Eden

Oy Vey,
So first off let me relieve the awkward tension by profusely apologizing for my lack of updates as of late. My B. I do have quite a few news worthy bits and pieces to share. I've left Hanoi for good and am just finishing our central Vietnam excursion this afternoon.
 - Our trip to Sapa was fantastic! We took the night train and arrived early in the morning to Lao Chi, an hour ride to our hotel up a windy mountain road. We've been getting hot and humid up in Hanoi so it was a bit of a shock when we jumped off the train into the freezing cold and misty air. Our trip, booked through the hotel, included a night in Sapa and a tour of the Cat Cat village day 1, a tour of Lao Chi Tavan village and a night in a bungalow at the Hmong Mountain Retreat Day 2, and a cooking class our last day.
- All meals were included and we took advantage of this feasting like Kings on breakfasts such as sweet corn and bacon pancakes, pumpkin chocolate muffins, exquisite vegetable and tofu dishes, and one of my favorites, the pumpkin burger.
- The rooms and the staff were so incredibly accommodating and friendly.... Our tour guides for both treks were girls our age who we had a wonderful time talking to and learned a lot about Sapa and the local Hmong tribes from. I admittedly cast a sweeping stereotype on the Hmong village women, who dress in their respective colorful tribal wear, as probably being very conservative, quiet, and very traditional. It was a welcome surprise to meet two girls who were just as free spirited and outgoing as our friends back home. We met up with one of them for a drink and some karaoke our first night and had a blast.
-The scenery there was awe inspiring. There are waterfalls and fresh streams everywhere and the mountains have been molded into tiered terraces to promote rice farming. It was green and lush everywhere you looked and we got some amazing views along the way. One highlight was the village children playing Hulk Hulgan on a "sleeping " water buff-allow on the side of the road (I think he was dying, but they were having a blast).
- I felt like Carry in Sex and the City at our private mountain bungalow. Wow. Wow. There were six rooms situated in the middle of no where on the top of the mountain overlooking the valley and river. We were the only ones at the hotel! They had a communal living room area which was decorated with local textiles where we sat and ate our dinner over a glass of wine. What a life....
- Unfortunately Mel got sick our last night and for the remainder of that week (we had just discussed THAT NIGHT how it was amazing neither of us had come down with anything. Spoke too soon?)

-Our last week in Hanoi we stayed in a lot and tried to nurse Mel back to health before we departed. We got on another night train to Hue....BUHM BUHM BUHM..... the night train from hell. This was about 5 notches downgrade from our previous train with dim lighting....little cockroaches scurrying everywhere....dirty uncleaned bed sheets...ewwwww. Thank god for sleep sacks, what a nightmare.We planned to spend the day in Hue, a day during which it unfortunately was pouring rain....but like the good little travelers we are we didn't let the rain get the best of us and went out to take a tour of the Citadel, the ancient city within Hue.
-Our ponchos broke about ten minutes into the walk and we finally submitted to the bike tour salesmen who offered to take us around the citadel in a covered bike, stopping to take pictures and telling us relevant information along the way. 1968 the Americans bombed Hue during the Tet Offensive on the Vietnamese New Year. We got to see the remnants of bunkers set up during the fighting in the city and the War Museum. It was eye opening seeing a museum from the opposite perspective which described us as the invaders. Me and Mel had quite a bit of fodder for conversation that day on the Vietnam war, what we learn in school, and education in America in general.
- We've been in Hoi An, the most charming little beach side town in Vietnam for the last three days. It rained nonstop our first couple days, so much so that the river flooded over onto the streets and made for very messy sightseeing. The town of Hoi An is renowned for its tailors and shoemakers who are able to make anything fit to you by simply showing them a picture. If you know anything about me and Melissa, that night train from hell was worth every hour (16 hours to be exact) because we were heading to Eden. Wait.....clothes and shoes.....anything we want.....at ridiculous prices.....sensory overload. We'd actually been researching and discussing what we wanted the whole trip.
- An exhausting experience!! But I felt like a princess walking through the tailor shop, choosing fabrics, colors, sequins and leather, getting my measurements taken, going in for fittings and alterations. The sales women we both had were so lovely and made the whole experience really special. We both walked away with some serious goods which were sending home as soon as we get to Cambodia since we have no room for them in our backpack.
    So that's that.....my most recent adventures, less detailed since I couldn't possibly fit in everything. I've been a reading fiend and managed to finish a cheesy love triangle book, Love the One You're With, a murder mystery, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and have picked up a book I'm seriously loving, The Beach. This book is so fun to read because it takes place in Thailand and is a story involving backpackers. It's like I'm living the book (and yes this is the same book that was made into a movie starring Leonardo Dicaprio).
   Mother Nature has been a real you know what.....earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, Volcano in Jakarta, flooding in Thailand....basically everywhere we've wanted to go has been hit by some kind of natural disaster. Lay off MN! We were thinking we'd have to curtail our trip to Thailand's islands because of the flooding but just got into touch with someone in Bangkok who assured us the floods aren't affecting that area (PHEW) and Bali is still safe from the volcano's damages (PHEW). So we're off to Cambodia for a tour of Siam Reap.
Byyyeeeee