CHERYL AND TYPHOONS – THEY ATTRACT EACH OTHER

CHERYL AND TYPHOONS – THEY ATTRACT EACH OTHER
Just a little (?) update on the last few days for all back down in Oz … It’s Thursday morning here, and we’ve had an eventful week …. And are both OK. Apparently Typhoon Mirinae is getting a bit of media attention back home, and everyone is concerned about us.
We’re just fine, both at work this morning, and there hasn’t been any blackouts so far today, which is a refreshing change from the last few days ….
But back to the end of last week … BM headed down to HCM to meet Miss Cheryl on her return journey to Vietnam. Internal flights in Vietnam are so inexpensive – under $40 to go back down there. Stayed back at the Oscar Hotel, and they remembered us …. (wondering why?) … and was great to get a western coffee back at Angel-in-Us across the road … soooo yummy … caught up with each other, and then Cheryl unrolls the shopping scroll, an extensive list of orders from back in Oz. So Saturday was a day of charging around HCM to fill the orders, spending much time at the Tax Department Store and back down in Binh Tanh Markets … by that time BM has only 10% left in the batteries and plonks herself down on one of the famous Vietnam armchairs; well actually they are little plastic stools that are about 18 inches high ….. but so comfy when you need a rest.
Taxi ride down to the markets cost us 10 000 dong … and the ride back 38 000 …. Same distance … so big mumma gets the pig in her and starts to argue, and argue, and argue …. All to no avail, cause we were locked in said taxi and could not get out anyway without paying the elevated cost. Now I know it was only $1.50 more, but it was the principle of the thing.
Ohhhh …. Bought out the shoe shop of the comfy little rubber slide shoes that I’ve found … (watch out everyone at home, guess what our Chrissie pressies are!!) … so we then find that there is not enough room in luggage … need more luggage … back to Madam Bag and bargain for another cheapie … which wil be come someone else’s bag (hehehehe) …
Back to Da Nang, then Hoi An with a big delay – solly passengers we have technical problems.. Back to Fawlty Towers where we share room … and all Miss Cheryl’s goods have been packed into my room … bit squeezy … Big welcome for Miss Cheryl …. And we are informed that Sunday night that Madam An and staff have decided to throw a welcome back BBQ for ALL there … which turned out to be a great old night for everyone …. Cheryl oi and I helping with the cutting up .. I of course, cut the plastic thumb off my glove … into the mouse ear mushrooms …. Yep … don’t even ask … but we made stuff, madam an cooked stuff … and we ate stuff …. Best just to think of it as food stuff …
Big day Sunday morning … up at 6am to leave for the orphanage by 7am … and had a good day out there …. Will leave the details of this for Cheryl oi to do ….
Then, just as we think the weather is being kind, well another typhoon is heading across the pond towards us … Great … here we go again. And as Mr Mark commented the other day …. Is there a relationship between Cheryl returning and Typhoons??? … could be … she can shop like a typhoon anyway! …. Typhoon downgrades to a tropical storm … and is heading towards us again, but hen changed course and headed south to Nha Trang … and just before hitting land, gathered speed and became a typhoon again … We up here in Hoi An were on the outskirts of it … and copped a bit of wind and rain, and got another flood … which was impressive … from all the water coming down the river. Marks beautiful bride of 30 or more years toppled from her bicycle from a gust of wind, and is apparently still nursing bruises and aches.
The number of blackouts were annoying …. The noise of a generator is worse still … being asked to turn off your hot water, fans, etc to help the generator is so funny. Putting the generator across the road … and having motor bikes and push bikes trip over the electric cables (lying in water mind you) … watching them refil with petrol in a 2 litre plastic oil bottle, filled from the petrol station (???) – well it’s a hand pump bowser that sits on the side of the road in front of a local shop … You just sit and shake your head with a bewildered smile on your face.
Monday night .. dinner with Robyn, two nw OT’s from Canada and two English ladies who are long time donors to CHIA …. Really enjoyable night …. Dinner nights are always an early night… out straight from work at 6 and home again by 8.30 at the latest …. It’s pitch black at 6pm anyway now …. Into bed and up early for work the next day …. Routine that BM is in … Cheryl is re-adjusting quickly too.
We head round the corner to the ancient town Tuesday night to see if the predictions for flood are real … Yep … sure are … the first two streets parallel to the river are under … and heading up, across and around everything …. Now one would think that the store owners, seeing the waters rising, would elevate their wares, especially the art shops …. But NO … we just stand there and watch the water rise. So, when in Vietnam, do as they do, we sat in a Restaurant and watched it rise too …. Bit difficult when ordering, …. Sorry lyn oi …. Sorry Cheryl oi … we no have that … no power … but we did find edibles, were pounced on by the local children selling everything but their grandmothers (cause they were hiding round the corner waiting to grab the monies from the sales). Head home, on foot, no can’t go this way, flooded, go back …. No can’t go that way either …. Best just grab a taxi, they knew which way to go.
Wednesday morning – the floods came in and went out again over night …. Well most of the water anyway … some streets and the little islands still cut off … And today … Thursday … still water laying round … rain … and looks like more rain coming across the pond from the phillipines … NO… we don’t want that cause have a trip booked for Saturday … we will see if we can make it without getting too bogged … better go …. This was supposed to be short …. Next one will be a list of more funny things you see … the cyclo man peddling behind the two palm trees he needs to move …. But can’t see round the trees .. dear me … the motor bike man with his pet dog behind … carrying and then dropping the kitchen sink on the pavement …. Having to buy cakes from the cake shop using your motor bike light to see what’s for sale …. Hey there’s ways to do everything over here, if you want to! ………. OK time to go … love to all at home …. Lyn and Cheryl ….