JUICE

Juice has been a favorite of mine since we first got here. I think we discovered it within our first week of being here. I have been hooked on it ever since. I like it so much that when I call to place my order the guy knows it’s me and says oh hello Ms. Jennie, how are you today? You are our best customer! It’s really kind of cute.

I always order the same thing – banana peanut butter smoothie with coconut milk and NS4 (banana, mango, passion fruit, kiwi non dairy smoothie) I mix them together with some protein powder that I brought with me (so happy I brought it with me), pop it in the freezer for a couple of hours and voilla I have my yummy protein smoothie for after my K1 boxing class and it’s now how I look forward to ending those 3 nights!

I’m going to miss Juice and the fact they deliver, so I had to write about it because it was such a part of my routine here! As my mom always says – no matter what you get, it always tastes better when you don’t have to make it!

I always had the same delivery man who would not only show up with the yummiest smoothies but a huge smile on his face. I asked him if it was ok if I took his picture and he loved it and then told me I was like family...Not sure what that was supposed to mean but I said thank you! LOL!

It's been 8 weeks already?

I still don’t understand how that’s possible. Didn’t I just get off the plane? I’m not ready to leave! But know once I get home and settled I’ll be happy to be back.

This past weekend was my last one in HCMC. Friday night Pam and I went to try this Vietnamese restaurant that served mostly dishes from Hue that I was so excited for. We got there at exactly 9PM which is when they close. Total bummer! So the place next door looked really good from the outside and decided to give it a shot. They sat us upstairs and it was all open. Usually not a problem, but it seemed extra buggy and my skin was so itchy. Ordering was a project. The wait staff did not understand us at all – which is the first time this has happened. Honestly, I felt like we were on a hidden camera show. Pam ordered sweet potato’s and was served steamed spinach…But it’s all about the journey…I ordered a Goi salad which was delicious and steamed green cabbage with garlic.

After a stressful and rather unpleasant dinner we decided to end the night on a positive note by going to Saigon Saigon for a drink. This is the rooftop bar atop the Caravelle hotel. I’ve heard the atmosphere is nice and the drinks are good. We’d been meaning to go there so that was the perfect time. Our elevator ride up was interesting. There was an interesting looking man with about 5 girls that looked as though they could be escorts…Not trying to stereotype but sometimes the shoe just fits. We reached the rooftop and could hear live salsa music playing from the elevator. The inside scene was lively and there were live Cuban salsa dancers shaking their thangs in front of a band. We were seated outside and started to unwind! I ordered frozen white wine sangria and Pam ordered “reflections”

It really was a nice way to end the evening. The following day I had a long list of things I wanted to get through. I woke up, had a great workout, got ready and then went to X Rock which is a rock climbing wall I had wanted to try it out since we got here. I had such a blast and will be going back again before I head back to the states. After that I did my last round at Saigon Square and Ben Than Market. I read an article on this pagoda that is made up of mosaic tiles and really wanted to go. The driver of course conveniently did not know how to get to District 8 where it was and he didn’t know how to get to Chinatown either…So that eliminated things I had wanted to do. I will go there before I leave!

I got back to my apartment and started packing some stuff up, relaxed for a bit and then got ready for a night of fun. Dave, Margarita, Mark, Pam and I all had planned on going to dinner and drinks that night. We ended up at one of my favorite restaurants, Cepage! It was just as good as I remembered. We then headed off to Vasco’s for a couple of drinks, then Saigon Saigon, and ended the night at a club called Apocalypse. It was my funnest night in HCMC!

I have to back track for a second though. Pam’s friend Emily had requested to stay with Pam on Saturday night. She was flying out on a 6AM flight the following morning and didn’t feel like spending $ for one night. Pam of course said no problem despite not really wanting for her to stay. I could tell Pam was annoyed before Emily even got here and I soon realized why. I have never met a character like this 4’11 little ball of fire! It was her way or no way at all and she had to disagree with everyone on everything. Dave was the most patient of all in dealing with her. Mark, Margarita, and I gave up pretty quickly. And Pam was being a good sport as well. She didn’t want to eat with us because the food was not strictly Vietnamese or vegetarian. Since it was her last night she wanted Vietnamese only, and really wanted Pho 2000 – which is basically like a Mc Donald’s. Its fast food noodle soup which would be the equivalent to eating Ramen noodles. We told her there was one a block away. She soon came back to tell us this was not a “real Pho 2000.” Apparently she had a book of trademarks and there were chains that were knock off’s of the original chain despite them being exactly the same. She did not believe it was “real.” So she wanted to walk all the way to Ben Than and eat at a Pho 2000 that she knew was vegetarian.

She returned before we were done eating and came along to the next stop on what became a somewhat pub crawl for us all. Emily does not drink and had no interest in having a sip of anything at all. By the time we got to Apocalypse she’d had enough, the smoke was bothering her asthma and she took Pam’s key to go crash at our apartment. She must have had the key close to her cell phone bc the key was de-activated once she got there and tried calling Pam 14 times. Pam’s phone rarely works as it is and there would have been no way to hear it ringing in the club we were in. So as we got in the cab Pam heard her phone. It was Emily and she was locked out…

It all ended well, she made her flight and we didn’t have to deal with her anymore. It was quite comical though.

Sunday was a perfect day to lounge by the pool and veg out. I had another one of my fun workouts on the tennis court, packed some more things up and watched I love you man – such a random, but funny movie. By 8:30PM I was exhausted and felt like it should be midnight.

It was a perfect way to spend my last weekend here. I am looking forward to spending my next weekend in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay – it’s the trip I have been most looking forward to and I don’t want to rush it here because then it’s all over! I’m enjoying my last few days here and soaking it all in, trying not to rush a thing – which is how I usually operate!

!!!!!!SURPRISE!!!!!!!

So last night before I left for my MMA class I realized I was all out of eggs. I always hard boil 2 dozen and have them as my breakfast. I made a mental note to pick some up after class so I would have breakfast this morning and not have to scramble to find something.

The usual place I get my food at was closed because it was later than I normally stop by. So, I found another place and grabbed 3 dozen eggs - figuring they should last me until I leave. I get home and place all the eggs in a large pot, jump in the shower, and get my things ready for today. I pop back into the kitchen but on my way am blown away by the horrible smell that is filling the apartment. I have no idea what it could be or where it could be coming from. As I got closer to the kitchen I knew right away that's where it was coming from and when reaching the stove knew it was from the eggs.

Pam was headed into the kitchen and we were staring at the eggs. She remarked that one egg was not a "normal egg" as we are used to, it definitely had some sort of creature in it, she fished it out of the pot and placed it in a bowl, we were staring at it. There was totally a little creature peeking outside of the egg and I didn't dare open the rest of the shell up to see more. I decided to take it and put it in a plastic bag and place it outside of the apartment. I then placed the rest of the eggs in another bag and placed it outside of the apartment, and still have a disgusted look on my face.

Today I was telling this story to my co-workers and one of them told me that there is another kind of egg they sell in the market that has a fertilized duck embryo in it!!!! It's a traditional Vietnamese meal, they boil the eggs in water just as I had and eat the duck!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how they can stand the smell of doing this. Of course after I was gagging and saying how gross this is, she tell me that she actually enjoys eating this! I felt horrible and explained I was just not used to this or expecting a baby duck to be in my eggs!


