Danang was a breeze compared to this wretched mess. I can’t go w/o swearing at every intersection and almost getting into accidents at least two times per trip….

The evils:
Roundabouts–no lanes and at least 5 entry ways…un vrai cauchemar!

Cars, buses, trucks–another disaster b/c they don’t know how to/like to brake and so, if in front of them or behind them or freakin’ near them, you will surely “nearly” die and have a heart flip while you drive

Horns–why is everything so loud here? Even if I scream, no one hears me! (And it’s a good thing most ppl don’t hear my cursing anyway….) Earplugs to the rescue!

Pollution–8 million ppl and one motorbike for every 2 ppl…in 2010, there may be a metro system in HCMC. Let’s hope so! To combat this, one needs sunglasses/goggles, a filtered facemask, good facewash for post-ride clean up (try a Lush product why don’t cha?), and a strong motivational system (inner mantra: I can do it; I can do it!). A comfy bed or couch and a stiff drink are also recommended at your destination b/c there will be days where you weep or have stinging eyes and need to numb your frazzled nerves.

Other drivers–I want to know how ppl are taught to drive here. As for me, I have no official license (I’m meaning to, I promise!) and I bet that’s also the case for millions of others on the road. BUT I do proceed with caution and never tailgate or zigzag/weave through traffic like some ppl on the roads.

The only good thing I can think of is that you can actually drive for more than 10 minutes in Saigon cuz in DN, everything was so close so we could hardly go “cruising” in the city…but it’s not like any drive in the ‘Gon is a breeze so I don’t/won’t cruise here. The last time I tried to relax, a taxi almost hit me.

So all this stress makes me dislike driving very much but it allows you the freedom of going where you need to go when you need to go. But for unfamiliar roads and urgent times and hot dates, best to stick to the xe oms =motorbike taxis or car taxis.

Let’s hope I don’t die this way!

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Did I mention I’m supposed to be on a budget? But no studio would be complete sans delicious Korean products and chili sauces!

In Danang, I had the best Korean roommate (Hye Jung/Sharon)for over a year and now that I’ve just left (weep ) I’m realized how influential she was….I’m a heck of a lot cleaner now! And she cooked some pretty darn good food. We had a switcheroo/trade of cultures and cuisine going on in our household. I traded chicken wings, risotto, tacos, salads, and baked goods for homemade kimchi, seaweed soup, cute lil K-packets of fried rice mixtures, awesomely amazing candies, and a new and exciting experience.

Koreans are the Asians of my Vietnam experience so far (believe it or not). Through my roomie, I met my best bud Boram-shi who’s my K-grocery shop guide/chick flick pal/sport-o-holic (he has a ski fan club!)/eating partner/K-language teacher (today I learned sexy-hada) etc..I’ve also attended an all K-lang fitness class in a K-taekwando gym equipped with very sexy-hada K-instructor, Hyun Sung (BUFFED and easily the best bod in DN!), and watched K-movies and oohed and ahhed over more actors than ever in my life!

The K-drama = one of the best earthly pleasures!!!
Q: Why are Korean actors so hot?
A: I don’t care but I like it Ppl close to me say that it’s all fake and I kinda know it but also luv it. Now the guys’ names are hard to pronounce but I’ll post some pics to convince u = pure hotness!

I won’t gush on the blog but man, if you don’t want K-tv (I love Ariang and KBS channels), you are missing out. I know, “American Idol” is pretty sweet but “My Lovely Kim Sam Soon” (on youtube hint, hint) kicks all other dramas’ butts except,just maybe, “The OC”…? YOU DECIDE!

Opa Boram (big bro) and I stocked up on the K-food for my kitchen today. We got the fundamental K-chili paste (made w/plum juice says KBS tv), cutesy K-drinks, rice rolls that Boram has an awesome recipe for, udon (K-style), and well it all came to one heavy bag worth $35. But I still need my Soju (yummy K-liquor of choice), big bag of bestest candy ever; my K-lang book and dicto, and filtered mask to shield me from the motorbike traffic and you know who’s going to Seoul to hook me up? You got it: BORAM!

