Merry Christmas

Christmas Day has been and gone and we had a quiet relaxing day with Dad, Dorklag, Pete and Annie. Mac and Alex, 2 mates in Hanoi popped by for a festive drink but in all it was a lazy day with too much food and drink.

Tom and Claire won't remember much of it either all though they did like the wrapping paper and are more than equipped to hit the beach with all their new swimwear when the weather warms up.

We hope everyone had a good one and who knows where we'll be next year.

2007 Christmas Day

December Pics

December's photos

December has been a busy month so there are a few December albums, one for the Mui Ne Beach holiday and another for the Birthday Bash and that leaves the what few ordinary days we had.

Happy Birthday to Us

That's right we have made it to the ripe old age of 1. Can hardly recall where the time went but it has certainly been a jam packed year.

Don't forget to look at our web album using the link on the side of the page, but here are some snaps from our BIG Day!

2007 December 23rd Tom and Claire's 1st Birthday

Mui Ne

2007 December Mui Ne Beach Holiday

School is out and we are off to the beach. It was absolutely fantastic, relaxing and gave a new light on Vietnam.

Mui Ne is half way between Saigon and Nha Trang and is a quaint fishing village that has now been turned into a holiday mecca for the rich Saigonese. Having said this, we lived it up while we were there and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

The beaches are clean and there aren't too many hawkers and with the twins the little kids who are I guess about 12 years old trying to sell things completely forgot to put the hard deal on us and just sat on the sand and played with Tom and Claire.

In the heart of the fishing village people still use ox' to pull their haul like a horse and cart or more appropriately in a tractor as they had tonnes of things piled up. And the fishing boats are like big bamboo pots, about 2m in diameter out on the sea, no thankyou.

Well the kids got to swim in the sea and the pool, the grassy areas in the resort we were staying were terrific reprieve from the the dusty dirty tiles here in Hanoi and Claire became a little more steady on her feet.

November Pics

November's photos

Sorry been a bit slack lately with the blog but the camera hasn't stopped snapping.

We're Walking

What can we say, we now have our hands well and truly full. The sprites are mobile. Tom has been on the cusp for about six weeks, but after a few stacks he lost his nerve and reverted to crawling. But now they are both up and going. Claire seemed to not want to miss out on anything and just popped up and went.



Claire is still a little unsteady on the move, but very stable when standing around and has worked out a way to counter attack Tom's additional weight when they are both vying for the same position.

Terry Fox Run

As soon as I heard about the Terry Fox Run I had the whole family on the donation sheet and we were all set to attend.  Yesterday afternoon's festivities that led into last night festivities meant the early rise for a fun run, was not all that 'fun'.  We still made it Thien Quang Lake for an 8am start and joined the crowd to raise money for cancer research here in Vietnam.

So now the kids have another first to rack up, their first fun run and I tell you I would have much preferred been in the chariot than being the pusher.

House Warming

Yes we may have been here for 3 months, but in that time a lot has happened and Trev hasn't been here the whole time either.  So yesterday we had our house warming.  The party started around 2ish and besides a small ice drama, that being the lack of ice and the ice factory having closed, we with the help of Helen's maid found some ice in an old dumpster looking thing covered in doonas and old pillows.  Drama over, the drinks were chilled and the party began in force.

About 40 people came by during the day and evening and the new BBQ had a workout.

It was going to be themed in bad taste to go with the current equine flu back home and the thought that Tuesday's big race may be cancelled, but with that all going ahead we just had a BBQ.

The photo is of Claire and Park a spouse of one of Jo's workmates and there are plenty more photos are in Tom and Claire's webalbum.

Playing Tourist

It's been a while since we have been able to enjoy playing tourist in Hanoi.  In fact since starting the new job at the same time Trev left for work it seems we have been doing the same ol' ritual of work and home.  Trev arrived home on Saturday and on Sunday we were off on a day of sight seeing and long brunches.

First stop as Trev had never been there before was KOTO and a walk by the temple of literature, we did the non touristy route via bathroom street to get a longer shower hose, then from breaky it was on to the Military Museum on Dien Bien Phu.  We had an interesting look around here and the number of conflicts the Vietnamese have been involved is endless.  They had a good display of relics with some English and French scripts to help get the gist of what they were of.

