners of a 1963 Lambretta 150 Special! The beautiful thing arrived on Thursday night and I spent an hour and a half on friday scooting around on it and getting used to the antiquated gears and clutch. Seemed to be getting the hang of it so took it out on the road for a bit with the intention of staying local. Unfortunately turning left isn't the easiest here, (bikes have to cut in front of the cars) so I ended up missing a turning and going straight into the centre of the city! It was fine, a little intensive for the first ride but managed to get home OK and I now have an aching left hand from the clutch. Might be taking Mrs Moss across the river to the market today if she trusts me yet.
The last 2 weekends before this one have involved getting up before dawn and immediately throwing ourselves into rigorous exercise. Last sunday we were up at 5.45am ready
to start the Saigon Fun Run at 6.30am. It was a good laugh - about 6000 people did it and whilst it was only 4km, it went past lots of the historic and pretty parts of the city centre - they even managed to stop the traffic for an hour!
The weekend before was much more rigorous! We somehow got talked into doing a 'hike' with people from Lucy's school. Now, in my mind, we were off for a pleasant stroll in the countryside on a nice saturday morning - maybe a picnic would be involved and a nice time would be had by all. We started to slowly realise we had been mis-led after we arrived at the place after a 3 hour bus ride. Turns out it was an organised race up a big mountain and then back down again. The literature called it a hike, but it was without doubt a climb. The first 45 minutes were spent going up literally thousands of steps cut into the mountain - I thought this would be the hard part, surely it must level out later? How wrong could I be?! After the steps came another several KMs of
scrambling up boulders and tree roots, smashing though jungle until we finally reached the top. It had become clear on the way up that the social occasion had given way to a battle just for survival and although 9 of us from Lucy's school started off together, we pretty much all finished on our own such was the intensity of the heat and the climb. I finished in just over 4 hours, Lucy came home after about 5 and both of us were in a bit of a dirty, dehydrated and knackered state at the end. Good sense of achievement though!
I've had visitors over at work this week which has meant that it has been even more manic than usual. Didn't see Mrs Moss from monday-wednesday this week because she was leaving for work whilst I was still asleep and I wa getting back home at 12am when she was fast asleep. The visit seemed to go well though and we're still selling a lot of Vietnamese shoes. The week before I was in China for 2 days and then Hanoi for another 2 days on a work trip. Hanoi was interesting - they've got a big do
Bet you never new there were so many different types of rice?
Our first adventure on our new bike to the local neighbourhood marketon this week as it's 1000 years since the founding of the city. I went to explore on thursday night and got swept along with a tide of people all looking at the lights around the lake and getting excited about the celebrations. Unfortunately I had to leave just as it was all starting.
We've got visitors and holidays galore coming up soon! My Dad arrives in early November, then we've got Rachel and Joe after that, and Ian and Joan coming for Christmas. So more exciting adventures await us and we are very much looking forward to them.
Lucy here... just a bit as I'm off to bed soon. Chris has told you all about our unexpected mountaineering and early morning exercise. This weekend has felt very long as we had two lie-ins in a row - woo hoo! Last night was Oktoberfest which was muchos muchos fun. Lots and lots of expats/ vietnamese all paid 750,000 VND (about £25 each) to go and eat and drink German food in a massive events room in District 5. I think we got our money's worth of Schneider Weiss and found it hard to choose between the Big German
Black Lady Mountain
Doesn't look that steep though does it?! Sausage and the Special German Sausage!
Friday night I went to visit an orphanage in District 12 (about 40 mins out of the city). A very kind lady from work set up links a couple of years ago and visits with her husband every week. We went on motorcycles which was fun, but hot and we got stuck in some monumental traffic jams! I will try to get some film footage next time I go. The orphanage had had a lot of money spent on it over the last couple of years but still the staff don't play much with the children who are mostly handicapped in some way. It was soul-lifting to see their smiles and giggles when we played with them and some of them even spoke a little bit of English.
One week of school left and then half term already and we are off to Hai Long Bay for a few nights, so expect some awesome piccies next time.
Missing you all lots and lots though, Ms Rusy and Mr Cwiss x x x
Advertisement
Tot: 0.113s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 11; qc: 63; dbt: 0.0591s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
steve
non-member comment
Hey!!.....absolutely loving the scooter guys.....i hope ur bringing it home with u so i can have a ride????......pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease....lol.............................so i take it the dancin lessons r goin well then Ms Rucy if MR Cwiss has now got his new toy....see ya both soon....ioads a love....Bushy x