Apr 2006

I loved Vietnam! One of my favorite places to date (behind South Africa). But actually, I have loved every place (except for Mauritius) because every place is different and unique.

Vietnam was the port for parent’s weekend. If the parents wanted to, then they could sign up for a trip through SAS that would bring them to Vietnam. They also got to go to Thailand I believe and then they were going one more place. The parent’s trip they could choose to either go to Cambodia or stay in Vietnam. When we docked in Vietnam at 8 am, then all of the parent’s were down below. It was actually really emotional. The parents were down there waving to their kids, some were crying, and most were as happy as could be. My parents didn’t come; mostly because I told them not to because it’s a lot of money to only see me for 5 days. It made me think of how intense San Diego is going to be! If you didn’t know it by now, my whole family is coming down to San Diego to see me dock! I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. So seeing the parents below made me think about how in about a month I’ll be able to see my family and yell down to them and be really emotional. It’s going to be great.

On top of that, a good friend Courtney, had to go home in Vietnam. In Myanmar, she was at a restaurant and was in the bathroom and was leaning against a sink. The sink then collapsed on her, and she ended up cutting her wrist on the sink. She got stitches on the ship, but over the next few days from Myanmar to Vietnam, it became infected and she was in a lot of pain. We had to dock in Singapore, to refuel since we couldn’t or didn’t want to buy fuel from Myanmar. So the medical staff decided that Courtney was to get off in Singapore to see a hand surgeon about her wrist. She ended up getting off the ship and having 2 surgeries and still needed 2 more. So the insurance wouldn’t let her continue with the voyage and she had to go home while we were in Vietnam. It was really sad. BUT she’ll be in San Diego with the parents when we dock. So not only will our parents/families be there, but so will Court, which will be fantastic!!

Onto Vietnam, I really didn’t do much in Vietnam. The first day Dani, Andrew, his mom and I went to the market. Andrew is from Indiana and actually goes to Concordia University in Illinois. That is how we met and now we’re pretty good friends. He’s a good guy to joke around with. It was great to hang out with a mom. It’s been forever since any adults (besides adults on the ship) have been around, so even though it wasn’t my mom (which I would have preferred) it was still nice to have her around. We shopped a little that first day. Andrew and his mom were leaving for Cambodia the next day and Dani and myself were staying in Ho Chi Minh City (or otherwise known as Saigon) so we just did whatever they wanted to do. After a couple of hours shopping, Andrew’s mom took us to show us her hotel, and then to a restaurant. The food was pretty good. I do have to say that I was most impressed with Vietnamese food (compared to India and Myanmar). They had great Vietnamese food but also excellent French food because the French controlled Vietnam up until just before the Vietnam war.

Afterwards, we went back to the ship to shower. Ho Chi Minh City was SO hot! It was probably the hottest and most humid place we’ve been to date. I heard that if you went more North it was colder. Dani and I really wanted to go to a nice French restaurant and order a bottle of wine with dinner, but we ended up going to a different restaurant with Rachel and Sarah, which was okay. After dinner we went to a bar on top of the Rex Hotel. This bar is where the American troops used to drink and plan things. If you were at the bottom of buildings you were more likely to die from bombs, so they sat up here to watch what was going on below. It was actually pretty cool, a little expensive but nice. Then while walking back to the ship, we passed this little side restaurant where a ton of locals sat. Dani decided to sit down and have a beer with Sarah so we joined. It was actually really cool. We met a guy from Vietnam and another from Thailand.

The next day Dani and I went to the War Museum and wow was it intense. You would never see something like this in the US. They had so many graphic pictures about what really was happening. I didn’t really know that much about the Vietnam War before this. They also had a recreation of what the Americans and Southern Vietnam military used to hold criminals. It was a small jail cell. It was really intense. I would put it up there with my experiences of visiting a concentration camp.

After that we rode on these little bikes where you would sit on the side and someone would take you where you wanted to go. It was very cool. We went to the market and then had some lunch. I bought SO much in Vietnam. Actually, probably too much. But I bought stuff for people back home. I also had a dress made, which turned out okay. It’s an Asian style dress, which is pretty cool. I also bought some stuff for my room, which I plan on redecorating when I get home. And I bought a robe, which I LOVE!! Best purchase ever!

That night we just went out for dinner and then went back to the ship because I had an early trip the next morning.