Clearly, I had no idea and now know to make sure the eggs I buy are not fertilized duck embryo's! What a lesson to learn the hard way! LOL


I just fond this online and had to share:

A common and inexpensive breakfast dish which can be found in any wet market, balut is a fertilized duck egg with a nearly developed embryo inside which is boiled and eaten in the shell. It is typically served with fresh herbs: rau răm or Vietnamese coriander, salt, and pepper; lime juice is another popular additive, when available. A more unusual version of balut dish - Fetus quails is a snack favored by many Vietnamese students. Paddy crab and paddy snail are the main ingredients in “bún " - a popular noodle dish - and in some everyday soup dishes (“canh”) and braised food (“món bung”). Family meals with silk worms , banana flowers, sparrows, doves, stinky fermented fish and shrimp are not rare sights. Seasonal favorites include or ragworm , which are made into many dishes such as fried omelet, fermented sauce, steamed, stir-fried with radish or bamboo shoot.

My Newest Obsession!

By now I think you all know what a fitness fanatic I am and how much I have enjoyed taking my MMA/cardio conditioning class at K1 Fight Factory in Vietnam. I decided to take some action shots of class last night during another kick ass workout.

Being instructed by FX and David Minetti has been such a great experience for me and I have looked forward to every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday night class. They’ve gotten me to push my limits and then some! Each 1.5 hour class flies by and I am left excited for the next one. It’s been really fun working on my technique.

I still remember how intimidated I felt on my first entrance into the studio. There were about 6 guys sparing with each other and I thought to myself “what have I got myself into now?” But after just the first ten minutes I was hooked and have been going back ever since. It’s hard to believe 8 whole weeks have gone by since I’ve started. I’m looking forward to finding a place hopefully just like this near me in MA when I get back.

This week FX even had me lead the Wednesday night group through the warm up portion of class. Then last night he had me demonstrate some technique stuff and stand in the front through all the cardio conditioning. He told me how he and David (his brother) are always impressed with my form, technique, and conditioning which of course made me feel great. Taking part in a new exercise regime like this was just what I needed to get out of my exercise rut! I felt I was constantly churning my wheels and making little progress. All I needed was to shake things up a lot!

Just wanted to share what I’ve been up to 3 nights a week while here, it has definitely been a positive part of my routine and I look forward to bringing back all that I have learned. Plus, if you ever need some to cover your back, I’m your girl!

A Day in the Footwear World

Beleive it or not, I think my head is still spinning from spending just one day in the footwear factory, where the DC opened. There was just so much to take in, I took 200 pictures!

First, Pam showed me around her floor and the rest of the DC a bit more in depth that what I had seen at the grand DC opening. Then Kevin, her mentor here took us into the sample room. It was shocking how big just their sample floor was. Very organized and lots of Reebok logo's and branding all over the place. Even the little stools the operators sat on had vector's on them. I totally loved it and it was a nice change from seeing 3 stripes almost everywhere.

For whatever reason, I really thought the making of footwear would be more automatic and the machines would run systematically. It's more manual than apparel! There are so many operations and people all involved to make just one pair of sneakers. My head hurts at the thought of how many hands a sneaker, pant, top, or whatever the product may be touches before the consumer actually purchases it - it's just so insane!

The three of us spent about 2.5 hours just walking through the sample room. As I'm sure you can imagine the process to make just one pair of sneakers is very long, many steps are involved, and there is just so much to see and absorb.

I ran into my team at the canteen for lunch. They were totally confused when they saw me. "What are you doing here? What do you mean you are working in footwear today? You aren't working with us anymore? Are you coming back tomorrow?" Were just a few of the questions I was asked, they were so disturbed but quickly got over it once they understood why I was over on the footwear lot that day which is 2 lots away from us. We are in lot B, and footwear is in lot D. This complex has 4 lots total: A, B, C, D.

After lunch we continued our tour to the rubber room (my favorite part of the tour of all). By the end of the day Pam and I both felt a bit woozy from being in the rubber room for so long. The fumes are very pungent, I do not know how the workers function all day, day after day. It must be something you get used to over time.

So when the factory first receives the rubber for the bottom, outside sole (called a last) it comes in a huge block in a plain, nothing color. It is then melted and fed through these huge machines that flatten it out, die is added and it keeps moving through these wheels, it looks like taffy in this process. Then it moves into another machine and another and another until it is completely flat and the right color that matches the pantone color swatch they were given. Many sheets are cut of this rubber and they are sent to get "die cut." This is the basic shape the last will be.

Some last's have many rubber components and each rubber piece has to be weighed and weight the amount it is supposed to weigh. Once all the components are cut, they are given to an operator who works at the metal mold station. He places each piece in the mold and presses the mold down. It is then fed into this hot oven type thing that also presses the mold down, some of these machine's are automated and the mold pops in and out with the help of a button, older ones are manual and these little guys have just a crowbar to use to pull the heavy (probably 75 lb) mold in and out of the oven. No women are allowed to work on this line bc they could really hurt or burn themselves.

Some molds are also more complex than others and have 3 different levels to use of the mold. New molds are made for any new last that has been approved and developed. A last mold can cost anywere from $900-5,000 to make for just one!

It was interesting to hear how much lower their targets are - 150 pair in a day. The process is just so labor intensive and the factory works on 2 shifts - for a total of 22 hours the factory is up and running, 6 days a week!

Once I stopped or at least tried to stop my head from spinning we continued onto one of the main production lines. There was a nice, organized, somewhat rhythm the production flowed in and I really enjoyed watching one model move through the line - beginning to end. Anyone could tell where the line started and ended which is always important to know. In some of the factories that do not practice lean manufacturing it can be very difficult to have any clue what's going on the floor...

At one point in the day Pam looked over at me and said, "I feel really bad for you right now..." I made a puzzled expression asking her why? And she told me how she felt bad for me that I was taking so much in and seeing so much in such a short period of time. I told her I didn't mind, I loved it and was just being a sponge soaking it all in.

When we got to the end of the line, where the sneakers were laced up with correct laces, placed in tissue wrapping, and then boxed we went across the way to where the testing took place, embroidery, and screen printing. I loved looking around the lab, they had this really cool contraption in a seperate room. It looked like something straight out of Dr. Seuss. It was this wheel that had about a dozen sneakers attached and it just kept walking around in a circle on a track. They keep this machine running for a week straight to see how the sneaker wears. They also perform leather tearing tests, shoe lace failure, rubber tearing, flexibility, and many others.

We then checked out the embroidery room and lastly screen printing. Both of which are the same as apparel. Lots of similarites but footwear just has way more!

During this time there was a huge rainstorm outside and the streets were starting to flood, everyone wanted to leave by 4:30 bc we know it would take us a while to get home. I fell asleep in the car on the way home for a bit and then Dave decided to have Pam, he, and myself play the alphabet game. You have to look at every sign and go from A-Z, you can only use a word that starts with that letter and you can only use 1 word/sign. Dave started it off as we were driving through what felt like an ocean. I thought the water was going to start coming in through the car - the drainage system here is awful!

