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.