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