our first roadside stall meal which got us hooked and going back for more!

punkie looking extremely adorably grumpy in her ah peh pyjamas

I continued worrying when on the second day punkie came down with a fever. It was scary how she heated up the whole bed. I'm not very good at taking care of people, maybe because I never really had to take care of myself. It didn't help that she's allergic to Panadol, or that she refused to let me go out alone to buy food for us. So all I could do was hang around, watch her down water and go to the toilet repeatedly, and wait for the fever to run its course. Helplessness sucks.

the lil shortie recovered quickly, so i was happy! :)

my favourite picture of the day: shifty eyes!

nun seeking the shade

it just stretches on. isn't the hall grand?

compare and contrast. the caucasian got stuck and had to be hauled out by 2 men!

caught by surprise in the midst of a duckwalk

my first time touching a (moulting) snake! surprisingly, not slimy!

very pleased being rowed along with my conical hat

my lil shortie looking like a child here!

cute kid 1 (dang, why wasn't i as cute when i was a kid?!)

the pineapple ladies whose boat we sat on

Oh oh! The toilets are out of this world! In Saigon I had quite a culture shock when I visited the washroom and saw some ladies squatting down at an area - which looked like a foot-washing bay to me - peeing unabashedly! No shields to hide behind so I could see their asses hanging out of their pants! As I was washing my hands I snuck furtive looks at the lady closest to me, and saw that after her gush of pee finally abated, she just took toilet paper and wiped her down there in front of everyone. I was taken aback - I'd never seen anything like that before. Then I went to Mekong Delta, and came across an even more primitive toilet. You have to walk to the little shelter balanced on two tree trunks, with a little basket of paper (used in lieu of toilet paper, I reckon) outside, and you have to do your business between the tree trunks into the pool of water (full of algae) waiting below. Can you imagine that? Behold the amazing/fascinating toilet:

that's my posed shit-face, by the way

This was also a leg I'd eagerly anticipated because I'd read about their mud spa, mineral baths, massages... Coupled with the beach, it seemed like a rest and relax haven - and it was!

us (it has a nice ring to it) :]

:: RANDOM TRIP ::

trust me as your rider?

big moomoo, small moomoo

c'mere!!

the hon chong rocks! some love story behind it i think

tall and imposing

i have this uncanny ability to look silly >.<

heelstretch. you doing a karate kick? =p

both of us trying VERY HARD (in vain) to do a scorpion

bridge (not over troubled waters, but grainy sand)

and the training ended with a nice sunset :)

the most adorable kiss kiss face ever! <3

lego women enjoying the sunset :)

Time whizzed by so quickly. Before we knew it, we were on the last leg of our holiday, back to Ho Chi Minh to spend Christmas eve and Christmas. One thing I liked about Saigon was that people recognised us! The staff at the tour agency, the hotel which we stayed at, the cafes we ate at... It felt good to be remembered; It made me feel like we belonged. Bui Vien Street became familiar and felt like home! Unfortunately on the first day our sightseeing progress was a little slow because we had to take frequent squat stops - punkie was struck by horrible cramps!

one of our numerous squat stops. feel the pain?

notre dame cathedral looked soooo gooooood

our artistically blur photo

(insane traffic) ready, get set... GOOOOOOO!!

:: CHRISTMAS ::

Although the streets weren't decked out in Christmas festivities the way Orchard Road is, it had its own special quality. But more than the decorations, the fact that we were spending Christmas overseas together mattered more. :) Towards the end of the trip I'd discovered several little quirks or expression that I like. It always makes me happy when I turn to punkie and say the magic words "check my teeth!" and she flashes me this goddamn cute smile:

you get away with lots because you're small and entitled to cuteness :)

i want such a swing! hanging from a tree, preferably over a cliff. cool, no?

After a sweaty day out it was time to return to the hotel to wash up and change into our party wear! It was a little unusual in that we could see each other preparing for the date, whereas under normal circumstances we'd only see the end results and not the process of dressing up. However it was fun. because we got to do each other's hair in the style we wanted! Hairdresser for a night!

hairstyle 1

then she resorted to wax. final hairstyle!

all ready for a night out! aren't we a good looking pair? =p

lovely ambience at allez boo

we ended the night with a double date with vietnamese boy boys!

the iced milk coffee i so loved

towing our luggage to the airport

and a most lovely send-off

Looking back, the trip was almost perfect. With your disposition, and mine, we make pretty good travel companions for each other. I have to say a big thank you for looking out for me, for making me walk on the side closer to the pavement, for worrying for me when I wandered out alone, for opening up to me, for the humorous moments, for the patience, for the photos, for everything! I was so happy. You've showed me new things, washed away most of my apprehension and replaced it with something more tender, more stable. It has been a most awesome holiday, punkie. I wish I could express myself better, and package my words more beautifully, but I guess poetry is not quite my cuppa tea. Make do with prose, and recognise that I'm so awfully glad I went on the trip with you! I had a blast, and am looking forward to another one when we visit Hanoi! :D

Labels: holiday, pics