Pam and I were silent and Dave asked if we were still playing. He forgot to mention we were all in charge of our own list, whoever got to Z first won...We thought we all took turns...Dave made it all the way to Y once we were home - it's tricky playing this game in Vietnamese!

There had been a resturant Pam and I kept passing. It was always bustling and looked like a scene. We decided to go there for dinner that evening and it was so delicous. It was all Vietnamese and the food was so fresh and delicous! They had so many different fresh rolls and rice paper rolls to choose from, Che (sweet woup), Pho (the dish of Vietnam, it's just a rice noodle in a broth with beef, chicken, or shrimp) everyone loves it and most Vietnamese eat it for every meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner! Usually you'll see them eating in at a plastic pre-school chair at a cart on the sidewalk outside, I guess it's just the tradition here!?!?!?!

Once we finished dinner I was basically falling asleep at the table. I guess taking in a days worth of new information will wear you out!

Another GREAT week

Last week ended perfectly. Friday was the grand opening of the new Footwear Development at Pou Yen in Vietnam – this was years in the making and it came together perfectly. I know from Pam there were many bumps in the road but the finished product is amazing and I think it marks an even stronger partnership between Reebok and Pou Yen.

The opening ceremony started at 10AM in front of the factory. There was a huge white tent set up outside with tons of white chairs and red ribbons tied around. A long red carpet led the way from where the snack table and drink bar was set up all the way to the front of the stage where the Red Lion Band were to perform and ribbon cutting ceremony would take place.

Everyone took their seats and the Red Lion Band started performing. The band was made up of four women who I think were hired purely on their looks and skill for posing while playing instruments and singing. The men really enjoyed them that’s all I have to say.

When the Red Lion band was done performing it was speech time – speeches were given from John Herlihy, Andre Mossiat, Horst Stapf, Renee Howard, Peter Yan from Pou Yen Group, and Lee Flower. It was nice to hear how excited the big players were to have the DC opened. I felt especially lucky to have been a part of this momentous day!

Next it was time to cut the ribbons and have a champagne toast. After confetti cannons went off, dancing dragons danced around and champagne was sprayed all over the crowd we were able to see what the inside unveiled. I loved the huge Reebok vector that welcomed the crowd inside. The inside is completely modern and has tons of display counters with all of the new Reebok products.

Once we made it up to the 4th floor there were tables and tables of food to choose from and wait staff walking around with wine, beer, or your alcohol of choice. Totally apropos for 11 AM – hey, it had to be 5PM somewhere!

The mood was so positive and energetic; everyone was having a great time. The best thing to see was how invested the factory is to Reebok and how they want to keep improving the product with us. Having the DC here will really help make the work flow much more efficient and will also bring us closer to the consumer. I can only hope one day apparel will have its own DC here, it makes such a huge difference to the business – and you come out with an even better product in the end.

By 1PM I was back at my factory and was in a costing meeting until the end of the day, they should have reversed the order of things if you ask me…

Once I got home I got everything ready for my weekend tropical island getaway to Phu Quoc. What a hidden treasure. Once the international airport is finished there this untapped island is going to become so commercialized. I’m glad I was able to see it in its natural state before it gets over populated.
I landed in Phu Quoc at 7:55AM and was at the resort by 8:20AM. Since it’s the off-season most of the resorts are offering some great bargain deals, perfect timing on my part! My villa wouldn’t be ready until noontime. The sky was a bit overcast so I made a judgment call to do a 4 hour tour of the South part of the island.

By 9AM I was on the road, the dirt road I may add. Phu Quoc as of today is totally undeveloped; most of the roads are not paved – just bumpy dirt roads. I can’t imagine how they get anywhere when it rains because the roads must turn to a sludgy, muddy mess.

First we headed to a Pearl Farm. On the way I passed many little shacks along the beach where people live, it’s so interesting to see how they live. From the outside it looks as though the get by with the barest, simplest of supplies. At the pearl farm I saw how they collect the shells that have the pearls in them. First they slice open the shell and basically cut it in half. It’s all gooey on the inside and there’s what looks like a bubble in the gooeyness which is where the pearl is. They kind of slice it open and voilla a pearl pops out! This is done in less than a minute. The farm is right on the beach and there is a huge porch overlooking the beautiful white sand with crashing waves and palm trees everywhere you look. Let me tell you, I could be very happy opening up my own pearl farm on my own sandy lot of Phu Quoc. You can’t help but relax and let go of any and everything in your mind. Talk about therapy for the soul!

Next on the itinerary was a war memorial. I had no idea of what to expect and was totally shocked as soon as I walked in this small memorial that had images of which will stay with me forever. They had these re-enactments of how the US soldiers tortured the Vietnamese. It was so brutal and horrific! Outside they had this barb-wire box that they would trap Vietnamese in, making them sit there for hours upon days. There was also this metal box, kind of like a big dumpster where they would hold Vietnamese inside for days or weeks until they burned to death inside. These metal boxes were heating death chambers because it was made of only metal it attracted all the heat from the sun.

After I picked my stomach off the ground and some of the nausea I was experience calmed down from everything I saw we headed for the fishing harbor village. On the drive there I couldn’t help but think how everywhere I have been in Vietnam was affected by the war. The war really wrecked the entire country and it just amazes me how everywhere was affected, no ground was left un-touched. When you think about it, the war really wasn’t that long ago and it’s nice to see how well Vietnam is recovering. They’ve made huge strides since then. It also enrages me that war is still going on today. There is no need for it! So many innocent lives are lost fighting for what?

The pungent smell of fish sauce disrupted my thoughts once we made it to the harbor. Fish sauce has a very, very distinct odor and it’s hard to ignore. It was a relief and nice change of pace to see the village after the war memorial. All the boats are such a bright color and everyone was busy working away. Fishing and pearl farms seem to be the choice of employment in Phu Quoc. I walked around the harbor for a bit and was entranced in all the activity and vibrant colors.
Next stop – Sao Beach which is the Gulf of Thailand. This beach is one of the top five hidden beaches in the world and I have to agree with that huge statement. The water was a clear and calm as glass, I’ve never seen anything like it. The sand was super soft and almost a white shade, you could see mountains in the distance, boats out at sea, people enjoying the beach either in the water or in a hammock under a straw hut. Fresh seafood being grilled was a great aroma to smell floating throughout the air. Life was so good, nothing could be wrong in this spot! I could not wait to get in the water; it was as warm as bath water but refreshing at the same time. I think I spent almost an hour floating around. Then it was time to head back to the resort.

My villa was ready when I arrived and someone showed me to my place. There were cute little windy paths leading visitors to bungalows, villas, or panorama view rooms. In between different patches of green, plushy grass were different forms of entertainment for guest to partake in, like: a driving range with some putt putt for the kiddies, play areas for little ones, a tennis court, fitness center, swinging benches, bicycles to ride around on (free of charge), and the best was in between the palm trees lining the beach you could see the Sea and hear the waves crashing.

I was at the door to my villa, 143, and loved what I saw, a cute little place with a porch overlooking the beach. Literally the beach was about 25 steps from where I was staying, how perfect is that and the sounds of the waves were so soothing!