We then jumped across the road to see Lenin.  This statue is apparantly the last statue of Lenin in situe, all others have been removed to places various for preservation ie museums.

From Dien Bien Phu we headed in to the old quarter, past St. Joseph's Church and around Hoan Kiem Lake.  It was then decided to head home and we decided to continue the walking way we had started and meandered through back streets, getting slightly lost while enjoying the sounds and sights.

Watch out Casey Stoner

It's official I have now had a labotomy, or so it seems I must have.  I say this as I am now hooning around Hanoi on a motorbike.  Yep that's right.  And it feels awesome.  Wind in my hair, smog on my face, horns in my ears  Oy Zoi Oy!!!!!

When I first arrived it was hard enough just crossing the road, now I am out there whizzing past people, dodging every man and his dog literally and adding to the traffic congestion.

First step Hanoi, next step Phillip Island !!!!

Terry Fox Run

I've just been thinking about the events of the past few weeks at school and in the community of late.  Last weekend we went to the Humanitarian Services for Children Vietnam fundraiser and had a terrific time, this week our school had their annual International Week which raises money for the Peace Village and Friendship Village.  They both do terrific work rehabilitating victims of agent orange.  And now another event coming up is the Terry Fox Run.  Our school is putting in a team and the event is basically a fun run to be held on the 4th of November here in Hanoi.  The run is world wide now and funds raised will go to the Hanoi Cancer Centre and the HCMC Cancer ward.

I know that Movember is coming up again in Australia, so I won't ask for any donations here, just hope your 'mows' all come out again this year.

September Photos

September's photos

Just follow the link to the photos from September, or Dad if you want to see old photos go to the right hand side of the page where it says Tom and Claire's web album.

Time flies

My oh my! What a month. Time flies when you're having fun, and even when you're too busy to notice.

The job front has improved and I am now working for a reputable mob, as a secondary teacher. I have my work cut out for me as I'm learning the topic before delivering it and in an unfamiliar curriculum. But there is light at the end of the tunnel and its not an oncoming train.

Trev left about a week ago to go back to work, he is doing a stint between Darwin and East Timor - I think?

A very old friend from Cairns responded to an email earlier in the month saying she was bringing a school group to Hanoi and would be arriving in 11 days. Well the 11 days have passed and we caught up on Monday night and had a fabulous time. She is heading south with the school group and will have to send me the ins and outs once she is home and in her new place. So it's not just me that things are hectic for, signing home papers the day before heading overseas is outrageous. Nevertheless - Congrats Fi and Steve on becoming mortgage repayers.

Last night was the mid autumn festival. This was my favourite festival in China, and here it was a little disappointing. The weather was terrible, raining and overcast weather will always make moon watching evenings a little dull. In China it was a huge celebration, here perhaps I don't know any Vietnamese people well enough yet but it just seemed like another day. I bought Miss Diep my lab assistant a bunch of flowers and this morning she gave the kids traditional toys in response, she also told me that the Moon Festival is for kids not adults. And I must say this made a lot of sense as I didn't see anyone exchange moon cakes here which was done freely in China between acquaintances and good friends, although they were everywhere to be bought. The toys were completely unexpected and unnecessary but delightful all the same. Tom has the co-ordination to bang his drum and takes great pleasure in doing this and then having a big hearty laugh which then cracks Claire up.

Well the month is nearly up, in summary the kids got their first teeth, their first cold, Claire is now crawling and Tom is half way to walking - pulling himself up on everything and the Pies didn't make it to the Grandy and I changed jobs. All in all, things are beginning to settle down here - I say tongue in cheek.

Cyclo Pub Crawl

You're never too old or young to go on a pub crawl. The school social club organised a pub crawl on cyclos for the 28th of September. A cyclo is a pushbike with a carriage in the front that can sit 2 people. I have seen tourists in groups be taken around the Old Quarter in these and thought "how bloody ridiculous" now having done it and not in a tourist part of town it was amazing just how much more I saw. Admittedly you don't travel fast in these, but you also don't need to worry about pot holes or traffic, as that is your cyclo driver's responsibility.

