Blazin...

It is ca-razy hot and humid. Ho Chi Minh monument proved to be interesting BUT it zapped us of our staying power because it was blazing hot. Nonetheless we said no a thousand times to the moped drivers, taxis, and bike tuck tucks. It is nice to feel as though we can "handle it" regarless of the fact that we were extremely uncomfortable. I'm thinking that I should have not done the "minimal" packing because all my bras AND shirts are soaked (I'm sure you're glad to know that).

My favorite 10 things today:

1. Breakfast at our hotel
2. Morning walk with my husband
3. AC
4. Shower
5. Touristy "stuff"
6. My camera which took cool "people pics" today
7. Ho Chi Minh...for having cool tourist attractions
8. Liquids
9. Beer
10. Exciting travel plans ahead to Cambodia (killing time right now before we leave to the airport for our NEXT leg of our journey)

You know it's bad when...

...your husband says that maybe we should have travelled in separate cars to get home (to insure that one parent makes it back to the states). We had a 3 hour journey to an from a lovely cruise on Halong Bay. The driving experience was INSANE especially on the ride home. Instead of watching I decided to focus on my book...but when big trucks would whiz by it was hard not to notice. We are back safe in Hanoi and I would have kissed the ground except that probably isn't wise given what I've seen placed on the ground here.

My 10 favorite things in the past day

1. Meeting fun people on our boat cruise hi Kim and Viet (and family)
2. Air conditioning in our cabin (but not in the general areas)
3. Endless picturesque vistas off the boat.
4. Water boat people saying hi
5. Kayaking under rock formations
6. Jumping off the boat to cool off (but concerned about the sanitary level of water - what you don't know won't kill you - hopefully)
7. Romantic meal on the boat
8. Cave exploring at Surprise Cave (it was surprisingly big and cool...lots of oooh aaahs)
9. Tai Chi in the morning light (and stifling giggles during the session)
10. Making it back safe!

A New Dance

We are on our 2nd (or 3rd if you count the day we lost in mid-air) day of our trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. It is like no other trip I've taken and I've actually been to some odd places before. The main thing that is stunning is the number of mopeds and the people on them (and other house supplies and building materials). The strangest was roofing supplies that were way to big for the bike. I am learning a new way to operate with traffic...you see, you just have to step off the sidewalk and assume that people will stop for you. The key is to not make eye contact, walk slowly but determined and just keep a 'soft eye' out for cars that are too close. Luckily they use their horns too to make sure you know what to watch out for. This is what I'm calling a dance. Oddly, I haven't ever felt "unsafe" and I think it's because the drivers are so adept at this...they start riding on them as infants (I've seen a lot in the past two days).

My top ten things to remember so far are:

1. Looooooooooong journey to get here (and little girl getting sick next to us on our short flight from Taiwan-Vietnam)
2. Almost 48 hours of no sleep (maybe I racked up an hour or two on our flights in the form of catnaps)
3. Crazy traffic and driving
4. Amazing people watching (many many people)
5. Interesting items for sale at an outdoor food market (snakes, chicken feet and other unknown things)
6. Monsoon rain
7. Tuck tuck bike ride because we got lost
8. Morning exercises by most all of Vietnam's inhabitants at 6am (we saw an outdoor men's gym with weights and benches right on the side of the street)
9. Women selling their handmade meals right in the street (my husband will likely try one while here...notice I didn't say "I" would)
10. Enjoying this type of travel with my man

Pre-flight

I'm now onto my third phase of my many-phased vacation. I am now making my way home to grab my man and whisk him away to foreign lands....well OK he's whisking me...but it sounded good. I have been avoiding thinking about this phase mainly because it is a looooooong way to fly. Self coaching will be in full use...I have visions of being thoroughly enthralled with Vietnam when we disembark from the plane in Hanoi...that will be the vision I hold versus thinking about the looooooong flight.

Theme

We party at the beach!

