feb 1 the sydney airport

There are free internet kiosks at the sydney airport. The sydney airport is a pretty nice airport to be stuck at for 8 hours. I am sure there are people waiting to use the computer. I had Wagamama's for brunch. Wagamama's is a noodle place I used to eat at all the time in London. I have been wanting to eat there again for 9 years. That is a long time to want some ramen and fruit juice. But it was well worth my $18.50. Airport food is expensive. The vietnam airport was all new but there was not much to do while waiting for the plane. Although strangley the bathrooms were cleaner at the ho chi minh city airport than in Sydney.
 I don't think I am going to be able to watch the superbowl at all. I think it starts at noon new zealand time monday. My tour starts monday afternoon. Oh well. I will be rooting for the pats anyway. 18 hour time difference is a bit much.
My last day in vietnam was uneventful. Ben and I went to the Ho Chi Minh City museum. The Museum was not very good. But it was only 1 usd. the building was nice. the exhibits were not. oh well. I have now fled that country. I will be in new zealand soon. No more taking my life in my hands when I cross the street. although the cars will be coming from the other way.
ok there really is a line to use the computer. keep reading.

jan 31 at the Vietnam airport

stealing wireless is tough aintain't technology gtandgrand. waiting for plant in vietnamVietnam all for now

Jan 29 photos

Because I love a Pagoda. Don't ask me which one it is because I don't know.


Hats and masks being sold in the Benh Tay Market.


New Years decorations being sold on the street across from Notre Dame Cathedral.


Boy with toy gun. This is what I think of when I think Vietnam.

A man buying lunch from a street vendor as seen from the second floor balcony.

jan 27 photos 1

Happy Chinese New Year 2008. That bright spot to the right is the moon.

View of our boat from shore in the Mekong Delta.

Man painting New Years banner.

Detail of dragon inside one of the pagodas. Sorry no clue which one.

Ho Chi Minh City traffic from the ice cream shop window.

Badmiton is really big here. Sorry the quality isn't great. It is amuzing none the less.

Since it is Sunday I thought we would start with a little Jesus. Inside Notre Dame Cathedral.

jan 26

Today my brother came in. The morning consisted of waiting for him at the airport. It was an eventful drive to get to the airport. There was a lot of traffice. Not a big surprise since there is always lots of traffic even at 9:45 on a Saturday morning. Our taxi drive took a lot of side streets and alleys. So on the way I saw dog being sold on the side of the road like beef. I thought they were pigs. But thuys mom assured me no they were dog. They were little dogs too. I am not sure how I feel about that. I don't have the cords for the camera or my card reader with me at the house so I can't post photos although it would be a perfect time to do so. We are going to dinner soon. Well we are leaving to go to dinner soon. SO I don't really have time to get them. Yes you needed to know that.
I have had to switch rooms at the hotel since my brother came in. Now I am in a windowless room that smells like terpentine. It seems to be a little quieter since it isn't on the street. I guess I will find out tonight. I am ready to leave this country. Only 5 more days.

jan 25

The power goes out every night at the hotel just after 10pm. It is just one of the fun parts of Vietnam. It just came back on. The power wasn't out very long tonight. Which is good. The Internet also went right back on the longer the power is out the longer it takes for the wireless to come back on. I am all about the sharing.
Today I did something super exciting! I bought cheap shoes. Woo hooo! They are brown puma's. They maybe knockoffs. They are good knock offs and they were only 12 dollars. Although I was told I could have gotten them cheaper. But 12 dollars is a great price in my mind. We went to this fun mall type market place. I ended up getting the shoes on the street but the mall had everything. It was kinda like a real nice flea market. It wasn't very touristey I only saw one other white person there.
After shopping was lunch. The oranges here are green . Well the outside is. The inside looks and tastes the same. The oranges we got were super juicy. They are quality fruit.
again I am sorry there are no photos. I can't send photos from the iPod touch. Soon there will be photos. I added captions to the few phots I did post. Enjoy the babble. More soon. Keep reading.

jan 24

Today I did a city tour. The wireless keeps going out so this is going to be short. It was a long day. It we an all day tor. It started with the war rememants museum. It is a wonder the Vietnamese don't hate Americans. Apparently we" the us soldiers from 68-75" indesciminately killed everyone. Women children old people forests. The museum was very interesting. Also it cost 1dollar American. There were 12 people on the tour. There were some French canadiens, swedes, two asian families from the states but it seemed that English was not their first language. The ages ranged as well two college guys, the swedes were late twenties as a guess, and 6 people intheir 50-60s. We went to a pagoda with giant statues. Not just at the alter they were everywhere. The pagoda was very ornate no one was praying today while we were their. Maybe too many tourists.
A side note Yes I heard Heath Ledger died. Drug overdose I read. I clearly have the Internet. I watched tennis today. Australian open mens semi. Nadal lost big. I watched random soccer at lunch man united beat some English premier league team. Sportscenter last night was the strangest sportscenter ever. There was not one mention of the super bowl, steroids, basketball, baseball or even hockey. The only American even mentioned was tiger woods. There was lots of tennis and soccer.
I am really tired. It was a long day. More babble tomorrow. Enjoy the randomness. Wait one more thing. This morning on the way to the tour I took a taxi. I don't think the driver started the meter because it was only 16,500 when yesterday the same taxi ride in a cheaper cab was 19,500. Which if you are doing the math at home it is about $1.50. It is 15,000 dong to the dollar. Ok that is really all.