I was sitting in an internet cafe full of Vietnamese kids plăying computer games when I read the final election results. It was one of the few times I fervently wished for the presence of a fellow American, someone with whom I could share my excitment. Obama won and my mother made it safe back to the States - life is good.
One of the things my mother carried in her expertly packed bags was a memory card from my camera, containing all the pictures of our adventures. So if you're bored and want to check out rice paddies, food art, and flattering pictures of yours truly, click here. Thank you, Dad, for getting all those online!
The past couple days have been funny, both in the ha-ha and the boo-hoo sense of the word. After my mother's departure I made a break for the Mekong Delta and discovered that in this country trying to get off the tourist trail instantly makes your life ten times more difficult. Fewer people speak English, public transport drops you in mysterious and inconvenient spots, and if you hesitate in your confusion, you're lost. Still, it's still fairly entertaining to be the only white person in town and see the look on a street vendor's face when you tell them (in sign language) that you'd like some food. It's even more entertaining trying to guess what all those parts floating around in the soup are.
I've decided to while away my last couple days in Vietnam on the island of Phu Quoc, so far southwest that it's almost Cambodia. There are white sand beaches, blue water, and palm trees for sipping fruit shakes under. The trick is finding a place that serves something other than steak and pizza (apparently the only thing tourists like to eat). On the 9th I road trip back to Ho Chi Minh City, and fly to Bangkok on the 10th to get out of the country before my visa expires.
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