Victoria Five

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Foxglove and others in the garden

Very nice Canada Day. Pleasantly warm and sunny with a nice breeze.

Happy Canada Day

I hope that wherever you are in Canada that you enjoy your holiday, hug someone and be kind to those around you.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Happy Birthday Paul !

To our very good friend Paul.
Ever young at heart. Happy Birthday mate!

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Debra and I had dinner at The Tapa Bar in Trounce Alley after walking the Inner Harbour and taking these various photos. The weather is amazing, although it could be a bit windier for the Tall Ships as they take people on cruises and do the Mock Cannon Battles (we missed it tonight).

Sidney by the Sea

I kept asking this guy what he was looking at, but he was keeping this info to himself.

Mt Baker from Sidney

Sidney to Anacortes Ferry

Pollution anyone?

Do you think the rivers in China are polluted?!?!

Friday, June 27, 2008

Early morning in the garden

It is going to be a hot weekend. Highs of 28 degrees Saturday and Sunday. The Tall Ships are in town again and we hope to be able to go to the inner harbour, wander around and take some cool pictures. Also, the movie WALL-E opens tonight and the reviewer in the paper gave it a 5 out of 5

Notes from Vietnam #5

June 27

Oh goodness, I feel gross. I should have just returned my order. I order mashed potatoes with cheese, right on the menu, and what do I get? A nice big plate of french fries. Yummmmm, I only have those every day here. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh. Meh, though; they were 15,000 dong cheaper than what I planned on getting.

....Nope. Still not worth it.

Anyways, I'm writing to y'all from here in Danang, at the fanciest shmanciest hotel we've been to yet. It's fairly awesome, but we only get to stay here for the night and have to leave at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning. I'm totally taking a bath tonight, the bathrooms here are amazing. FINALLY.

So yesterday was our last day in Hanoi. I went shopping with Leslie, Ben and Melissa, and was feeling really depressed and wasn't entirely sure why. Little things were really getting to me.

Then because Melissa wouldn't stop taking pictures and Ben kept on stopping at random places, we didn't get back in time to have dinner before we left for the train station. Since I hadn't eaten lunch earlier that day due to feeling sick, I was Not Happy.

We boarded the train, which wasn't nearly as bad as Peter and Helen made it out to be; actually, I liked that. The bunks were okay. I was in a room with Leslie, Jenn and Claire, and everyone actually had a great time,

Took some Gravol since I was getting motion sickness, got some writing in my journal done, and eventually fell asleep. Woke up at around 2:30, and Leslie and Lara were also awake so we hung out outside, and poor Peter was locked out of his little cabin because the others inside were dead to the world and the door had accidentally locked.

Scenery = gorgeous. I loved Hanoi, but Danang is pretty awesome, too. It's not as crowded or as busy, which I like. We didn't get to go to the beach, though. We went to the Women's Union office, which was okay... but then we went to the University of Danang for a presentation that was pretty much just humouring the international director because Camosun and UD are friends. It was the most boring hour and fifteen minutes of my life. I nearly wanted to cry.

I'm rooming with Melissa now, which isn't so bad. She's the girl who doesn't shave pits or legs... and doesn't wear deodorant. Nice enough girl, but seriously, ugh.

I'm still going to ask if I can room with Jenn again next time. Jenn also told me that she loved rooming with me the most.

Oh, and apparently the heat has caught up with me: I woke up this morning, and there are millions of tiny red bumps all over my abdomen. Apparently it's from the heat and sweat. UGH. I'm not a fan. So not a fan. Blahhh, stupid heat and sweat!

Love you all! We're leaving this hotel early and going to Hoi An after. Maybe they'll have internet there?

Catch ya later!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Notes from Vietnam #4

June 24

Hallooooo!

So I talked to Mom briefly on the phone, and told her I'd email you the post that I wrote for my LJ. I'm going to bed. The fluorescent lights in this room are so killer I'm not even going to bother to write in my travel journal. But in any case, enjoy!

Quick update as to how this day has gone:

This hotel we're in is supposed to be 3 stars, but is kinda well, crappy. I've got about five minutes to write, so here we go.

Woke up in the Sunny Hotel this morning an hour later than Jenn and I wanted to (we are rooming together now; Peter and Helen switched all the roommates, well, the girls at least; the guys are sticking together. Anyways.) and wolfed down breakfast. I then proceeded to get sick to my abdomen. Not my stomach. Everything in my abdomen from just below my breasts down to my hips felt like it had been put through a blender that wouldn't turn off. Sharp, stabbing pains. It was awful. According to everyone, I looked like a zombie. Slept throughout the bus ride, which was nice, but I couldn't go into the pottery factory because I felt so horrendous.

We went to a rural village, which was AMAZING, though not as rural as I had imagined. I have sooooo many pictures, and tons of these kids that kept following us. Everyone was really nice. I felt better after sleeping on the bus, but the pains kept coming back randomly for prolonged periods. It was soooo hot there, as well. Really, really hot.

Anyways, right, so, rural (I have a headache, can't really think properly right now) and then we went from there to this hotel, and here we are.

Did I say anything about the boat we were on yet? It was AMAZING! We were on a junk in Halong Bay, and it was so unbelievably beautiful the whole time. I wish we were still on it. Unfortunately, on that trip I discovered that Amber is an awful roommate. You know how you can't drink the water in this country? Everyone has to buy bottled water. So we all stocked up before we went on the boat, since we couldn't buy any water on said boat.

Everyone was always hanging out, but Amber is still reclusive, so she was in our cabin (full of roaches!) a lot of the time.

It turns out Amber had stolen my water and been drinking it, even though she had her own (she still had two bottles left, I saw them).

Veeeeeeeeery frustrating.

So I switched roomies and it's fun with Jenn. Have to go now. Off to dinner, then tomorrow breakfast is at 6:30 and we're back to Hanoi for one more night.

Farewell to all!