Tom and Claire had a fantastic time and can now say they have been on their first pub crawl. A little tired they piked it after their third bar, not a bad effort really.

Traffic Safety Month

One thing Hanoi is never short on is road chaos and accidents. Even with the daily bump and grind we are amid the decision ourselves as to whether or not its safer to be in control of the motor bike or pillioning on the back. September is Road Safety month and the increased police presence on the roads has been noticable, however reports in the Vietnamese Press are indicating otherwise. We were quite shocked though to find our street, Doi Can to be used as an example on the front page of today's newspaper.

Rainy Season

The rainy season is upon us, and Lane 209 Doi Can is more like Venice than Vietnam. Mr Huy my landlord has promised the government will fix the drains this month but in the mean time we swim whenever it has rained for half an hour or more.

The other day I was a little bemused at the water and took some snaps.

Halong Bay the 2nd

It's Uncle Ho's Birthday today and Vietnam is having a long weekend. We decided seeing we had guests (Ollie and Liam) that we should do something. Liam, in his lovely forgetfulness suggested we go to Ninh Binh, Trev and I were quite keen on this until we realised he wanted us to bike out to the limestone karsts. It seems Liam had forgotten we have two little monsters. Tash was already heading up to Halong Bay so we joined her and did the same tour that Dad and I did about a month ago.

Halong Bay was just as lovely as last time. Claire and I hiked it up into the Surprise Cave this time. Trev and Tom stayed on the boat, you know a bit of male bonding had led to Tom needing a nanna nap and Trev quite content having another beer.

Anyway, Halong Bay was wonderful, the kids loved the beach again and it was nice to get out of the hustle and bustle.

Watch out next weekend when we head to Hoi An.

We have teeth

The kids have teeth. Tom's came through on Friday night complete with baboon bottom and Claire's came through today.

Chicken Street

Well in Qingtian we had under the bridge, in Hanoi we have Chicken Street. Chicken Street is really Ly Van Phuc Street and is an outdoor street filled with BBQ chicken stalls. Of course the parts of chicken that westerners and locals prefer differ and there is a choice of neck, feet, legs and wings. The guys from school love it and took me along, and then Liam and Ollie arrived from western China so we all went along and had icy cold beers (in abundance) and a couple of chook legs. Dave and Tash are never shy of Chicken Street and we racked up a rather large bill, but well worth every dong.

So after Trev arrived, it only seemed right that we introduce him to Chicken Street and again another late night was had. Tom and Claire are quite well known there to the extant that Tom has his own personal harem there who whisk him away and into a bedroom with airconditioning and pamper him. Poor little Claire always seems to get left behind with us. But that just makes her part of the atmosphere of Chicken Street.

August Photos

2007 August

Click on the picture to be taken to the August Album

Trev's Home

On Wednesday Trev flew into Hanoi for the first time since we have been here. This was all very exciting and I had prepared the kids for his arrival, well I can believe this can't I ?

He arrived when I was working so my school had organised to collect him with a sign and then bring him back to school as by now you would have seen the lane we live on in the pictures and people who've been to the house before still get lost. Except there was yet another miscommunication between myself and the school, and mid way through my class they came in to tell me they could no longer collect Trev. The minor problem here was that he was already in the air. I saw red, and to cut a long story short gave the school an ultimatum to collect him or I would and not return to school ever.

So it seems, I have resigned. And Trev, the kids and I are enjoying Hanoi and seeing ths sights making the house a home and generally enjoying each others company.

Don't fear, I have a job interview this Thursday and feel quite content in my decision.

Funky Physical Friday

I have survived the first week of school with my class of Year 5's. They are a good bunch of kids and we have already established some kind of rapport. On the whole they have reasonable English and then you have the frightening one or two who have none. I've been in touch with one mother who told me her son had only been learning English since January. Now a teacher is not a miracle worker, there is no way known this kid will be able to keep up with class, I can only hope I give him enough to be able to enjoy school. What are some people thinking???