I dropped my bag off and headed right to a lounger complete with thick padded mat under a straw hut. Of course I had to drag the lounger to be in the sun! I mean I have to look tanned by the time I get back. I spent the next few hours dozing off under the sun. Me being me wanted to take advantage of the fitness center. From the outside it looked good. On a closer look, eh. Definitely better than the “fitness center” where I stayed in Hoi An. Unfortunately, neither the bike nor treadmill worked. There was the Tony Little gazelle machine though. And a great tennis court perfect for a functional workout and sprints. I concocted an awesome workout that blended functional training, strength express, and martial arts. To cool down after I tried out the gazelle machine.

Slowly, I strolled back to the villa to shower before headed to the beach seafood BBQ. There wasn’t much of a party going on at the beach BBQ since it’s not the busy season. You got to pick out your seafood of choice for them to grill it up freshly on the grill. I chose crab, squid, and prawn. While they were grilling it up for me, I found some of my favorite sides to enjoy while waiting for my seafood. Fresh spring rolls, Goi salad, and dragon fruit! They must have known I was coming…
For dessert there was a selection of pastry and 4 different sweet soups to try. I tried one that I absolutely loved. The only things I know that were in it were banana, tapioca, water, and sugar, the rest I have no idea but it was so yummy I had two bowls – lol! There was even a violinist playing music while people enjoyed their meals. After a relaxing and delicious dinner I leisurely walked the path back to my place to of course upload my pics from the day.

It was so easy falling asleep to the rhythmic noise the waves made. I slept like a baby and was up and out by 8AM. I had a yummy buffet breakfast and then headed straight for the beach. I didn’t think it was possible but Sunday was an even better beach day than Saturday. The waves calmed down and the Sea was so inviting. There were a cluster of people a bit of a ways down the beach so I headed there to jump the waves and swim with the fishes. Jumping the waves was so much fun. The water was not as clear as Sao Beach but playing in the waves made it more fun.

After that I decided to take a mystery walk to the end of the beach. I got to see all different resorts. Some much nicer than others! There were a few stray dogs, massage offerings on the beach; tour offerings to go snorkeling (wish I had enough time to have done that! Next time for sure), and dozens of photo ops I totally took advantage of. Before I knew it, I had to check out…I was checked out by noon but still had another 2 hours to hang out before leaving for the airport. I was enjoying people watching on this one couple who I had spotted the day before. I think they were French – the wife was wearing a two piece and perhaps her husband should have said do wear a one piece. But I think his judgment was a bit off as well since he was wearing a Speedo that barely covered him and his pot belly was hanging over the Speedo…You could smell this woman’s perfume a mile away and she was always wearing bright fuchsia pink lipstick. They were just so comical to watch walking around the place like they owned it!

I had a great lunch on the beach right before I had to leave: steamed spinach with garlic and fresh spring rolls. The bus departed right at 1:45 as I was told. By 2:00 I was at the airport! The airport was so tiny and cute; I think the smallest airport I’ve ever been in. The flight from HCMC to Phu Quoc is so quick and easy – only 50 minutes. By 4:30 I was back at my apartment and it was raining! At least I had got a ton of sun in over the weekend! I spent the rest of the evening organizing what I was going to ship home through DHL today, getting ready for my last full week of work here, and then I relaxed watching one of my DVD’s I got for less that $1 (still the best deal I’ve gotten here).

I cannot believe this is my last full week of work here! Next Tuesday is my last day…I knew the time would go by fast but never thought it would go this fast! It’s so sad – I’m not ready to leave yet I am excited to return home and see all my family and friends – it’s a strange feeling.

This week Pam gets to see some of the apparel world and I get to see some of footwear. So today I brought her to Esprinta. It was also my last time going there before I leave; it was so sad saying goodbye to the team there! I really learned so much there and they are willing to be such a strong partner with Reebok. Out of all the factories I worked with here they were by far my favorite to work with. They are efficient, smart, make a great quality product, and just get it right! Pam totally loved what I had planned to show her. Tomorrow I spend the day with her!

So I had DHL come to pick up a box I decided to ship home of extra clothes I knew I wouldn’t wear between now and then, some books I finished reading, and sneakers I also knew I would not wear. Now at first I thought this would be super easy – the apartment where I am saying told me DHL comes and picks the box up from your apartment. What could be better? Well, my first encounter with them was on Friday night. I had spoken with them on the phone, told them I wanted the 25 kg jumbo box flat rate selection. So they guy comes with no box. He is totally clueless, finally I get through to him I need a box so he goes and brings me 2. I fill out all the forms to then find they will not take credit cards even though they say it is an option, of course I don’t have enough cash on me so he leaves, I have my boxes, I am told I can reschedule for Sunday when I get back from my trip.

I called when I got back on Sunday, and of course since it is Sunday they stop pick ups at 4PM. So, I figure ok I can wait one more day until Monday. I call and speak to some woman who doesn’t understand I have selected the flat rate jumbo box option and all of a sudden the price has almost tripled to ship my box. I don’t know how but then she understands that I selected the flat rate option and she gets it. She says the courier will be here before 5PM. Two couriers show up with a different box, this bright yellow box reads Jumbo box on it, the one I was given was just a white box, a nice size. Of course the yellow box is about half the size of the white box. Even though what’s in the white box weighs 25 kg it doesn’t matter, I cannot get the promo with the white box…So I then have to transfer everything from the white double the size box into the yellow half size one. I don’t know how I managed in my fit of frustration and being not so nice to these poor couriers, but I fit everything in the box! The forms were all filled out, I handed them the cash, they took the box, and hopefully it will arrive home by Friday! What an ordeal! I am happy I did it despite the frustration because hey, its 25 kg less I’ll have to carry home with me.

Luckily I was able to work out all my frustration in my MMA class, and now I definitely feel better. I even had an enjoyable cab ride home. It was the first Vietnamese taxi driver that was able to carry on an English conversation with me, he really was so sweet. By the time I reached home, I learned he was from Cu Chi. If you remember that’s where I visited the second weekend I was here and got to crawl through the tunnels the Vietnamese Guerilla lived in. His father actually fought and died in the war in 1974 and his mom died 10 years ago which is when he and 4 of his siblings moved to HCMC. We both were commenting on how angry war makes us and how unnecessary it is. The 20 minute ride flew by and I said good-bye to my new friend of the night.

Of course now that I am back from my Phu Quoc trip, I’m gearing up for my last and most exciting trip to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay – oh, I just know it’s going to be amazing. I leave September 4th for Hanoi and from there go on a 2 nigtht/3day tour of Ha Long Bay – one night we sleep on a ship and the second we are on some island. Then I go back to Hanoi for one night, fly back to HCMC for one night and leave for the US at 6AM the following day (September 10th). I cannot believe how soon it is!

This trip has been such a huge learning and growing experience for me personally and professionally. It will be so nice to bring back all my newly learned knowledge home. Everything I have experienced will be with me forever and I am so lucky and thankful and grateful to have been able to go through all of this!

That's it for now, have a great week and I will keep the updates coming!

xxoo,

(i feel like Gossip Girl every time I end a blog - lol)

A little of this and a little of that...

As always remember to check out all the photo's at http://jenniesadventuresthroughvietnam.shutterfly.com/

What a week it was last week! As always it flew right on by me. Thankfully my cough lessened each day that went by. I have to say the week had a little bit of everything wrapped into it.

