Hi everyone back home... we're sorry we haven't updated for a while ... but things are quite different over here ... when it rains too much, the power goes out, internet goes down, fawlty towers leaks, and then when you do get time, the computers are taken down stairs. (My comp doesn't even get wireless, so gotta rely on the ones down here).
We're really settled now, and "got with the programme". I'm working lots, but working through lunch, much to the horror of all the staff here. I'm sure they think that I am going to starve because I skip lunch; and because I don't have a nanna nap with them on the mat, they think ... oh I don't know what they think. We smile and nod a lot, and pretend to understand each other. Have learnt lots of vietnamese words, then forget them, then say the wrong one, in the wrong tone, and am probably calling them all big fat cows, instead of "good morning". Tone is very importand here ... and since I'm absolutely tone deaf. I don't have much of a chance.
Everyone we've met are great, quite a few aussies here, and we meet up once a week, if not more. We have a big breakky in the morning, and because we've been here so long, we get great meals .... really cheap at the hotel ... like noodles, veges and chicken (?) ... less than $2. Everyone eats out all the time, its cheaper than cooking at home. Besides, we don't have any cooking equipment in our rooms anyway! Have never ever drunk rum in my life, but the boss (Robyn) bought me a rum and lime juice ... was really nice ... not so the headache the next morning.
We're tha laugh of the town now with our bikes, people are starting to know us ... (I guess we're not that hard to recognise) ... and aren't getting chased down to buy things all the time (thank goodness - it was starting to wear us down).
Have been taking taxi to work because of the rain ... didn't trust my skills on the bike, with water half way up the wheels. Taxi costs 16,000 dong .... about $1.10 .... $1.30 if they go slow (and that's not often). We now have two excellent tele-tubbies ... hoping that we'll have at least one of them dry ... oh speaking about dry .... sent some laundry out on Sunday - got it back yesterday, then had to hang up in the shower all night, cause was still damp... apparently they iron things dry over here ... Anyone want to open up a clothes dryer shop with us????
The river has broken its banks on this side and is coming up the side streets in the ancient town ... but that doesn't stop anything ... the markets still operate ... they just move the produce off the ground to a box, stand in the water and keep selling things. Oh, one thing different, the boats that were on the river, are now in the streets, and the owners paddle up to the bars and offer people boat rides ... Really bizzare
We went shopping tonight and bought an ironing board, another hat stand, etc etc, some of the things we were struggling without ... and they said they gave us local prices ... cause we're doing good things for the children. Which was nice .... but i don't think it was local local prices ... Anyway ... a little man loaded up the back of his motor bike with all our staff and brought it all round home for us ... and away we went on the pushies again. You would imagine by now that we would have lost weight .... NUP ... neither of us ... Cheryl's put on 3 kg... and me 4 ... grrrr we can't believe it. Oh Cheryl's hand is OK ... but Robyn has some sort of parasite thing on her shin (a living thing)... Every time she tries to get it out, it just crawls up a little and settles down again ... medication hasn't killed it. Now she's trying our Combantrin and magnaplasm ...
OK that's it for now ... time for shower (that's another story .... !!) ... and bed time ...
Great news also ... my niece has safely delivered the twins today ... girl and boy .. so off shopping for them tomorrow! TTFN and hugs to all .... Lyn and Cheryl
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