Vietnam - without pictures (day 80...too close to the end..)

Where am I: Rach Gia, a city in the West of Vietnam, at the internet/post office
What time is it: Wed16Dec, 20:10 pm

No photos - I don’t have my equipment with me to upload stuff for you!
I am ok - better then ever if you exclude the mosquito bites on the legs but that comes with the territory.
The trip is slowly coming to an end. On Monday morning if all goes well I will be in South Africa, joining my family after so long.

I promise I will write again - but it will be more photos telling the story of Vietnam (and myself when I get the chance to meet you again)

I have never seen a combination of so run down people, destroyed, yet always smiling and friendly, poor yet still quite proud, maimed and injured from the great American machine but still open to foreigners and the West.

Think of polluted noisy cities with the biggest number of scooters you have ever seen, honking no stop and for no reason whatsoever, think of wide rivers with the sides covers with shacks and houses on stumps, think of families that have one room where they do everything: Eat cook, sleep, work, and dream. Think of elementary schools that are merely a cement box, with an unpaved floor, where the kids come at 0630, the girls sweep the class room and the boys lift the desks and chairs to help them. Think of food on the street and in restaurants that never costs more than 2 Euros.

Think think think...

I am off to Phu Quoc Island tomorrow (get a map), I've booked a lovely bungalow by the sea (the first and last time I've booked something above mid-level acommodation in this trip). Finally some service....!
http://www.seastarresort.com/eng/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=3

Probably no internet, no phone- the only thing I am going to do is sit on the beach and listen to the waves. . And think.. where did 3 magical months go? Why can't time stand still?

The next time I post, some of you might be somewhere else to celebrate x-mas and New Years...and obviously have better things to do than check this blog.

I wish you all the best for XMAS and I hope 2009 is as wonderful and magic for you as these past 3 months have been for me...

Soon. We'll all be back together.