YES, me = one hooked up gal
–counting the blessings, one Korean at a time

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I’m finally home…yeayyyyyyyyhhahahha for living in Saigon! Although I officially moved here a month ago (seriously!), I feel like I don’t even know the place!!! POURQUOI? Car j’ai pas mal voyage pendent ces dernieres semaines (seriously I’m so sad that I’ve forgotten how to type w/accents in French…Boo!  )

With the mothership in country and Lunar/Asian New year going on, I was “forced” to hit the road and visit the grams in Cam Ranh/ Nha Trang for the billionth time and return to Danang/VN central region for a couple weeks….

So my return to Sgn was good b/c I just really wanted to be “home” although I didn’t necessarily feel adjusted to this city yet….

I spent the weekend “pimping” out my studio and myself. = lotsa moola kaput/disparu/gone to Mastercard heaven

BOT: Dvd player especially meant to watch “The OC” with; toaster oven (cornbread part II on the way); many kitchen items (highlight = non-stick pan); cute elephant print garbage can (message = please keep environment clean); a sweet-ass mop; matching bedsheets and comfy green blankie; tons of delicious Maximart food (diggin’ the caramel tea baby!); a humungo Black Cat Ruben sandwich w/extra tomates et cornichons; a “Korean-eque” red print dress; two hot tops; the best Japanese-style LACE shrug; a mani/pedicure combo and arm waxing (I luv smooth arms)…etc…

Yes, it was hundreds of $$$ that I dropped this weekend! But no worries, Mastercard is truly my best friend

I love houseware shopping so much and I thought only clothes were interesting…I was soooooo wrong! Unfortunately, I’m not done w/the shopping.

TO BUY: a lamp/Hoi An lanterns; a radio; a wire condiments basket (I love chilli and spices and pickles); a laundry basket; new blingin’ curtains (the current ones are nasty gold yellow and I HATE THEM); thumbtacks; and a whole bunch of seemingly boring but oh-so-useful items 

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5:50 pm, Nha Trang at La Louisiane

Do I have to continue to shout it out: N.Trang is seriously one of the best spots in VN!

I’m going to attempt to write a short entry for once.

dark-ish, poolside, smoke n pasta vapours circulating around me…just had awesome fish n chips (minus the chips for a salad sans tomates !!!) and 6 raw oysters w/a soy-wasabi-lime sauce

foreigner to VN nationals ratio: 7:4 with a quick look around

stomach kinda sickish, due to smthg eaten yesterday, outfit cute and summery (yah HK!) but this is the coldest I’ve seen N.Trang in the past two years

Mom in the village; me attempting to work in NT
To combat Tết blues (it’s like hanging out at Christmas in a place where everyone knows each other and no one knows you), I brought a couple books and a flashlight and pretended I was reading at camp at 9pm when my family goes to bed. It worked: I read, thought, looked at my GRE book, and even skimmed my VNese lessons.

Must have: EARPLUGS esp. in the village
tonight: going to Guava Bar although I don’t really no anyone but met the DJ and owner briefly (both from Vancouver randomly enough), looking forward to sleeping in a room w/o the snores and village raver music and church bells chiming at 4am

6pm: lanterns just went on round the pool
im taking pics w/my 2 megapixel cell camera and so we’ll see how the quality goes….

Being N.American, I can eat raw seafood then fried fish and then cake and then down it with beer and not think that it’s weird or gross….(I am not good w/choosing for food for soothing my stomach.)

OK bye for now. (Please excuse the bad grammar; I can do better!)

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Not the best time for my stupid camera to start acting up (damn u Nikon 4600 Coolpix and ur faulty autofocus!) but at least my mom’s here! She’s come and is helping me set up house in Sgn. Then we’re off to N.Trang for Tết avec grams and Danang and then finally, my move and life in DN will be complete.

Here’s us at a resto near my office in District 3. Along with my mom came a fantastic load of homey (O Canada) goodness! TBC but let’s just say that I have some of the best friends and sisters around (COOL JL)!!!

take care y’all

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