My laptop was down and I was simply too busy to catch up with myself. These are just some of the lousy excuses that I am giving myself from sharing a most unforgettable experience.

It was on 20^th May 07, I was traveling around during my weekend while I was on work trip at Camau. Was going to travel back to Camau from Soc Trang. Waited at a rest station where buses that traveled between cities usually stops for toilet break. I was there for about 3 hours in all and I guess it concise of what traveling is all about.

Got to the rest station somehow after 45 minutes on a motorbike, threatening the bike driver, stopping numerous times to ask for direction and containing a constant fear that I am terribly lost. I was actually delighted when the bike driver beams when I handed him the agreed fee with a little extra. Maybe it was because he was not complaining for once.

Tried to get help from the people at the rest station for some idea how to get onto a bus to Camau. I was pretty nervous at first and approach all the buses that pull into the station. After a while, I resigned to the fact that I will have to wait and waiting without any certainty. The second was a new experience to me while traveling alone. I really hate to wait and dislike uncertainty of all kinds.

I got pretty comfortable and started writing in my journal. There is a house on the opposite side the road that had caught my eyes on my pervious trip. I started drawing it and it was later somehow shared with all the people at the rest station. Everyone seems to like my drawing and their feelings are very sincere. Was secretly hoping that I was able to draw better pictures. Departed from the rest station with a warm feeling and didn’t feel like I was traveling alone anymore.

From the 2nd to 10th Jun 07, I traveled over 2000km from Ho Chi Minh in the south to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. And all that distance was covered in 9 days. The trip was an affirmation of my feelings of this rather complex country. Maybe to elaborate myself a little more, I think Vietnam is really beautiful and calm but spontaneous all the same. People and things are naturally beautiful and I really hope that this will never get eroded with development.

My travel buddies include two of my really long time friends that I completely can take them for granted. Hope they are not going to get rid of this crazy friend of theirs anytime soon. And a new lady that I only got to know her during the trip. My traveling buddies were great and I realized something about myself. I have to work on my patience a little and perhaps try not to be too demanding on others and even towards myself.

Visited Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang, Hoi An and Hanoi. Hoi An left a warm impression and a pretty delicious one. Really love the Cao Lau doughy flat noodles with pork, greens, crispy stuff and well water from Ba Le well.

Had my very first dive in Nha Trang, it was really unforgettable experience. I felt a little afraid and vulnerable in the sea but at the same time calm without noise under the water. Rather contradicting feelings actually, to be honest till now I am not able to reach a conclusion on possibility of getting myself certified. I got really seasick that day and throw up like a melion.  That had not happen to me for a while.

Got really sick during the trip and eventually lose my voice totally by the 4^th day of the trip. Never been so sick during any holiday before and even had to visit a doctor. Really thankful that I didn’t get murder by my roommate from the excessive noise that I had produced at night and the rest of them for not feeding me to the crocodiles as sick chicken. Hee hee, I will not go down without a fight.

Not so good news, I had not recovered from the sickness till now. Hope I will be well and healthy to face new challenges soon.