Our topic this term is called Fit for Life and we have been doing a number of get to know you sessions with some writing included. Dr Seuss was a hit and unlike my Chinese kids, these guys can rhyme. At the end of the week I decided to give them something to look forward to and burn some energy. So after all the work for the week is done we go crazy with Funky Physical Friday. Let's just say I was a fried and frazzled at the end of it, but they loved it, and the poor kid with no English was enjoying playing.

Liam, a mate from China is making his way to Hanoi on Monday. It will be great to catch up with him and to meet Ollie, and I just got word from Trev that he is hopeful he'll be here by Wednesday.

School Chaos

Well I have been at work for a week now and in that time had some highs and lows. The teaching staff are mostly good people, there always has to be one that spoils the bunch and amongst the more vocal we are running odds on how long she will last. The first few days at school were just plain overwhelming, there wasn't any structure and you were left to fend for yourself in more ways than one.

I had a problem with this, as I wanted to be professional. When everything you do here is foreign and way more time consuming than at home, I wanted to feel that the school and classroom were my domain and that I'd feel comfy. Well fish out of water would be the better way of picturing this. But at last on Thursday I was given my books and most of the things the kids will need, as opposed to saying "I must order it" and many things fell into place.

David, an Aussie who has been here about a year I gather has taken Tash and I (newcomers) under his wing. He is sending the local staff to help us and making sure all is OK. He has also become my staunch drinking partner in Trev's absence because at the end of hard morning you need a Halida beer or two to have the courage to face the afternoon back at school. Then we all meet up around 6 for some more beers and bite to eat.

Some of my favourite local hangouts now include Chicken Street (BBQ food), R and R Bar (already mentioned here) and the Bun Cha place besides the Botanical Gardens. All in all the beer here is good, and the food both western and Vietnamese is proving to be quite tasty.

Home Sweet Home

After much haggling from you guys I have quickly toured the house snapping photos and as I thought you can't really tell much about the place. It is still sparcely furnished and has yet to be "Mitchell'd" but that will come with time and belongings. Of which we are sitll missing 5 boxes and 1 husband. Take a tour of the house and come up with a name for the third floor Guesthouse (spare bedrooms and bathroom).

Vietnam Quilts

So far most of the expats I have met are here working in an aid type role or teaching. The aid roles vary dramatically from environmental education (saving tigers or deforestation) to training the locals in management postiions. Then in addition to these there are also the NGO's (non-government organisations) which do what they can to bring social justice to small communities.

Two very impressive NGO's I have supported and will continue to are KOTO Know One Teach One an Aussie run training cafe giving street kids vocational training in hospitality. Some people criticise the price of the food there but for the cause and the venue I love it.

And the other little place I have fallen for is Vietnam Quits. Vietnam Quilts is a program for women in the rural villages of Bình Thuân or Hâu Giang, originally very poor and often desperate for work. Before the quilting project these women would travel to far-away fields in search of work, leaving their children at home. In the worst situations the children were locked up until their mother returned in the evening or the day next. Upon commencement of employment in one of the quilting groups, the women now have a regular income. After a few months the women’s skills improve and they are able to earn $2 USD a day. These earnings increase the family’s income by 50-100%.

Besides the financial benefit to the women, Vietnam Quilts through their NGO provide training on health and hygiene. The women also receive employment benefits in the form of health insurance, a birth, wedding and funeral allowance.

Watch out Trev you could soon be funding 100s more country women into work as I buy all their wonderful stock.

R and R Bar

I have visited this place twice now and both times bumped in to a friendly guy who has introduced me to a number of other people. The staff are really friendly and their little girl Pattie is taken by the twins. She even jumped in the pram next to Claire when Tom was off visiting his friends. They seem to have a band there some nights, and last night was practice night which entertained the kids just nicely.

The bar is known as the 'teacher's bar' here and offer discounts of up to 30% on some nights.

R and R Bar, Lo Su Street, Hoan Kiem, it's due east from the lake near the water puppets.

When will it rain?

Figuring I’d had my brush with death on a motorbike today I didn’t think I could have two accidents in one day. Miss Hue showed me on the map where a good supermarket was, and so I set out to look for some kitchen essentials namely knives, forks, spoons, tongs and a potato masher. A dinner set was also on the list because so far I have only seen them sold loose, except for the Chinese style little bowls and ceramic spoons. I was less than 100m from home, still in the lane not even on the main road when a Xe Om (motorbike taxi) asked me to jump on. I negotiated a price and off we rode.