The next day I woke up early to go to the school for the blind with Rachel and Elliott. It was interesting, but we didn’t get really any interaction with the kids, which sucked. That’s why I didn’t like it that much. It was cool to see how they’re school is ran and what the kids do.

Afterwards, Dani and I walked up the river to see what there was to do there. A man approached us about taking a boat through a little river to see what life was like outside the city. We only paid $5 for an hour and it was GREAT!! So interesting to see houses built on water. We saw how they caught fish and just other interesting things about living outside the city. That was my only time I was able to get out of the city so it was nice. For all the other ports I had been traveling like crazy, so since I didn’t get into the Cambodia trip, I decided to just stick around the city, which was a great choice. Afterwards we went and ate ice cream at this place right on the river. It was a great afternoon!

Then we went back to the ship to shower and get ready to go eat dinner and go out that night. When we got back, I went to Dani’s room with her, and she started talking to her steward outside of her door. I noticed a note on her door, so I read it and it was from Courtney who said she was back on the ship and we needed to find her ASAP. She had been gone for 5 days in Singapore and we weren’t expecting her back so soon. We sprinted to her room, but she wasn’t there. So we ran around the WHOLE ship looking for her, but no luck. So we just sat down and waited for her. That’s when she told us that she had to go home. So then we all showered and got ready for the evening. We went out to dinner at this place called Wrap and Roll. The manager loved Courtney, and so he gave us free desert and took care of us, which was nice. Then we went to this cute little bar called the Underground. The bar was like a bar in London. It was a fun atmosphere.

The next day we pretty much did whatever Courtney wanted to do. We (Dani & I) were either going to go to the Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels but we didn’t. Now, looking back, I really wish we would have done the Cu Chi Tunnels! But oh well. We shopped around. Then we went to THE BEST restaurant in Vietnam. It was 1 and we were all starving and thirsty, and I recommended this place called Java. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be good or not, but we made our way there. I was really nervous and actually told people that I would buy their food if they didn’t like it. We got there and fell in love with the atmosphere and there food was so good. I had a BLT which was delicious. I felt like I was at a place back in the states. Everyone else loved their food as well so it was great. That evening we ate dinner on the ship and really didn’t do much. It was a long day and Courtney had to pack.

The last day I went to the school for the deaf. That was way cool. They did a dance performance for us. And then we were able to interact with the kids. I was in a group with just me and three boys. They were 13, so that was cool. We interacted by writing. They knew some English so they would write something down or draw it and then I would answer them by writing or tell them what the name of the thing they drew in English. It was pretty cool. Then we paired up with one of the kids and we went to the zoo with them. The zoo was pretty small. It had all the animals you’d find in a zoo, plus dogs, cats, and horses. Weird, I know. The kids seemed like they loved it. Then we sat down and ate lunch together. The kids ate lunches we brought, so they seemed excited about eating an American style boxed lunch. Then we had an hour to waste and we had already gone through the whole zoo. So all of the kids and SAS kids started playing with each other. The kids had brought stuff to play with. We were jump roping with them, which was a blast. Others were playing different things with them. After that we dropped the kids off them went back to the ship. I took a nap because the kids had really worn me out and it was SO hot out!

That evening we all went out for Courtney’s last dinner type thing. We went to a really nice Vietnamese restaurant. I unfortunately didn’t each because I felt sick. I think it was from the days events and not having enough to drink (or even eat). It was still nice for our whole group to be out together. Then that night I just hung out with Courtney and others as she did some last minute things and said goodbye to everyone.

The ship was leaving at 6 am the next morning, so Courtney had to leave at 4 am. So Dani, Danielle and myself woke up to see her go. It was really sad, but then again, she’ll be in San Diego, so that makes things better.

Overall I really loved Vietnam. It was a nice five days with little to no traveling with was nice. We are on our way to Hong Kong now. We actually get in tomorrow morning. I am in Hong Kong for a day, and then I head up to Beijing to see the Great Wall and do other things as well, and then meet the ship in Qindao. The last day in Qindao I am doing a children’s thing which should be a lot of fun.

This trip is still so amazing and I’m finding new things everyday that I love. I really feel like I’ve seen the world, even though I’ve really haven’t seen much at all. I’m excited to go back to the states; this trip is becoming really exhausting. But then again, I do not want this trip to end. I really wish we could go to more countries and see more things. I’m excited for my family to be in San Diego and excited to go to Disneyland with them. And I’m excited to see all of you back home. But this trip is a once in a lifetime thing and I do not want it to end.

Love and miss you all!!!

Katie