Working for our lunch

 

Wed 26th Nov 2008

To meet in foyer for 8.30 start. River cruise which was in jeopardy due to local flooding and strong currents. Cruised around a bit, saw some local fishermen casting net. Think I got some good shots. Probably a set-up ‘chance encounter’. Gave him 10 000 dong ($1AU). Landed and walked to Organic herb farm where after tour we pitched in to prep a bed and plant cabbage seedlings. Foot bath then lunch – all local stuff and some fish. Good. Back on the bus, back to town to silver jewellery shop – again, oversold by Keith. Mary never did get the earrings she ordered, but she did get her money back. Nice enough stuff, cheap, but I wasn’t really even tempted by anything, not my thing.

Fitting at Yaly – went well, pants a bit loose around the waist and need hemming. Shirt great, just needs hemming. Very happy. Should be delivered to reception at 6pm with my originals. Will be glad to see them. Pauline headed back to hotel because she will wander later. I wandered for a bit but got bored being hassled to buy. Wish I had looked at my info, would have gone back to the Japanese Bridge. Anyway, negotiated for cyclo ride back to hotel, 50 000 dong, but so pissed off – broke my watch getting in. Tried to fix it but can’t. Going to cooking class and dinner tonight. Have to be ready at 5.30pm in foyer. Keith has itchy rash – thinks it might be something he ate. Barbara gave him some Polaramine.

Roads near river flooded so had to cut through someone’s café to get to ‘Morning Glory’. Class good – made a spring roll and rice pancake. Dinner afterwards was good too. Ken found his way there, we didn’t know if he would. Clothes from Yaly waiting for me when we got back. Terrific! Bed so bloody hard!

Road trip tomorrow to Hue via China Beach and Marble Mountain.

Protestors in BKK airport, could be trouble.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

To Saigon

  Sat 22 nd Nov 2008 Woke about 6am to sounds of breakfast being set up. Tried to get back to sleep but no good. Our room was above the foyer, a double height ceiling. Packed up and bags out before breakfast. Met in foyer at 8.15. Rita not well so didn’t get to say goodbye. All the others came down to see us off. Adelle and John, Margaret and Barry, Sandra and Maz, and Kay. They made a guard of honour at the door. What a nice bunch. Meet up with the newbies tonight so that will be interesting. Currently sitting in Siem Riep Airport waiting for flight. A bunch of Aussie guys have arrived for same flight and are playing local version of hackysack. Bit noisy. Then, when they get bored with that, they start singing, falsetto, ‘Kiss From a Rose’, how funny are they? Talk to them on the way out to the plane, they are from Wollongong. Flight SR to HCM good except at the end, a few clouds had bumps in them. Sarah (from the other group) was feeling a bit seedy, but was before the flight ...
Read more

The temples of Angkor

  Fri 21 st Nov 2008 Awake before alarm went off @ 4.30. Had to be ready to leave @5am!! Quite a sight – row of tuk-tuks in the dark. Pre-dawn coolness nice at first, but did get a bit chilly. Arrived at Angkor Wat at dawn – so many people there already! Sunrise not too spectacular, but lovely view anyway. Amazing place, so big and so many intricate carvings and bas reliefs. Sat in a ‘restaurant’ to eat our breakfast box about 8.30, pretty crappy, but food. As long as we bought drinks, the owner didn’t mind us being there. Made it look busy I guess, or they had an arrangement with TIC. Little kids funny, all trying to sell something. Once they figured out where you were from, they would rattle off the country’s vital statistics. Keith bought from one little girl because she was the only one who knew Canada. Bought 2 packs of postcards to supplement the photos, $1 each. Next stop by tuk-tuk, the Bayon. Another amazing place, but for different reasons. More compact, but taller a...
Read more

Busy day

  Sun 23 rd Nov 2008 Breakfast good. Local guide ‘Long’, driver ‘Jack Brabham’!! Met at 8.30 for tour to Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral then out to Cu Chi Tunnels. Amazing how they lived. Some of the group went thru the tunnel – Ken too tall. Stopped at rubber plantation on way back in from Cu Chi. Lunch of Pho Gai (chic) at Pho 2000. With a 333 beer, total cost $5 US. Then on to Presidential Palace (Reunification Palace) for tour, very interesting and some furnishings very opulent. Thought we were going up to roof, but didn’t. Still haven’t been to the Rex Hotel yet….. After that to the War Remnants Museum – bit graphic but now I get the people here with deformities. Caused by Agent Orange and residue. Last stop, a lacquerware factory. I could care less!! Lot of work into producing so gotta appreciate that. Return to Hotel with storm clouds brewing. Lightning outside now, 5.45pm. Will have free internet access in Hoi An. That will be good. Off to the Mekong Delta tomor...
Read more