I have a page where I've been udpating my Vietnam shenannigans...
http://jessicaandvietnam.chipin.com/jessica-in-vietnam
Do take a look!!!
Arohanui
- Jess.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Journey to Tuy Hoa
I can't believe it's only been about 48 hours since I arrived in Vietnam.
It feels like it has been over a week! I have learnt and seen so much in this short space of time.
Firstly, the ride to Tuy Hoa. It was... well... pretty interesting.
I get on the bus with 2 other volunteers and 2 coordinators, and 1 of them asks for my jandals and puts them in a plastic bag. Not sure why she did that. But I look in the bus and everyone is barefoot. There are no seats, only bunk beds. The bunk beds are to sleep a person that's about 150cm tall. And they are really narrow. I take a top bunk, and I can't stretch my legs, nor can I sit up. The seat belt forces you to lie down. It is an 8 hour bus ride. Wooh!
After 3 hours of half sitting up in the bus, we got off and got served dinner. It was also our only toilet break. In Vietnam its mostly squat toilets. I've used one before but I can't remember the last time I used one. It does require some practice and a whole sack of guts! This time was a lot more difficult. I had my backpack and my green recycled bag on me, and it was also 6pm and getting quite dark! Ooh... I get shivers thinking about it.
We have dinner family style (heaps of dishes shared by all at the table), and the locals were so lovely to us, dishing us rice, telling us to eat, sliding dishes closer to us. You don't get this in London!
After dinner we continued our journey, but it got darker. I stayed up most of the journey. We went on roads where there were potholes the size of elephant footprints. The bus also went on both sides of the road, especially when it needed to avoid a large pothole. I made sure I had my seatbelt on at ALL times, and pretty much was in an ab crunch position the whole journey. At least I got a bit of a workout.
We get there really late but I am so excited I couldn't get to bed. Tomorrow is a whole other story.
It feels like it has been over a week! I have learnt and seen so much in this short space of time.
Firstly, the ride to Tuy Hoa. It was... well... pretty interesting.
I get on the bus with 2 other volunteers and 2 coordinators, and 1 of them asks for my jandals and puts them in a plastic bag. Not sure why she did that. But I look in the bus and everyone is barefoot. There are no seats, only bunk beds. The bunk beds are to sleep a person that's about 150cm tall. And they are really narrow. I take a top bunk, and I can't stretch my legs, nor can I sit up. The seat belt forces you to lie down. It is an 8 hour bus ride. Wooh!
After 3 hours of half sitting up in the bus, we got off and got served dinner. It was also our only toilet break. In Vietnam its mostly squat toilets. I've used one before but I can't remember the last time I used one. It does require some practice and a whole sack of guts! This time was a lot more difficult. I had my backpack and my green recycled bag on me, and it was also 6pm and getting quite dark! Ooh... I get shivers thinking about it.
We have dinner family style (heaps of dishes shared by all at the table), and the locals were so lovely to us, dishing us rice, telling us to eat, sliding dishes closer to us. You don't get this in London!
After dinner we continued our journey, but it got darker. I stayed up most of the journey. We went on roads where there were potholes the size of elephant footprints. The bus also went on both sides of the road, especially when it needed to avoid a large pothole. I made sure I had my seatbelt on at ALL times, and pretty much was in an ab crunch position the whole journey. At least I got a bit of a workout.
We get there really late but I am so excited I couldn't get to bed. Tomorrow is a whole other story.
Da Nang
I'm here! Not without dramas...
I got to Da Nang airport and waited for a bit, but no one came to pick me up. Luckily I printed out the number of the house I was staying at and rung them. Apparently they lost my arrival date.
Mom, Dad don't worry the airport is safe, and I'm totally fine. Met with the other volunteers, everyone is very nice!
Tomorrow I leave for Tuy Hoa, where my placement is, can't wait!
I have to get off now, but will write more when I get a chance.
I got to Da Nang airport and waited for a bit, but no one came to pick me up. Luckily I printed out the number of the house I was staying at and rung them. Apparently they lost my arrival date.
Mom, Dad don't worry the airport is safe, and I'm totally fine. Met with the other volunteers, everyone is very nice!
Tomorrow I leave for Tuy Hoa, where my placement is, can't wait!
I have to get off now, but will write more when I get a chance.
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