The beginning of the week kicked off with some costing meetings, those are always fun. I did like seeing how costing was handled on this end and how the OC merchandiser really does have the PjM’s pre-costing interest at heart. The negotiating is intense and on a couple of styles some fights were about to break out.

Wednesday I felt as thought I was on the set of and SNL skit the entire day…I had to go to an all day training about PEP – that’s our assessment form we are evaluated on. Apparently some of the staff here is not certain of how the form is supposed to be filled out so I got to sit through an entire day of what it means if you are “graded” at being below performance or outstanding….We were broken up into 5 groups of 5 and had to come up with different examples why someone would be classified under met some expectations or met all expectations….all I have to say it was a very interesting day.

On Thursday the US lifestyle team made it here and we all worked at Esprinta! It was such a treat having them here. While they worked on their styles I was busy getting a more in depth training on bonding and print screens. I made my own bonded pocket and Reebok print screen, it was such a blast. Once we finished with the day and freshened up a bit it was dinner time. Megan, the birthday girl had been to Tandoor (Indian Restaurant) before and could not wait to go there for her b-day dinner. Luckily, the food was just as good as she remembered. Kendall told the owner it was Megan’s birthday and at the end of the meal all the lights in the restaurant were dimmed and “So it’s your Birthday” came over the speakers as the owner came out with ice cream and candles. I’m pretty sure Megan loved it.

After dinner Elke bought her friend a handmade boat from a little store near the restaurant and everyone was in a hyper mood. Luckily they all finished what they had to do on Thursday so a free day was in store for the team on Friday, except for me! I had to wake up early, still one more day in the work week for me. Friday would not be a normal work day though. Vikram and Karen (the BMM of Taylor Made) had planned an offsite outing focused on “being green” for the apparel teams from Reebok, Adidas, and Taylor Made.

While they all continued on into the night, I went home and tucked myself into bed so I could wake up the next morning.

We left from the LO at 9 AM headed for Binh Quoi, which is where the offsite was scheduled for. The venue that was chosen was so beautiful. Very green and on the water. In one of the ponds there were the biggest lily pads I ever saw. I wanted to go float on them and decided that probably wasn’t the best idea.

It’s typical for Vietnamese brides and grooms to take their wedding photos before their actual wedding and change into about a dozen various gowns. This park where we were was full of dozens and dozens of brides and grooms taking pictures. There was also a group of kids that were dancing and singing being filmed for some kids show. As you can imagine, there was a lot going on! It was so hot though, there was no breeze whatsoever. And we were all wearing these bright green shirts over our regular clothes to promote being green. I lasted about an hour with mine on because I was just too hot. I completely sweat through my clothes!

Vikram and Karen tried to really motivate the team and they did. They grouped us into 3 groups and we had to go on a scavenger hunt for “trash”, then we had a trivia game, a nice lunch, and then had an early release. I was quite happy that I could get home early and meet up with Kendall and Megan – they were staying an extra night to play in Vietnam with me.

After a refreshing shower and major freshening up, Kendall and Megan met me at my place. They were a bit tired from their day of shopping and roaming around Ho Chi Minh City. After I got a sneak peek at all of their purchases from the day, we made a plan for the evening, got ready and headed out to a French bistro we decided to try. Well, we pull up to the restaurant and it’s not even there, the address was correct but nothing was there…So I had written down the name and address of another place and we had the taxi take us there instead. Strike #2, it was completely packed and it was all outdoors, it didn’t seem too sanitary to us or relaxing. I knew the area we were in and thought we should just walk down the street; there were a ton of places. In fact there was one place I had wanted to go. Cepage, it’s a lounge type of restaurant where there is formal dining upstairs and a more relaxed atmosphere downstairs. The girls took one look and were sold. Third times the charm!

We had such a fun time there. The atmosphere was great, the drinks were delicious, and so was the food. I cannot wait to go back. There were also lots of good looking guys – lol! I definitely will be going back before I come home.

I think we giggled the entire way home. As we were walking up to my apartment I was telling them sometimes there are these huge snails in the walk-way, sure enough we found one and they believed that I was not exaggerating at how big these snails were. I then went on to warn them that sometimes the little gecko’s get into the apartment; this kind of freaked them out bet felt I had to warn them. These things are so fast and have no spine whatsoever; I swear they just slip right in through the cracks. Well, sure enough we walk in and I went to get some water from the kitchen and one was scurrying up the wall. First I tried to get it with a Tupperware container and it scurried away super fast. Kendall was the winner after standing on a chair and getting it! It was quite a funny sight. After all that excitement, we all realized how pooped we were. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

The next morning we woke up early, a lot was on our agenda for their last day! Their time here went way too fast! First I brought them to my favorite smoothie place, Juice for breakfast. There are lots of cute little shops that we went in and out of after a nice power breakfast. We then made our way to Ben Than market and Saigon Square. The bargain of the day was by far finding a booth that sold DVD’s for less than a $1. Of course we made sure to check the quality as soon as we got home and they are great! So great, I went back the next day for more!

We then had a great lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant, I have another new favorite dish that I ordered for us to all share. It was gone pretty fast! It’s called Goi hai san kieu thai, it’s basically this pickled salad with shrimp on top in the yummiest sweet/sour vinegar and you dip these rice crackers into it. So good!

After lunch and a re-boot I took them to get a foot massage at my favorite place. For 70 minutes it’s only $10 with tip! They start rubbing your temples and shoulders while your feet soak in this hot water tub. Then they wrap your feet up in towels and start massaging one foot and leg at a time! I think they spend about 50 minutes just on your legs and then they have you flip over and they press pressure points on your back – I’m telling you it is instant relaxation!

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to my place for them to re-pack everything and make their way home! I was such a treat having friends here and the weekend totally flew by. I have to say it was good timing them coming, right in the middle of my trip and now I only have 3.5 weeks left. I am not ready to leave yet though, my time here as been so amazing and I’ve learned so much professionally and personally! I am so lucky!

After I said my goodbyes to Kendall and Megan I had a nice workout and was ready for a relaxing night. It was a perfect movie night and since I now had a nice selection to choose from, I did just that.

Sunday came and it was perfect pool weather. I worked out, lounged by the pool, and then walked around the city for a bit. Pam went to a nail art place on Saturday and her nails came out awesome. She had the card and recommended I check it out. I walked into Jolie Pang and it was all cream lace and beads, super girly and frilly. After paging through pages of choices and boards I found a design I liked. The place was really cute, they did a good job and I like how my nails came out. The only issue was it took FOREVER! I was there for 3 hours – way too long if you ask me, but at least I am happy with the product I got.

So far this week has been super busy and it’s not going to slow down anytime soon. The past two days I’ve looked at PFR samples at two different factories. Yesterday, I was at QVE with Vy and Thanh looking at down filled winter jackets. It so happened the AC was not working on a super hot and humid day and I was trying on the women’s jackets as I was inspecting them to see how they fit. Overall the product looked really good and I left there feeling very happy.

Today I was at QMI with just Thanh looking at tennis and running styles. What a difference between the two factories! Workmanship today was not up to par, they better get it right before the samples are sent out to HQ! I also experienced my first crazy thunderstorm here. I am telling you the thunder was non-stop and at one point I thought the rain might come right through the ceiling above me. I had a flashback of how I used to sit on our porch in Onset and be mesmerized by the falling rain and lightening strikes, I found myself doing that for a couple of seconds and then snapped out of it.