With a theme!

This year was rock-n-roll!

How did this happen?

Sweat

It is hot and sweaty here on the Outer Banks of NC. I feel as if I am in training for my upcoming anniversary trip to Vietnam/Cambodia where I believe I could raise the bar higher. My lesson's from today's hot and sweaty day...I sweat A LOT, I get uncomfortable when I'm hot and sweaty and I search out AC at all costs. If my husband happens to read this .I give him fair warning.

Family=good

Given that mostly my family reads this blog I thought I'd give a secret shout-out as I am in day 2 of 6 with them at the beach.

1. Jumping into my brother's arms and not breaking him
2. Acknowledging with my older brother that we both SUCK at communicating with each other (and curiously we didn't make agreements to be better)
3. Feeling completely comfortable that my kids are safe with all adults (and older grandkids)
4. Watching all the grandkids feeling comfortable being themselves without judgment
5. Acknowledging with my older brother that we SUCK at communicating with each other and being OK with it (and curiously we've not made plans to be better about it.
6. Having 2 parents to share these moments of familial bliss

OK so I just erased my blog twice and so I am stopping with Six (versus my normal 10) and now I'm going to telepathically tell my family my other thoughts. Instead of being more transparent about my thoughts I'll speak in code...ILY!

hello goodbye

I've done all my travel related chores and more.
I am amazed at my productivity today...makes me wonder about my nonproductive days...what was I doing with my time?
The kids are pumped for our journey.
I am ignoring the fact that our journey involves flying.
The kids will miss their father for a full month.
I will miss their father for 2 weeks.
I am looking forward to the fun ahead but also am oddly weirded out about the time space travel I'll be doing...
Must fly...literally.

See you on the other side!

Readying

I am readying for a trip with my kids. I find it fascinating that right before a trip I fill my minutes with way too many things to make it a smooth last day home. The run down goes as follows. I have done a debrief from a client call, I am editing pictures for a photography client, we threw an early party for my husband's birthday because we won't be home. I also have library books due. I want to participate in a call tomorrow. I'd love to wash the sheets and remake the beds so they're fresh for our return. Oh yeah, and the cleaning person will be coming while I'm gone so I'll need to give her the heads up. I need to respond to a few emails regarding my trip. I would like to put a new blog up on my business site. I could go on for centuries....but alas, I have to get back to my "to do before I leave" list. By 10pm tomorrow night, this will be a distant memory and I'll be squished between my two kids while we make the 5 hour 'red-eye' flight back East. THEN I will relax...sort of.

Points

I get brownie points today with my kids (actually cookie points). I surprised them with a spontaneous offer for THEM to make chocolate chip cookies. They were surprised because I don't offer that option very often for three main reasons a) we'll then eat the cookies which aren't the healthiest option for us b) the jockeying and quibbling about who gets to do what c) the mess it makes. So, my kids are thinking I'm fairly cool right now (ironic because it is HOT here). I made it even more fun by having them do 20 questions on "what" I was allowing them to make. An added bonus is that I'm going to allow them to add some marshmallows to a few of the cookies as a little bit of a "test kitchen" experiment. Today, Friday July 9, I am cool in my kids' eyes. I will write this in my book because my days could be numbered and I will need to look back on these moments for reassurance.

Hi there!

Just licking my DQ cone. Moving slowly because the heat has come. Writing has slipped my mind most days, and that is good...no judgment on my part. I hope to become a regular writer again, but if not...it's all good! Until next time...stay hydrated, avoid the hotspots, and shoot for happy most of the time...it feels good!

Stop

I cannot believe it is July 2. That cannot be true. Time is on warp speed and I'm not sure I agreed to this. I have to remind myself to stop and take in each moment as they come. Maybe that is what it'll take to slow it down!

Sleepy

Today is a chilly, overcast day...and I feel like snuggling under the covers to hibernate...until summer begins. July 5 is the forecasted date...fingers crossed.