Sapa Day 3 (Yes it's out of order)

Road Block 1

At present we are sitting on the overnight train headed for Hanoi after three wonderful days in Sapa.  Matthew has just closed the door to our cabin, which I guess is unfortunate for the Vietnamese on the train because it now means they have nothing to stare at as they pass our cabin.  And the little boy who has taken on the responsibility of pushing all the fold up foot steps back into the up position will have to bypass our cabin.  Hopefully the kids in this cabin will eventually go to bed - maybe without the westerner’s show it will be sooner rather then later. (no we are not actually putting on a show but rather sitting on our beds on computers) The train has left only 4 minutes late, which according to Vietnamese time is early – we have a spare bunk in our cabin this time and I can only assume that the passenger has missed the train because it left early! 

This morning we left our Eco lodge and headed back into Sapa Town. (See different Blog)

Still road Block 1 just a little further down the road

Our plan was to have a look around the town before we left at 5.30 to head to Lao Cai to catch this train.  We decided on the 9.30 bus to Sapa so we had plenty of time to look around.  Unfortunately the lodge is on top of a mountain with only a rudimentary road.  About 10 minutes from the lodge the road was blocked by a truck and backhoe.  There had been a landslide we think and they had to remove the rocks to open the road.  There were three small Vietnamese men lifting the rocks putting them into the scoop bit of the back hoe, when that was full they emptied it into the truck to then begin the process again.  Every once a while the truck and the back hoe would move 5 meters down the road and continue their rock gathering.  The motorbikes could at times sneak pass but we could do nothing but watch.

Road Block 2

After 50 minutes the truck was finally full so it began its journey down the mountain, the backhoe followed to a point it could pull over and we could pass.  Josh who had by this time gotten out his laptop and was distracted didn’t even get to put his laptop away before we hit yet another road block this time a backhoe was digging into the wall, probably doing his bit for widening the narrow road – whatever he was doing we were stopped again.

By now there was an overwhelming smell of what smelt like nail polish remover.  Despite my insistence that I did not have nail polish remover with me Matthew was doubtful, so I checked my bag to see if there was anything leaking. But we were not the culprits instead one of the two 20 liter drums in the back of the van was leaking.  We tried to tell the driver but he kept saying something about Vietnamese fuel smelling, we kept saying or trying to mime a leaking drum at which point he demonstrated a lighter action and shock his head – we could only guess that this meant whatever was leaking was not flammable!!! Hope he is right.

Helmets are so not attractive

The Waterfall

Wifi at the waterfall? So important!

Snack

We eventually made it to Sapa town and as good Ho Chi Minhers we hired motorbikes to tour around – Matthew and Josh convinced me that after 30kms of walking over the last two days we did not need to walk a hilly town.  I didn’t need much convincing I must say and I was keen to try my motorbike skills out in unfamiliar territory.  We found our way to a lovely waterfall, after quite a few wrong turns – I think Matthew and Josh were just helping me master u-turns – we then drive around the town stopping for lunch, for markets, for new earrings to replace the ones that Josh knocked out of my ears – yes knocked out whilst pretending to sway on the van but it worked out for the best for I now have two pairs of new earrings.

And now we are on the train headed for Hanoi and I might try and talk the others into cards.

Bella's Last Day

What do you do on your last day in Ho Chi Minh City?  This is was Bella did.......

June 2013

What a week!

It's been wonderful, it's been horrid, it's been full of proud tears and full of sorrowful tears, and it’s been a week of lasts and a week of finishing so so many things and a week of endless goodbyes.

We had our final visitors this week.  It was a pleasure showing off our adopted city for the last time - to Joe and Lucinda thank you for visiting us we loved having you here.

