It's Hot in Vietnam

A few notes about my latest trip to Vietnam 6-9 Mar 09.

The whole trip can be described as "exciting" - meeting Vietnam, their way of life, rich culture, and our own personal misadventures...

Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City
Also known as Saigon, first stop is dining in Allez Boo. I like the local stir fried noodles with seafood. But do stay away with local iced tea. One of us asked what is the quickest meal to prepare, the waiter replied "Bread and Butter" in straight face. Taray ng lola mu!

Settling for the first travel agency in sight, booked for a special day tour trip in Cu Ching Tunnels and Mekong Delta River Cruise.

On board are Leah, Chris, Nell, silent driver, myself and our charming tourist guide Viet...

Cu Ching is 200KM long built during their war with the Americans. What's amazing is that it's a 3 level tunnel in 10m depth. They go inside these tunnels when they are being bombed. Only the first level served as bankers and the other levels are just passage ways. These tunnels are designed only for petite asians to crawl. We got the chance to try one of the tunnels designed for tourists (widened). At first, it was really exciting but once your inside you cannot wait to see the end. It smells earth, feels like your inside a closed compartment, and it's difficult to breathe bec of less oxygine. I was the last so it feels really creepy. Im holding on to the shirt of the person infront of me; afraid to make a wrong turn and be left behind. I am thankful than ever that I am not yet alive during any war.

How about a delta river cruise at night time? The setting is far from Paris. The usual dark rivers whose main purpose is for commercial. Anyways, we visited 2 islets. In the Unicorn island, we had our lunch at around 6pm. We had local spring rolls, soup, prawns, fried rice and desert. It was good. Had the chance to see how are the local rice paper are being made. On the next island, called Dragon I think, we had a fruit platter and a serenade of local songs.

Highlights: Chris got to see silhouttes of 3 naked ladies.

Day 2 - Mui Ne, Phan Tiet
After a pain staking 5hour bus ride trip, Pandamus resort has welcomed us we all its grandeur, and grandpas and grandmas. The guests are all oldies except us of course. I think it's the most expensive resort in the area. The pool was nice but beach is not so spectacular. To enjoy the night, we went out for a livelier crowd. We had a good dinner and a really nice massage with real aloe vera. Witnessed a few drama on the road...

Highlight: Boob flash

Day 3 - Back to Saigon
Visited Sand Dunes just walking distance from the resort. Got to try slide in scorching hot desert. On way back to the city, beat the travel time to 7hours bus. ride.

Hightlight: A different sauna experience

Notes from Viet:
Xin chao - hello
Cam on - thank you
Pagoda/Temple - given to people who introduce new religion/spiritual organization
Nguyen - common surname; the whole country adopted the last name of their king in history of Vietnam to be able to easily distinguished them selves with other races and therefore unite themselves
Hi-way coffee shops - built as resting place for traveling motorbicyclists; instead of chairs and tables, they have hammocks. Adopted from farmers who must have his own hammock in his field.

Facts:
food - generally good food; recommends Highlands Coffee
motor bike - main mode of transpo; hundreds of them in streets
past time - watching traffic
no Starbucks - but saw Gloria Jeans and Coffee Bean
Jollibee - at home ka dito

Nice meeting you Santosh

It's a tough competition in Singapore.

I just heared this week that one of my team mate is not going to be renewed. It's really sad news. He's not given much of a chance to improve. It's seems that it's just rally work, nothing personal. The company has very low tolerance for non-performance. You should always watch your own back.

Really sounds cold... I dont know how long can I take the corporate stress. I just leave it to God. I have promised to Him that I'll try to be good in everything I do. I'll try to read signs and if I don't see any reason to move away, I won't.

I still believe I have a great team. I am with them because God has placed them there to teach me something.

No such thing as Unaccidental

As I was sitting in the train, thinking of sleeping throughout the travel I saw a friend riding on the next station. From our chatting, I just remembered her birthday is coming. Thank goodness I buy presents in advance. I already have something in mind that I know she will like...

No such thing as unaccidental. If I had not met her on the station, I most probably have missed the chance to let make her feel important, and I'll feel bad for being a poor friend.

Thanks Kindness for these chances...

the letter that was not sent

hi there! it has been more than a year but not that long to forget. time seems shorter for my heart is taking baby steps away from you...

im fine. i have gone far since our last talk. i find my feet has taken me to a new land. in less than a year, i was able to able to fulfill the plans we're just discussing, my dreams actually. if you know me i usually dont plan. i just go with the flow. im not so good with change and surprises. anyways, i can say things got better with my career and my family.

as for what i really want, i know there's still something missing. and i know why i cannot go there, im stucked else where. anyways, it's not about you why im writing. im not expecting anything from you. just want to say that im taking those baby steps...To be sure of myself, take the responsibility to choose to be happy and not to be afraid to love again.

it's fate that i met you. i let fate decides how the story ends.

whereever you are now, i want you to know that even if im not with you even if im not beside you, when you need someone to be just there, think of me holding you're hand.

Brazilian Beauty

A woman need not to go far to find an adventure. Go in a waxing salon, have your hair done and I bet you'll definitely have one of the longest hour of your life if you know what I mean. hahaha

When I was younger, I have already heard of women having their removed hair from unconventional areas. I thought it's only for liberated woman. Well, I was actually right. It's not a conservative act. To go through it, one must be be well informed why others are doing it, be open minded to understand and finally be brave enough knowing it's going to be painful. What I am wrong at is in thinking that whenever a girl/woman makes an effort to do something new to look good, it's because she's trying to please a man.

To re affirm that common notion, my girl friend asked me why did I do it knowing I'm unattached. I answered, "I did it for me. I like it also nice and clean." ;-)

ShapeRun

Woke up very early on a Sunday for a 5KM marathon. That itself was difficult already.

My spirit started to get high as I see in the train other ladies wearing the same green uniform as I do. My goal that day is to beat my personal record of 51.04 minutes in the recent JP Morgan Chase 5.4KM. I'm proud to say I did it! This time, I ran most of the time. :p I think I finished in around 40mins. I'll update once the info is available in the site. The competition was composed of 5Km and 10KM events. The 10KM winner only did it in 35mins. So fast lah!

I am happy with myself because I get to challenge myself. I am not really a sporty kind of person and pushing myself to get fit is an achievement already. Taking care of myself is a responsibility I owe to myself and God.

Congrats also to Ria, my running buddy! A very cool mum! See you in the next event!

Taking back and Living it

I wish to be free of you, myself and of everything else. How long has it been? I'm keeping track of my progress. I have gone a long way. Success is a friend. Luck is my companion. But it's not enough.

What is it that i want? Life has taught me always want more; to be not satisfied. Each time i've decided to stay put and be contented, i have been forced to moved on. Each phase was a difficult transition but good. I was girl from country side with bright hopes and dreams of making it big - that has been too easy for me; build a family and that's it.

I have more inside me. I'm limiting myself with what the society dictates me. It's easy to follow rules or just follow the norm. But i have to decided to take the road less taken. I know it will be hard because im facing whatever it's there unknown. where I'm headed, God only knows but that's where I want to be.

I am where I need to be.