Bemused

Here I am. My new job starts today. The holidays were just long enough that I feel I have forgotten how to work. I've been in this industry for a while but things truly are very different here.

My mode of transport to work is by foot - how lovely is that? Ok, it's not around the corner but a 45 minute walk feels good. Charlie came part of the way and as we went through the park, we laughed at a puppy chasing a bird flying high high.

Mum came over yesterday and gave me my birthday present - potting mix, planters and little baby herbs and lettuce. We potted them together and carefully poured water around the seedlings. Hopefully I don't kill them too quickly.

Wish Me Luck

Heading back up ito the capital on a Vietnam airlines flight. We say goodbye to the friendliness and peaceful pace of Hoi An. And goodbye to the floods and smell of damp, heh heh.

Home Tuesday morning to inspect my lost and found corockinrolla.

Still Raining

The view from our hotel window... Rain rain rain. Now we've had our first breakfast, we'll don our raincoats and hop step jump to town to examine the rain damage from overnight.
We stayed in last night, did the tourist thing and ordered in dessert and a facial, drank beers from the mini bar.
Yesterday we visited the local market, where you can buy a live duck, a bag of marinated tofu, endless greens, as well as pyjamas and pottery. We did the good cop bad cop routine when bargaining for a hairclip and won a grin from the ajumma selling socks and hairties.

Happy Birthday to Me

It's raining raining today. The whole town is flooded as as we walk around Hoi An, locals are raising their belongings to higher ground and mopping mopping mopping. The hotel we wanted to stay at was right by the river and our driver said, sorry but that hotel isn't really available... We're back from the coast and it's so peaceful...

No real plans except relaxing here until Sunday when we'll fly back to Hanoi. We took the train down the coast to Danang and it was pretty hellish. As we waited at the train station for our 2300 train, tiny mice scurried around our backpacks. I thought I'd booked us sleepers but instead we had seats for the scheduled 14 hour trip.

After a long long time the train finally came to a halt; women with dried squid approached the train windows. Thinking we must be close, we optimistically start planning our arrival. The train stayed still; the women wandered away; so roosters came pecking along the track.

A few hours later, we are all hearded of the train and into some buses; the track was cut due to the floods. Buses, then back on a train for one stop. The trip has so far taken 20 hours.

6 Hour Blocks

I have a little collection of coins and notes from other countries. Mostly from Asian countries, brought home by Dad back in the day when a pocket of change was exciting. I rummaged through and found about 5 pounds, as well as Italian lira. And 20 Singapore dollars. The notes seemed old and I guess they must have been in my collection for a decade. Well, this morning, as the light crept across the tarmac at Changi, I bought Charlie and I Continental breakfasts with that currency.

We arrived from Melbourne at 9.30 last night, and were faced with a 13 hour layover. Yuck. Already tired, we approached the Transit Hotel - fully booked - both terminals - waiting list - come back at 12 midnight... Finding a quiet corner, we ate muesli bars and kissed. After a while we headed back to the Transit Hotel, and they gave us registration cards and sent us down the hall to room 19. A huge clean bed yawned at us... We yawned back...