Last Post from Vietnam...

Been having the time of our lives. And we leave tomorrow.

Just like I had a little anxiety about leaving the states for so long, and going to a different 'world', I am having the same feelings about returning.

I am really looking forward to seeing my awesome family and friends, of course, and catching up. I am anticipating what I will do for work. I am anxious to generate theatre, and to perform. I can't wait to drink water from a tap, be able to breathe deeply the fresh air of the northwest, to ride my beloved bicycle, to wear jeans and my favorite sweat pants and sweat shirt...all the little things I have missed so much.
At the same time, it makes me a little nervous to have all those things and to move on to this next chapter. And I am excited. It's such a mix of emotions, just like July 2, 2008, when I left the states.

Living in Asia has taught me a great deal about humanity, kindness, compassion, empathy, love, pain, poverty, education, and what the human body can endure.
It has made me realize so much about myself and my place in this crazy and beautifully fucked up world. I know these experiences will carry on and continue to teach me things I never realized. I also know that when I get home, I am going to get rid of nearly all I have...I want to have only 3 boxes of clothes and things to my possession. It feels wrong to have so much...just unnecessary.

I love the trajectory my travels took...teaching in Nepal, and living with an amazing and absolustly unforgetable family; trekking and reaching over 17,000feet; experiencing India in all of it's suffering and glory; climbing, kayaking, swimming and relaxing in Thailand; road tripping through Vietnam.
That is the last 8 and 1/2 months in a nutshell.
There were times I got frustrated, and there were times I wanted never to end.
All in all, I loved it all, and wouldn't change anything for the world.

Thanks for reading and for your support.

All My Love.

We are back in Nha Trang. Change of plans. Turns out the trains here are very expensive. It would have cost over $100 to go North and back, so we decided not to go. Save Northern Vietnam for next time.
We went to a resort about 50km north of Nha Trang. It was great. $30 bucks, way more than we would normally spend, for 2 people. An awesome bungalow about 10 meters from the ocean, with a lovely balcony, all 3 meals included (and the food was amazing), free water, coffee, tea and fruit all day long. It was glorious. The man who owns it is a French man in his 80's, now with a Vietnamese wife and 2 children (the youngest one is 6). He was so charismatic and corkey.
Yesterday we got back to Nha Trang, only this time we are staying north of the main part of the city. We have nice room on the top (6th) floor with a sea view. It's pretty fabulous.
It is so nice to have time to explore and have no itinerary. We aren't sure when we'll leave here, or where we'll go next. We might cut in land to the Cat Tien National Forest, one of the only remaining since the American and Vietnam war.

Leaving Nha Trang today. While this city is pretty touristed out, it has been a nice place to chill and recover.
Recover from a motorbike accident that we had about 5 nights ago.
It was pretty intense.
We were driving through a little city, on a street with a median, and this man pulls out in front of us to turn left, and sees the sea of motorbikes coming straight for him at 50-60kph, and freezes. T.J. swerved to avoid him, but to no avail we ran stright into the side of his bike, causing a horrible crash, with the bike landing on my left leg. I think I was crying before I even hit the ground. I was so frightened of being run over, that I barely realized that I was hurt. My leg is still sore, and scratched and bruised, as well as my right hip. It could have been much worse. I am really glad that helmets are manditory here for drivers and passengers (though most children don't wear them, which I think is almost backwards) because I did hit my head. The guy we hit suddenly stood right up, and was covered by a mob of Vietnamese, as well as TJ and I. Then all of a sudden he was gone. We were preoccupied with women lifting our clothes and cleaning out our wounds, we didn't even noticed he left.
Not like we would, or could, have called the cops, as we wouldn't be able to communicate, and nothing would be done. To us, anyways. I hope that the man we hit is O.K.....though we do wonder if he just left straight away because of "White Tourists". dun dun duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

So, we spent the first 2 days relaxing and recovering, just hanging out at the beach, though I didn't swim. I know salt water is supposed to be good for wounds, but there is a lot of bacteria in the water, and it f-ing hurts.

Then we went to Vinpearl Land, which is an island that has an amusment and water park, a white sandy beach, and games. You take a gondola over the ocean to get there. It was so fun to run around like a kid. We were probably the only adults there with no children. :)

We have to have the motorbike back to Saigon on the 6th, and then we'll leave on a train for our last train trip(s) north and back...for our flight...

I don't want to go home.
If it weren't for my amesome family, I think I would extend my trip.

............