Last week I wasn’t able to make it to any of my MMA classes. At the beginning of the week, I was still getting over my cold and at the end I was just too busy. So it felt good to get back into the swing of it this week. I really have to find a place like this at home. Any takers to join me, it’s so fun!

The rest of the week will be just as busy. Tomorrow I get to go to an accessory and gear factory. Thursday and Friday are my costing meetings with the factories. No wonder my time has flown by here! This weekend I am headed to Phu Quoc, it’s an island that is on the list of the top 5 hidden beaches in the world. AGHHHH I can already imagine basking in the sun on the beach and cannot wait to get there!

Then next week is my last full week here! It’s so hard to imagine going home soon! I know when I get home things are going to be great and I am looking forward to finally enjoying my time at home. For whatever reason I could not relax over the last year and I my time here has finally unwound me. So be prepared for the new and improved, relaxed Jennie!

Have a great week all and see you soon!

xxoo

Remember to check out all the photo's

Make sure to check out all my photo's on my shared site:http://jenniesadventuresthroughvietnam.shutterfly.com/

WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE HOTEL NO LONGER EXISTS?!?!?!

So…around Tuesday I started getting a nasty cough. I thought/was hoping it would just pass! Wednesday: still cough and a runny nose. Thursday: cough is worse, nose is not only runny but I can’t stop sneezing. Now I know I am definitely fighting something. Before I left the travel Dr. had prescribed me Cipro, it’s supposed to knock anything out of your system. I thought Thursday was the day to take this wonder drug since it didn’t seem I was getting better anytime soon.

While at work on Thursday I started feeling worse and worse – I kept trying to fight it too. Since I was traveling over the weekend, I wanted to make sure whatever was going on would leave my system ASAP! So, I decided it best to make an appointment with the SOS clinic. Of course before I left I had printed out everything I would need just in case I did have to see a Dr while here. Leave it to me for that to happen, but better safe than sorry. I left work a bit early to make my appointment at SOS. What a great place this was. Instantly I was comforted to know this was a legit, clean, modern, and great care practice. I met a Ukrainian Dr. who explained I had an upper respiratory infection mixed with an asthma attack…I do not have SWINE flu – thankfully! She prescribed me an inhaler, anti-biotic, nose spray, and gargle solution. As soon as I got home, I took everything in hopes I would feel better! I totally slept the rest of the day and hoped when I woke up Friday morning, I’d be 100% better…

Friday came and my cough seemed worse. I got ready for work, made my way downstairs to realize I was really in no condition to work. Slowly I made my way back upstairs and could not stop sweating or coughing. I thought – “how in the world am I going to be able to travel on a 7:30 flight? – Why did I plan a last minute trip SOOOO last minute?” Well, I ignored those thoughts for a bit and completely passed out until I had to leave for my flight. Everything was set, my air tickets, the hotels, the tour I had booked for Saturday – I knew I had to just suck it up and make the most of it.

Thankfully I made it to the airport, a little too early I may add. The check in process for a domestic flight is so low key, all you really need is an hour to check in, go through security and make your way to the gate. The worst part was there was no AC in this terminal – I really thought I might pass out…The flight was only and hour, I could do this, I could just suck it up for a bit more.

Right when we were supposed to board, we were told the flight was delayed another 40 minutes! Totally bummer but luckily 10 minutes later they came on the speaker to say we could board.

Because my head was already so congested I thought my head might explode all over the plane because of the cabin pressure – never had my ears been so clogged, I don’t think I could even hear a thing until Saturday morning. But before I knew it, we landed and I was in Da Nang! I hadn’t checked any baggage so all I had to do was go outside and get a cab. After fighting through a bit of a mob scene I got a cab and was on my way to the Saigon Tourane hotel, I had my voucher ready and everything. I knew in about a half hour I’d be tucking myself into bed, get a good night’s sleep and be ready for my tour at 8:30 AM.

The cab driver pulls up to what looks like a condemned building with green scaffolding all over the front of the building. He’s half talking in English and the other half Vietnamese – 05 Da Dong? “Not here, no here,” he keeps repeating… I can obviously see this condemned building is the address of my hotel, but I think, this just cannot be happening to me right now, it just cannot. I see the name of the hotel in front of the building on a construction sign, it has the number 07 with an arrow pointing to the right. I’m trying to explain to the driver to just drive another block and the hotel should be there. He doesn’t quite understand that so he calls his friend who speaks English and I tell him that I think the hotel may be under construction but has temporarily moved to 07 Da Dong instead of 05. He communicates that to the driver and I sigh a sigh of relief, the hotel is there! Whew!

Instantly this little concierge guy runs to greet me, he grabs my bag from me and I am given my room key and breakfast voucher. I take a quick shower and totally pass out. I just had to wake up 100% better, had to!

Before I knew it my alarm was going off and it was time to get ready. I could not wait for what I had planned. Just as I was told the tour guide picked me up all smiley at 8:30 AM, the car and driver were waiting with 2 bottles of waiting for me. It was great that I had a car and driver to myself so I could keep my luggage in the trunk the whole day because I was checking into a different hotel in Hoi An that evening.

Mr. Uang, my driver was so knowledgeable, fun, and made the day very interesting. Stop # 1 – Marble Mountains. Five peaks actually make up Marble Mountain that is made of marble and limestone, each one makes up an element of earth and is called that element. There is soil, metal, fire, and water (only four names for five peaks, I was confused too). We hiked up Water, which is supposedly the nicest one to see. The steps I climbed makes any of my workouts on the stair master or stepping mill to shame! Holy stairs is all I have to say. It was great I got to see many pagodas, Buddha’s, caves, and more stairs!

On Marble Mountain I got o learn more about the Buddhist culture and then symbolism of constructing pagoda’s as they do. The Buddhist’s have all different God’s and Goddesses they pray too for different reasons: money, health, beauty, etc. they have a god for everything. I also learned that on the 1st and 15th lunar day of the month the Buddhist’s go to the pagoda to pray. They also go vegetarian during these two days and eat no meat whatsoever.

Pagoda’s vary in shape in size throughout Asia. It depends what the religious affiliation is in that area. Amid the middle of the mountain I got to pray in the Tam Thai pagoda, it is actually inside a cave! At one of the entrances there are stairs leading to the pagoda, there are four different gods at this location you can pray to. Atop Marble Mountain was a beautiful 7 layer Pagoda – the 7 layers are supposed to enhance career and education.

Another interesting thing I learned about the Buddhist culture is that they save up for people funerals and do not celebrate birthdays. They have elaborate marble tombstones and coffins that I have seen around the country and often wondered why they were so grandiose. Before the burial and day of the deceased they go to a fortune teller to be told a good day and time to buried their loved one. Today, more modern Buddhists celebrate birthdays.

Ok, one more interesting Buddha fact, I just rememebered. The reason Buddha's image is so big, his ears are so big, his tummy is so big, everything is so large is because he had a fulfilling life. He heard everything, learned everything, is full of all the life he lived...I found that interesting and hope you do too.