Now for two weeks I have been asking everyone when is the rainy season as I thought I was arriving in the wet season, it certainly has been hot, but for a few showers now and again it’s just been like a Darwin build up. Well less than 30 seconds after I jumped on the back of this damn motorbike the heavens opened. I was still in the laneway and could have happily and easily retreated to the comforts of home and dealt with the lack of kitchenware another day, but do you think I could tell this guy to stop? NO NO What I did achieve was lowering the price dramatically and having the hair raising scariest mother of all motorbike rides. The rain was coming horizontal and stinging and you know how shite the traffic gets in the wet at home, multiply that by 1000 and I was just hanging on for dear life. I won’t be asking anyone else when it will rain.

Xe Om's

I have had my first motorbike accident. Nothing to fear, I was walking in the laneways near home and being the Aussie that I am, I turned a corner and hung to the left hand side of the lane. Next corner, which are all ‘blind’ and dangerous a very safe lady biker turned the corner and BAM straight into me. Both of us were very apologetic, but plainly it was the foreigner at fault in this case.

Urban Camping

What can I say, 2 weeks in Hanoi and we have moved in to our new home. Yes we will be doing some urban camping for a few days, but I’m sure it won’t be too long until it’s home sweet home.

I am still missing/waiting for the boxes to arrive, which I sent by airmail more than 3 weeks ago now. I have a funny feeling they have gone to a better place, surely not better than our place.

We live down a lane off a main street called Doi Can not far from the Botanical Gardens and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. For those who came to Qingtian and saw the rabbit warren maze type set up of the little streets, it’s very similar without the interesting river rock walls and if possible more confusing. At least in Qingtian you never came to a dead end. So far I have only found my way out to the main street using 4 ways, not 4 times don’t worry I am not in a void.

The one pitfall of our home is that you can’t get a car to it. The lane is too narrow. This has been overcome by the exchange of telephone number with a ‘cyclo’ rider. In the Old Quarter cyclos are push bikes with a comfy lounge chair on the front used for tourism, out this way they seem to be a push bike, with removable comfy seat which is then turned into push bike come trailer. They are handy indeed and we got all our bags, 2 cots and the kids chairs in on one trip.

The internet should be connected at home on Wednesday, the workers have been here installing a cable and while they were here I got 2 eye hooks put in the door frames for you guessed it ……JOLLY JUMPERS. Tom has already stretched part of his chain so much that I had to take it down the lane ways and replace the weak link. This was done using a motorbike spring. Improvise, adapt and overcome. Thank god for jolly jumpers, there is peace in the house at last and it might mean that Miss Hue (Hway) our nanny will understand the kids like their space. Claire has taken to being held all the time, which will have to ‘beaten’ out of her gently.

As far as mod cons go, the house is large with 3 floors. All floors are air-conditioned and the 2 bathrooms have real loos and hot running water. Not too sure what the water pressure on the third floor is like, but there is a pump downstairs to get it up there. The bottom is living space and then the second floor is where the kids and me live in 2 rooms with a large bathroom, and the top floor is the same again 2 rooms and a bathroom. Still thinking of a witty name for the third floor guesthouse. We have 3 spare beds and a plenty of space, so all you need to do now is come on over and check the place out.

My Vietnamese is still poor and I am eager to learn, unfortunately the only things I can say are about babies. I’m pretty sure one of the many reasons I had for leaving Australia was that I was sick of talking about babies and that surely there is more to life than the twins. Well apparently not.

So there you have it, we are home and comfortable. Very much looking forward to Trev joining us in about a month.

Thang Long Water Puppets

There is a marionnette puppet theatre here in Hanoi, the major difference is instead of the strings heading up above to the puppeteers they are horizontal and hidden by water to the puppeteers who stand behind a screen. It's an art form which evolved from the rice paddies. The show was interesting in the same way Chinese opera is, that is there were the decorative puppets, lighting, loud dramatic folk music and some screeching singing.

