Saigon

Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City if you use the technical government name) was the last stop on our Amazing Race. We were able to spend multiple nights in the same hotel which was a welcome treat after our 2 weeks of jumping from location to location. Saigon was one of my favorite places on the trip. It is a bustling city with lots of history and very friendly people. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the day my dad and I opted out of the tour trip and walked around the city for a few hours. We chatted about his time in the war, the current state of the country, his experiences traveling there for the past few years, and the highlights of our trip. For a daughter it was cherished time. Here are some pics of Dave and Chanda's day on the town.

Having a drink on the rooftop bar of the Rex Hotel to cool ourselves down after walking around town in the 90 degree weather with high humidity. hot hot hot!

Thirty five years working in telecommunications and my dad has never quite seen anything like the overhead cables that fill the streets of Vietnam. Pretty impressive.

Traffic... did I mention there is a bit of traffic in Vietnam. You could sit for hours and just watch people almost hit each other. Non stop entertainment.

Well, folks, that's it for Vietnam. I can't tell you enough how amazing of a place it is, how nice the people are, and how thankful I am that I decided to go. The time with my family and sharing the experience of visiting the orphanages in Vietnam was priceless. Thanks for journeying along with me!

Orphanages Part 2 and Nhatrang

After much delay I will pick back up with the remainder of my Vietnam trip. Must get these updates finished so I can let you know about weekend trips camping, visting AZ for Spring Training, and being home for Easter. So many blog updates... so little time. :)

During the middle of our trip our group was able to spend 2 full days at the orphanages. Part of our group made up a small medical team and were able to treat dozens of the nuns and children. It was awesome to see them able to address some medical problems, give advice, and provide funds for medicine to treat some ailments they diagnosed.

The children were definately the highlight. So sweet, caring, and fun to be around.

The youngest children lined up in their play room in the infant dormitory. Their sweet smiles and loving affection stole our hearts.

Where there are children, there is laundry... lots of it! The fence for the garden makes a great place for line drying clothes.

After leaving the orphanages we traveled a few days and eventually ended up in Nhatrang, a gorgeous beach town on the South China Sea. Warm salt water, sandy beaches, and some much needed resting and relaxation were in order.

Two weeks minus Keith made for a sad Chanda. :)

Amazing views and a diverse collection of travelers from all over the world. Plus, it was our first chance to have ice cream since leaving the US which made for happy travelers.