Yesterday, I left Japan. I hope I go back. I know I will. But when will that be, I do not know. Japan will always be a home for me.
I'm on the airplane. We're taxiing about waiting for clearance. I knew it was coming, but it didn't hit until after the pilot gunned the engines and we blasted into the sky. It was quite a powerful take-off - more so than usual, we were late- and so I guess that was fitting for my departure. Tears trickled as the engines started, streamed at rotation, gushed in the air. And then it was done.
Eri had been waiting for around three hours for me at HCMC airport, in the hot and constantly harassed by cabbies. Getting a cab was a sharp introduction to the culture, being heckled from all sides and even at once point being physically pulled. After many a hostile negotiation we finally got a cab to take us to where we wanted to go for $8: three more than it's supposed to be but what the hell.
The next day, after a nice long sleep in the hotel we checked into, we slowly made our initial foray into HCMC. The food is great. The drinks are cheap. Crossing the street for the first time: our hearts were still reeling five minutes after the fact. The cars and bikes just keep on coming. And what the hell is a traffic light? So you wait for when there are less cars, and then slowly but steadily, you cross. And the traffic yields and goes around you. Or you get hit. The latter has not happened yet. Sugoi.
Alex will be arriving Saturday and Brent and Stefanie on Sunday. Guys, we can't wait for you to join us!
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1 comment:
it sounds like you guys are having a blast in HCMC. I can't wait to hear more about it. but please, do be careful while crossing the street. We all know it isn't your best skill. I don't want to have to translate medical terminology from English to Vietnamese.
Lots of love, and am looking forward to the next update.
Ryan
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