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Well I am flying home tonight. With Tricias help I managed to pack up all my stuff (actually she mostly packed....I suck at packing). In typical Pam fashion, I bought way too much stuff. So I had to buy a big ass suitcase which Tricia helped me bargain for (I also suck at bargaining). Oh well. Vietnam has so much cool stuff for cheap even without bargaining. The other thing that is amazingly cheap here is salons. I have never really been a salon person. Other than hair cuts/coloring and an occasional wax, I don't bother with them, too expensive. But I have fallen in the trap here. I have had 4 manicures, 5 pedicures, 2 masages, 1 leg hair removal, and my hair straightened all in 6 1/2 weeks. Before coming to Vietnam, I think I have had 2 manicures, 0 pedicures, and 1 massage in my whole life. Pretty funny. I'm sure it won't continue when I get back home. First of all there aren't any salons in Oxford House. Secondly, a manicure is worth $2-3 but not $30. Well looking forward to my fabulous flight. Flying to Seoul tonight, arrive around 5am, and don't leave for Vancouver until 4pm. Then I have to get to Winnipeg after that. Should be great!!!
Sorry it's been a few days for the blog. I have a good excuse. I got lost in the mountains. I am serious. I got here earlyThursday am by train and was kinda tired. So I took a nap. Which meant I missed all the guided tours for the day. The staff at the hotel told me I could go to this one ehtnic minority village with no need for a map or guide. They said if I followed the trail for 4 hours I would find xeom (moto) drivers at the other end. Well after 4 hours passed, I have never wanted to see a xeom driver so bad in my life. But I never found one. Somehow what I thought was a trail turned into nothing and couldn't find my way back. By 5:30 pm I was starting to get really worried because I knew it would be dark in an hour. I wanted to break down and cry but I knew that wouldn't help. I tried to locgically review my options. First being that I find a road with a moto driver (which didn't seem to be happening), or second that I would find someone (hadn't seen anyone since the village 5 hours before), or three find a cabin I had seen on the way and spend the night, or lastly sleep outside and find my way back during the day. Then I prayed that God would send me a guardian angel and he sent two. Because right after that I heard a young ethnic minority couple talking. They didn't really speak English but was able to communicate I needed to get back to Sapa. So they guided me back. I should say she practically dragged me down the mountain. My legs just didn't want to work anymore, it was raining and very muddy and slippery. She was about half my size, but strong as an ox. I have to say it was probably one of the scariest moments of my life, when I didn't know if I would ever get back. But I knew in the back of my heart, God would take care of me, he always has. When I got back that night I had a bath and went straight to bed, I was hungry but didn't even eat. So didn't have time to share my story online that night. I had booked a two day trek and homestay for the Friday and Saturday. I didn't know if I would be up to it but I felt ok in the morning so I went. Have to say it was a much more enjoyable trek because I had a guide. I had booked it with two nice Aussie ladies. We all were in similar shape, not exceptionally fit but not terribly unfit either. Our guide was amazing 17 year old Ethinic Minority girl who spoke fabulous English. We had so much fun. And the family whose home we stayed at was lovely. Yesterday it was also quite rainy and wet but today it was sunny and clear and able to see the mountains. It is beautiful here. Plus the ethnic minority people are so charming. They are really fun, even though they are always trying to sell something. So it has been a good experience and I guess I have a good story to tell. Will post photos when I get back to Hanoi on Monday. Going to a market tomorrow.
Here are some photos from Tricia and my trip to Ninh Binh. We went to these caves in the rice paddies in a row boat. It was fun. To get there, we cycled. But we went the wrong way and ended up cycling on local paths through rice fields, it was great. We also went to see a Vietnamese cathedral, I have to say it is the coolest Catholic church I have ever seen. Also the photo of the children was in an Ethnic minority village around Hue, they were waiting for us as soon as we got off the bus. They were so pumped to get gum. 
Sorry Tricia and Mike, I didn't post in Hue because I couldn't get blogger to load there. Basically the first day I went to the Citadel which is walled in part of the city with lots of pagodas. Interesing but after a while pagodas all look the same. Then yesterday I went on a DMZ tour. DMZ stands for the Demilitiarised Zone during the American War. Contrary to the term, it wasthe area where some of the worse fighting occured. Went in the Vinh Moc Tunnels which are in total 2.8 km long. Only saw about 300m or so but they were actually fairly wide and high considering (I had to duck of course) but not like the ChuChi tunnels in Saigon where supposedly you have to be a contortionist to get through (I didn't go there). 300 people lived in these tunnels for 7 years, 14 babies were born!! It was pretty interesting. Anyways tonight Tricia and I are going to Ninh Binh to go to Tam Coc. Have to go because the ladies in Tricias office invited me for lunch. It smells good.
Hoian is Pam heaven. This place is ridiculous. You just go and tell people what you want made, and they make it for cheap. Because I am not creative, and don't know what I want I end up going to like 10 different shops, and getting 10 different things made. I just look at what they have on display and base my ideas from that. Most people go to one tailor and get everything there. I'm not that organized. So basically running around to tailors all day. Plus my hotel is the nicest I have stayed at yet. Big room with bath, and A/C, and roof top terrace with pool. Best thing is it only costs $12. Had a wonderful time on Friday chilling with Tricia. We got along splendidly. I had the brillaint idea of going to the beach at mid day. (She wanted to go late afternoon). I thought it was too hot to wander around town and the hotel didn't have A/C that Tricia was staying at. And playing in the sea and the wind was cooler. But she got burnt to crisp, even though she was wearing SPF 30 and staying in the shade. Surprisingly though no fighting. I have no pictures to post because have hardly taken any since last time I posted. Guess I am in a picture taking slump. Well should go to sleep so I can be rested for another day at the tailors.Thanks for all the recent comments. Nice to know people other than Mike and my family reads my blog.
Well I have been back in Oxford House for almost a week now. Everything is good here. Nothing very exciting. It has been beautiful spring weather here. But their is still ice on the lake. Hopefully will be fishing in a few more weeks. They are still ice fishing, but I'm too chicken. 
