I’m going beserky! I’m editing like mad and the work doesn’t seem to finish…..

It’s funny how the weather’s changed from humid and hot to noisy, wet weather in a matter of weeks.
Shall I describe my attire of late? (I’m basically hiding out from the rain rite now….)

Did you know that when you put on a plastic rain poncho or visor, you always have to adjust your helmet straps? This is totally unfun and time-consuming. To go out in this weather means that I must spend at least 10mins putting on all the gear and then 10mins after to shake off all the water, hang up my jacket and pants, and take off the boots. I yearn for a car or just a big, fat trunk!

And then, it’s not even cold inside….so strange!

Tonight, I’m going to make polenta for dinner. Wish me luck! I dream of a bag of mixed organic greens to go with it, but really, I know that’s impossible….

OK home time! TTYL peeps

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Yup, that was Japan.

Somehow, I’m naive and although I’ve heard that public baths are nude, something just didn’t click in my head as I trudged along trying to find this place. When the airport staff mentioned hot springs, my mind filled with glorious images of soothing muscles and me relaxing.

Even when I got there, after a couple mix-ups with directions and train staff, I still didn’t get it. Why I sometimes don’t think is another story….even as I paid for lunch and the admission fee which was only $10 (I thought it would be $40 or something pricey since I was in Japan!), nothing clicked. I thought towels etc. would be found in the change room….

Only when I saw several naked ladies and noticed the LACK of towels did I slowly realize that this would be a nude event.

Now why am I so self-conscious? I guess this comes from my VNese background where we don’t show ourselves to others. I’ve never been one to love the shower room at public pools and I don’t exactly enjoy seeing others in their natural state, especially ppl I know.

But I already paid, so I just went for it. It was weird seeing women hanging with their friends and chatting as if we were in a beauty salon.

The facilities were very clean and there were several options for bathing: two saunas, hot tubs, cold tubs, an outdoor section (well enclosed, I might add), large pools, sun decks, and sitting showers. It was impressive and fine…..once I got over the nudity. Would I do this again? Hmmmm…..

As was to be expected, my parents flipped when I told them. Why did I tell them? Again, lack of judgment and thinking resulted in a bad decision. But it’s part of Japanese culture so that’s a plus. Still, I’ll take my sushi

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I’m not really…I just tend to sleep a lot.

I don’t think that I have been in Da Nang long enough to really experience the RAIN that one expects during the rainy season. Last year, I was in Saigon when Typhoon Xangsane blasted through the central region and this year, just last week, I was in the US when Typhoon Lekima struck.

So I’m still not accustomed to long, heavy rains but that’s what happened in DN yesterday. It rained for maybe 12 hours straight! I kid you not and it was noisy…..and the windows and bathrooms were leaking and we had a couple buckets collecting water and we moved our appliance cords off the ground just in case rain puddles formed.

What does this mean for one’s normal life? Well, for me, it means that I don’t want to go outside. I have a weather knapsack with rain jacket, boots, umbrella, and hat but I don’t have a helmet with a visor so vision is highly questionable and of course, a sopping wet face isn’t brilliant either. Now I miss cars and buses immensely. Motorbiking in the rain is no fun but alas, for those used to this kind of weather, they don’t seem to get all worked up about it. For the Canadian foreigner with laptop and purse, on the other hand, it’s almost paralyzing. Wah wah, I know, I sound like a baby. I don’t like to get my feet, or my stuff, wet. Is this an opportunity to conform? Hmmmmm….

Amazingly, it’s still not cold when it pours and the streets aren’t all flooding….this means that they must have major sewage drains in all the main areas of town. I know some alleys have to be overflowing and I imagine that in rural areas, fields and houses must be flooding. To think that this is “normal” and just a regular, annual occurrence! People ride their (one-speed) bikes in this weather. They still sell fruit in the streets. OK, I really am a wimp!

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I wish this could come out better, but I’m starting to feel it again.

It’s all about perspectives rite? Sometimes you can be up or then down, and I’m the ultimate in bouncing around in life…

BUT when it comes down to it, why should one be down? Say NO!
Refuse to lay low and just trudge along.
Don’t just take it, make it!

Soooo that’s my goal for this second year in Vietnam. I want something to happen. I want to accomplish. No misery, less complaints, more results! One year = 365 days to use

PS Very trivial: Gotta say, those Lush massage shower bars are really quite moisturizing! First time I’ve tried them and well, I’m sold.

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