Ms Hang and I at Graduation

I finished my three years at school this week and it was with many tears that I have said goodbye.  Besides saying goodbye to Ms Hang and Ms Nga one of my unexpected difficult farewells was to one of our cleaning ladies.  She is a lovely lady who besides neither of us sharing a common language we manage to greet each other every morning and to acknowledge each other throughout the day.  She came into the library on Wednesday and spoke with me, having no idea what she was saying I gave the typical Vietnamese Jazz hands.  She then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote 2014 at which point I knew exactly what she was asking and with tears brimming in my eyes I said no I am not coming back.  She then said something to me in Vietnamese, at which point I shock my head, and then she said "but me like….".  By now both of us had tears in our eyes– after a hug we both went back to our jobs – hers in the Vietnamese world mine in the Expat world, I am truly grateful for the friends that I made here particularly the ones who despite not having a common language we somehow are important to each other.

Josh and the Middle School Rock Band

What are they talking about?

I had three graduations this week, where I shed many a tear.  My own elementary school, where Mr Jim despite his promise made me cry on stage when he acknowledged my service to the school.  Josh’s graduation was next, this time their where tears of both pride and sadness, pride for this young man of mine who has become such a part of this Vietnamese school. Today he played in the school rock band, won sports  awards,  both the Social Studies Achievement Award for his Grade and was one of 6 students who won Outstanding GPA Award.  But when his Friend Ahn spoke with his many references to Josh and Australia I shed tears of sadness at friendships that have been formed and now have to endure farewells.  

Josh Graduating

Middle School Graduates Class of 2013

Josh and Ahn

Friends

Bella’s was the last graduation.  

The pomp and ceremony of the high school graduation is enough to bring the tears again.  For Bella it is the end of 13 years of schooling and whilst there are many wonderful things to come it is time to say farewell to what she has done for as long as she remembers, coupled with saying goodbye to friends that have been so important over the last few years, I cried as she sang her final performance for school and as she received her High School Diploma but for her it is time to move on.

Bella's beautiful voice

Graduation from High School

Class of 2013

Proud parents

What are they talking about?

Beautiful

Then it was time to say goodbye to friends and colleagues at a brunch.  And with more tears again I farewelled people who despite being newly formed friends, have become very important in my life and I truly hope I will see again.

The last farewell for this week was on Saturday when I once more sent my child out into the world without us by her side, my only consolation is that in only two weeks my family will be 6 again.

When we left Australia 3 years ago I would never have imagined that our departure from Vietnam could possibly be as emotional as our departure from Australia, how wrong I was.

Josh's Hospital Adventure

It wasn't that long ago that Josh was boasting that he had never been in hospital. Well now he has joined the ranks of those of us who have, having just spent 5 nights in FV hospital.
I took him to the hospital clinic on Saturday morning two weeks ago after 4 days of continually having the runs and severe stomach pain. The funny thing with the hospital here is that you have to register first and Josh having never been to the hospital or even the clinic here we had to register him. As we are filling out forms, showing passports (thank goodness I remembered that) Josh was doubled over on the desk. Then they told him he had to have his picture taken - as you can imagine it is not a very nice photo. Josh asked me what would happen if you had been in a serious accident and were on your own - I could only imagine that they would still fill out forms, check your passport and take a photo!
We then had to go to the paediatric part of the clinic, I kept telling them that he was 14 and was told yes yes paediatric . So we then found ourselves in a very colorful waiting room that even had a really fun looking playroom, which I wanted to check out but Josh was really not interested.
Anyway we see a lovely doctor who orders blood tests, stool tests, and a ultrasound (for the stomach pain), after which we could go home and someone would ring us.
A doctor did ring us and said we had to come back and be admitted to the paediatric ward. 5 days later, 4 IV drip lines, 1 collapsed vein, what seemed like a million different medications, 7 kilos lighter, numerous doctor visits, and constant reruns of the same shows on TV we came home.
The doctor diagnosed a parasite and a secondary abdominal infection. He did say one of the infections was caused by street food, I was nodding away trying not to think of the banh mi I had sitting beside me that I had just gone down to the street and bought. However we both agreed that infections from food can be caught anywhere, even Norway (I was a tad confused with this example but I nodded anyway - I needed him to finish off so I could eat my street food).
All in all the experience was not that bad, except maybe the food, the nurses were wonderful, the doctors thorough, the care excellent - but I do hope we don't go back again.