Lin Yutang

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” -Lin Yutang

Monday, July 5, 2010

Welcome To Vietnam


We made. It feels so surreal (thought that could just be the heat). I'm not exactly sure how many hours I have been here but it seems like it had been pretty nonstop from the moment we walked off the plane.

The plane ride was not so much fun. There was a lot of turbulence and it was about 13 hours of sitting for our first flight. I was on one of those double decker planes but I was on the lower level so it felt like every other flight, except longer...and better food. I think they fed us a total of 6 meals between my 13 hour plane ride and my 3 hour from Teipei to Ho Chi Minh. I was so happy to get off of both planes. Meeting Anh's family was crazy and so much fun. Went to lunch at a Pho shop. It was the best pho I had eaten. There really is nothing like the real thing.

After lunch we hung around and ate some leechee nuts which also happened to be the best leechee nuts I have ever eaten. Anh's mother said we are going to go pick some ourselves when we travel later this week. So after lunch and leechees we headed back to our hotel to get our rooms. Some mix ups happens and so it took us a few hours but it got all sorted. Mary and I are sharing a room here in Ho Chi Minh (and every other city we visit), but here our room is connected to my sister Leah's room. Which is kind of nice because it means I can use the nice corner tub Leah has.

After a nap and shower my family regrouped with Anh and her parents and headed off to dinner. Dinner was by far the most exciting part of the trip so far (well besides meeting Anh's family). We ended up on a River Junk. We had a multiple course meal that was made up of different sea food dishes. But along with dinner was a show. There were some dancers and musicians. I learned how to play the tea cups and could have gotten some to play but I didn't bring any money with me. If I want some then I can get some when I return to Ho Chi Minh. I'm enjoying being here and already feel at home (except the bed, its as hard as a rock). I cant wait to wander around the city today and then have a huge family dinner with Anh's Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents. Its going to be an amazing trip I think