Stop #2 was the new town of Hoi An. First I stopped at a tailor’s – a friend of Mr. Uang – go figure. I had also read that Hoi An is the town to get clothes custom made. I figured, “why now, when in Vietnam…” Ms. Tam Tam gave me catalogues to look through and I started having a lot of fun, too much fun I think! Then I got to pick out the fabrics, got measured and my order was placed. I was told to come back at 7:00 PM for a fitting.

Stop # 3 I was whisked off into the ancient town of Hoi An, what a cute town. First I stopped off to see how silk is made. Did you know it is made from silk worms? I did not know that. They feed these tiny white worms until they get very big, they then make a cocoon and turn into moths. They take the cocoons they made and spin it into silk. It really was interesting to see. At the same place I also go to see these young girls hand weaving art from pictures that were taken. From afar, it looks like these framed pieces of art are actual photography until a closer look, it’s all hand woven! I also got to see the making of lanterns and bed mats. And of course they tried to sell me at least one of everything the entire time. I simply kept say, “NO THANKS!”

Next I had amazing lunch at this adorable restaurant called Morning Glory. It was included in my tour and turned out to be 7 courses of deliciousness! I couldn’t believe they kept bringing food out. 1. Tomato and egg soup 2. Crispy pancake (omelet rolled in rice paper – mom I will be making this at home!) 3. chicken with ginger and lemongrass 4. Fish in a clay pot 5. Steamed green beans 6. Steamed rice 7. Custard
I felt like I rolled myself out of there! Thankfully I got to walk it all off! I went for a great tour of the Ancient city, I saw an old Japanese bridge, an old traditional house, the Cham museum and lots of other little nooks and crannies along the way! My camera was very busy taking pictures of everything!

Stop #4 is where I was taken to My Son. These are ancient ruins that were so fun and exciting for me to explore. These ruins are a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu Temples constructed between the 4th and the 14th century A.D. by the kings of Champa. This was also a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes. When I visited the Cham museum in Hoi An, I saw how the royalty was buried in these huge pottery jugs. The more of royalty they were the bigger the jug was, the poorer they were, the smaller the jug – it looked more like a pot. The temples are dedicated to the worship of the god Shiva (the supreme one) as he is known under various local names, the most important of which is "Bhadresvara."

Unfortunately, most of the sites had been destroyed during the war. At one time, the site encompassed over 70 temples as well as numerous stele bearing historically important inscriptions in Sankskrit and Cham. I am beginning to see how big this war was just from visiting other sites far from one another, this war basically took over the whole country – I had not realized that before. Luckily one site was pretty much left intact and I was able to enjoy exploring it.

My Son was about an hour drive out of Hoi An, after trekking through the sites for about an hour and a half we headed back to Hoi An. Along the way, we stopped at China Beach, this is where the US soldiers first landed during the war. Today this beach that stretches for miles and miles is full of tourists and people enjoying the beautiful and picturesque beach. I also got to see different areas of Da Nang and Hoi An while in the car. They sure are building up Da Nang, there is so much untouched beach and they are taking advantage of that. Right now they are building about a dozen new beach resorts that look as thought they will be spectacular. They’re even building golf courses (I took pics for you Dad). Da Nang and Hoi An reminded me of Cape Cod to us in MA. Lots of little shops, mostly tailors, tourists, families, and couples. Everyone is in beachwear, either sun burnt or tanned and in total chill mode. I felt myself instantly let any thoughts that were still trickling around in my head go far, far away. Seeing all the families having a great time together from Europe and Australia made me miss my family (yes, you read that right Mom, Dad, and Mel – I . A “Rosman Unit” vacation is long overdue, it’s time we plan one! I was then dropped off at my hotel, the Hoi An Pacific – no construction site going on, that was a good sign right off!

Mr. Uang had offered if I wanted to go see Hue the next day he would arrange the car and guide me through. I really had wanted to possibly squeeze it in. But it was a 3 hour ride there and we’d have to leave super early to get back by 6PM to check out and make it to the airport…I was half and half but by the end of the day my cough was pretty nasty and knew I had maybe overdone it. If I did this two days in a row, I’d be asking for it. I decided to stick to my original plan of being a beach bum!

I was given a yummy welcome drink upon arrival, my key, and breakfast voucher. I knew there was also a “fitness center” here and wanted to check it out. I dropped my stuff off, changed into my gym clothes and found the saddest little gym I ever did see. It was a nice effort, almost would have been better if they had put in no effort though….I jogged for a bit on what I called Fisher-Prices – my first treadmill! The pool area was really cute though that you overlooked when using this “fitness center.”

It was almost 7 so I wanted to take a quick shower and get back into town for my fitting. When I walked back into Blue Tailors, Ms. Tam Tam was so excited to see me. It was nice getting such a warm greeting though. Not everything was ready for me to try on, but some things were so I started trying on what was finished. The red trench coat I had ordered was perfect and I totally loved it! Some of the other things…not so much. Let’s just say the way it looked in the catalogue wasn’t necessarily how it looked….And the pants did not fit right! I thought custom made was supposed to fit perfect. Ms. Tam Tam explained that is what the fitting is for…I was to come back the next morning at 10:00 for another fitting. This whole experience was starting to be a pain, I had to start re-working what I was going to do and see around fittings! I knew I shouldn’t have gotten suckered into this but thought it would be fun to do while in town…

All I wanted to do was have a nice dinner on the beach. I asked Ms. Tam Tam if she knew of a good beach side resturant and I was off. I found myself at Hon fresh seafood restaurant which was right on the beach – exactly what I wanted. The people that worked there were so friendly, I never felt a lone because they wouldn’t stop sitting and talking with me. The food was delicious: fresh shrimp spring rolls, grilled fresh fish in lemongrass, and steamed spinach with garlic – all complete with a nice cold and refreshing glass of white wine. A perfect end to a perfect day!

By the time I got back to the hotel I was so exhausted, I just knew I would pass out! Mmmm, not really! The second I laid down, I was having a coughing attack – out of nowhere. I mean my cough was pretty nasty throughout the day but this was non-stop! I figured out I had to sleep kind of sitting up and by 6AM, the non-stop came to an end, I was able to get about 2 good hours of sleep in. The sun started trickling in through the blinds and figured it was time to make the most of the day.

I had a nice breakfast on the rooftop restaurant and made my way into town yet again for another fitting! It is pretty amazing they take your measurements and within a couple hours have something for you to try on. This time things started looking better and I was feeling better about my choices…After the fitting I walked through town again and found this cute little coffee shop – again the staff, so nice! Now it was time to hit the beach!

After quickly stopping off at the hotel to change, I was at My Khe beach! Total paradise, the hotel had a partnership with one of the beach clubs. It was perfect, I got a great lounger right near a little bamboo hut incase I needed some shade. I was a total beach bum and felt great! The ocean water was amazing! Playing in the waves was awesome and so enjoyable. It was a bit overcast but that was perfect because when the sun was out, it felt 20 degrees warmer. I wasn’t even coughing that much or having to blow my nose every two seconds. The day before I had gone through an entire toilet paper roll from blowing my nose, I never though that was possible.