July Photos

Vietnam 2007 July

Here are all the photos of Vietnam in July. Just click on the picture and it will take you to another website. Handy tips are for the computer illiterate friends and family.

Halong Bay

With everything sorted in Hanoi until the weekend it only made sense to use this time to see some of the sights in our new country. Something away from motorbikes and walking was on Dad's agenda so we booked a 2 day tour to Halong Bay. Halong Bay is about 150km north east of Hanoi and is known for it's thousands of limestone karsts jutting out of the sea. The scenery was reminiscent of Guilin only coming out of the sea not land this time.

We booked through the Kangaroo Cafe and had a terrific time in the comfort of larger tour buses and airconditioned cabins on the junk. Zhung Zhung our guide was a treat, he kept things moving yet relaxed and with a limit of 16 on the junk there was plenty of space.

The kids had their first swim in the sea and were terrific little travellers. Once again a hit with the crew of the boat and the locals on the beach.

Now it's back to Hanoi for a few days of mulling around, perhaps we'll go off and see Uncle Ho's Mausoleum and some water puppetry.

Not a bad first week

We have been here 6 days now and in that time have ticked off a lot of important "need to know" to live here stuff. The kids have finally got cots with mattresses (A big thanks to Glen at the pub for his drawing) as we headed all over town saying Noi which we had been assured meant baby bed only to finally realise there is a difference between a cradle and a cot here, with a completely different word. The outcome is that the cots and mattresses came from different places but Big Tom is off the floor and sleeping soundly.

I had been doing some futile house hunting then wisened up and headed to Finnegan's for the Thursday night quiz. I was put on to a ruthless broker called Mr Long. I called him this morning and half an hour later he called me back with a list he wanted to show me then and there, much better than last night's broker taking me down dark alley's in the night to visit his filthy Aunt's home. Mr Long's first place was perfect, close to school, close enough to the Old Quarter and the right price. We didn't bother looking at any others. The house is still being renovated after the last expat tenants left and will be ready next weekend.

I have also decided on the nanny for the kids, both ladies seemed lovely but as my Vietnamese is still non existant I think it is best if I choose Hue who has some English over Mrs Phuc who has none.

So there you go, in a week the kids have beds, we know where to buy formula and nappies, have lined up a nanny and a home. Pretty simple really ....... if only you'd seen some of the situations!

Ahoy Hanoi

We have arrived safely after much anticipation. Tom and Claire are hits already and handling all the attention quite well. The truckster pram is right at home on the chaotic Hanoian streets and we are currently living on Hang Bong Street for when we get lost. Our first afternoon was a sight to be had for all. I thought the locals were shouting "Excuse Me" everywhere we went, but soon realised that Xin Loi and Sinh Doi sound too close for the untrained western ears and infact they were shouting TWINS TWINS as they rode by on their motor bikes or came up to take a peak in the pram. I should have guessed a pillion passenger 50m down the rode wouldn't be shouting excuse me, shouldn't I??

We are getting used to the frustrations which go hand in hand with being in Asia. And the truth be told Vietnam is 1000 times easier than China ever was. I have been to school to meet the HR Manager to find out more of what is expected of me. This was insightful in itself as there was no clue shown by anyone. Helen is away until the 14th of August, so any plans of coming early to get the kids settled and then plan for a new school year seem to have already gone off track. The shortlisted house the school had decided would be good for us has also turned out to be a dud, but that's OK as I've already met some nice people here and they are only too keen to help.

Dad arrived late yesteday with Dorklag from Chiang Mai to add a spare pair of hands which will be fantastic. The big plan while they are here is for Dad and I to scope out the joint further, find a place to live and cots and formula for the kids etc while Dorklag happily plays with the sprites back at the hotel. Yes Dorklag is loving the kids, and gets a bit jealous when we are out and the locals have cuddles and she misses out. Suzy J, you'd have it sussed out I'm sure that one would be in your arms while the other was being passed around.

So that is our news for now. We'll keep you posted as things change and hopefully we will have a new address in no time, not that Room 203 at the Phuc Loi isn't nice, it's just a home would be nicer.

Xin Chao, Doi Di.