The driver from the hotel said he’d be back for me at 3:40, and at that he was – right on time! I had to go back to Blue between 4 and 5 to pick up my finished clothes, so the timing was perfect. I had my last visit with Ms. Tam Tam and left with my finished goods, not too bad. I just hope I actually wear what I got made, it’s easy to get carried away at the time, but I do think I made some good, practical choices. I love a dress, the trench coat and a shirt. I don’t love the pants so much but that could change once I pair them with the right heels and top…

I now had just enough time to take a quick shower, have a quick bite at the hotel and make my way back to Da Nang Airport. I was so happy I extended my check out for a half day, it made it much easier! Check in was a breeze, there was AC in the waiting area lounge, and the plane was on time. I landed 5 minutes earlier, got a cab, paid correctly, unpacked, and went right to sleep like a baby! No coughing attacks or anything!

All in all it was a great weekend and I am so happy I sucked it up and went on with it, totally worth it and I recommend anyone that comes to Vietnam check it out! Now I am ready for a great week and cannot wait for Megan and Kendall to get here so we can play!

Have a great week everyone!

XXOO

Lesson Learned...

Never a dull moment for me!

I forgot to mention that when I got back from the airport on Sunday I had an extremely blonde moment! After not sleeping so much that weekend, traveling, and just feeling a bit run down - I was so out of it when I went to pay the driver, I made a huge error on my part.

The currency here is VND = Vietnam Dong. $1 US = 17,718 VND. When I pulled up to my apartment, the meter read 89.0. Meaning I owed 90,000 VND which = a $5 US fare. Me, being totally out of it counted out my 100,000 VND as if they were 10,000 VND and ended up paying 900,000 for a 90,000 fare! Yup, I paid $50 for $5 cab ride.

Of course I realized this AFTER returning up to my apartment and putting things I away. I was like, did I really just do that?!?!?! I explained what happened to a guest services representative at my apartment and she offered to help me by contacting the cab company.

Ms. Minh has bent over backwards trying to help me and she even set up an appointment with me and the cab company last night. Go figure! I had not planned on having a meeting with Vinasun Taxi while here - I just had to blog about it because it's so humourous to me now. My apartment actually has the driver on tape dropping me off. When asked if he dropped me off he of course denied it not knowing he was on tape. Ms. Minh came with me to Vinasun for the meeting to translate, I'll find out today if anything has been resolved.

I know, I could have let is slide, it's really not that big of a deal but now it's just the point of it all. Ms. Minh has wanted to help me and the driver keeps lying about having not even driven me...

Lesson of this all is to not be so out of it when counting my money here and pay attention!

More Pictures

Make sure to check out all my photo's on my shared site:

http://jenniesadventuresthroughvietnam.shutterfly.com/

My B-day: Asian Style

My Birthday – Asia Style

I love how every week here is totally different than the one before! Talk about getting out of a rut. It’s funny, I knew I was in a rut before I left but now I see how scheduled I was…Life is so much more interesting and FUN when you just got with the flow of things – everything always has a way of working itself out anyway.

My birthday celebration started on the 1st of August – just 2 days before my actual birthday. Growing up, my mom always told us a month long celebration is always important when celebrating your birthday – I guess I still follow that!

I had booked a 9 AM flight for Singapore to meet up with one of my best friends, Ellen. Me being me – I arrived at the airport before 7 AM to make sure I checked in not rushing. As soon as I got to the counter I was told the flight was delayed until 6PM!!!!!!!! Of course, they only offered 1 return flight on Sunday at 1 PM. I could either suck it up and wait, not go at all because I’d barely be there, or try to buy a 1 way ticket from another carrier. I chose the later! It was totally worth it and the original airline is refunding me half of what I paid, since it was their error!

I arrived at the hotel by noontime. What an amazing hotel Ellen was staying at, I totally lucked out to be staying at the St. Regis, we are talking lap of luxury here! I dropped my bag off and headed straight out to Orchard Road, where all the shopping malls are. Still, I cannot believe how much Singaporeans shop and eat. The city is so modern, clean, and international. I almost felt like I was in a US city somewhere because everyone came from a different walk of life, spoke English, and had many of the same shops we have at home.

While waiting for Ellen to arrive from Hong Kong, I made great use of my time exploring the city. We were definitely on the same timing, as she was pulling into the driveway – I was walking along the driveway to the lobby. Talk about perfect timing! We were served tea in the lobby while our room was prepared. By around 5 we hit the streets again headed for Bugis Station. This is a stop along their subway system; it flows into another huge shopping mall with a huge food court that has every sweet imaginable. I even tried a few things; it was my B-day weekend after all!

The plan was to leave for the famous Night Safari around 7, and that we did. What a scene it was when we arrived. There were fire dancers on a stage twirling and throwing flames into the air on a stage. We got our tickets for the tram and waited in a loooooong line for the tram. I could not believe how many people there were.

Time went fast and soon we boarded our tram. We soon made our way into the “jungle” and began seeing creatures of the night around every twist and turn. I tried not to freak out that we were in an exposed vehicle with lions about 10 feet away from us. They must sedate them or have electric collars around their necks, sad when you think about. It was like being at the zoo in the night time and instead of walking you got escorted around in a tram, not bad by me.

We finished up a little bit after 10PM and headed straight to Clarke Quay/Riverside area. What a cool area this was. There were tons of restaurants along the water and it was so relaxing. After taking a peek into every restaurant we found one that we thought would be perfect and that it was! This was also the night area. So convenient, you finish eating and all you have to do is walk around the corner to your bar, club, or lounge of choice. For those being a bit more daring there is also extreme bungee. It’s this tower and you go inside this ball thingy with other people that is attached to a huge elastic like structure and you are flung up, down, and all around. It looked awesome – too bad the line was so long though!

By 2AM we found ourselves back to the St Regis. I could not wait to shower! After being in the night safari, I was ready for a shower. But I have to tell you, it was well worth the wait. The shower was the best shower I ever used, I need one installed whenever I own my own house, there were these jets coming from every angle, and it was just the best! We continued staying up until around 4AM and ordered some yummy dessert consisting of coconut sorbet and chocolate ice cream with a chocolate mousse dish. This was paired with some champagne. I mean why not really go all out?

The next morning was pretty rushed since I had to leave pretty early for my flight. After breakfast at the hotel, I had to head to the airport. Check in was mindless and I found a lounger in the middle of the airport near the gate to relax in. I got back to the HCMC airport in no time at all.

I have to say my team here really threw a nice b-day celebration for me on Monday. I actually had to give a presentation on Monday morning – after that the team surprised me with a yummy cake, cards, and xylophone. We then all crammed into one of the cars and headed for lunch. We went to Fifo – this great traditional Vietnamese place that is inside of an old house. They have cuisine from all the different parts of Vietnam. Each region is known for a different dish. Food kept coming out – it was such a delicious feast!

I’m sure the rest of the week is just going to fly by! I booked a last minute trip to Da Nang and Hoi An Friday night through Sunday night. I am so excited to check it out. Saturday I planned a tour to see My Son (ancient ruins), China Beach (where the US soldiers first landed), and Marble Mountain (you can trek it; you know I’ll be happy doing that!) Not to worry – I will post pics of everything!

Next week I am looking forward to some of the US team coming here for a development trip. Kendall and Megan are staying a bit longer to play – yay – I cannot wait!

I hope you all are taking advantage of summer and having some of your own fun!