December......what day is it again?

We're back! We were off the grid for a few days in a very rural area visiting 2 uncles, an aunt, some cousins and a dear family friend. We had thought we'd sleep in a hotel but Uncle 4 had prepared his spare room for us so we spent the night there. Cam and Chi Hai were with us. This was the area where Phil was born. Many of the neighbours came out to get a glimpse of us foreigners. Malcolm became fast friends with Phil's aunts' grandaughter and was so happy to have someone to play with. The living conditions were quite primitive in one area, when I saw the "Toilet" (pics to follow) over the water I went back to were the kids were to have them come and see but as i started to point and explain things coming down the path toward the toilet with my camera ready i sudenly noticed someone stand up! I quickly did a 180 gesturing to the kids to do the same.....abort, abort, abort! I don't think she saw us. Anyway while we're on the topic of bathrooms i may as well share another fun experience. WARNING: if you are eating, have a week stomach, don't know me very well or just plain don't care to hear about the functions or malfunctions of my inner plumbing then please skip the next paragraph!
Don't say I didn't warn you! Okay, first of all, in the past, whenever I've travelled, I've always lost my appetite and my bowels stoped functioning. It was never a serious problem because I never went anywhere for very long. I was however a little nervous about this trip because holding for 4 weeks would not only be uncomfortable but would likely have me feeling like, well, shit! Pardon the pun. (sorry, couldn't resist) Anyway, all this to say that after my first week, despite all the abundant fruit, all I'd been able to produce was a few rabbit poops. That is of course until the moment we were about to leave on our trip to the rural area.....of course. I went from plugged to diarrhea in 0 to 60 seconds! Now, thankfully I had packed some Immodium (if they are looking for a new spokes person I am happy to oblige)which helped a lot thank God because the next few days i would use nothing but squatting toilets and water buckets for flushing. (surprisingly effective BTW unless the toilet is somewhat clogged in which case i found myself swearing at the contents of the bowl for 20 minutes pouring bucket after bucket of water begging and pleading to the stubborn remnant to give up and disappear!) It struck Phil too later the same day when we were on the highway and couldn't pull off. Not to worry, he managed to hold.(he may not be impressed that i'm sharring this with you but oh well....he's asleep.) Anyway, enough about that...yeah.
So, today on the way back to the city we stopped to do a little tour (again, pictures to follow when Phil wakes up.....I don't no how) we got on a boat which took us to a few different islands where we saw how coconut candy is made, rode in a cart pulled by a little horse (poor horsey) to a honey farm where we drank honey tea and were seranaded by a local singing act, saw some crocodiles (or were they alligators......i always forget which is which) anyway they had sharp teeth, Emily held a boa snake around her neck and we loved every minute of it! Tonight we are back in the comfort of a hotel in the city (i'd tell you which city but I have no idea how to spell it and like I said before, Phil is sleeping so I can't ask) Our driver whom we lovingly refer to as Mr Honk Happy (not to his face of course) suggested that we have dinner on a popular restaurant boat. It was fabulous! The 5 of us had a fabulous dinner, drinks, entertainment (Malcolm loved the magician) plus close to 2 hours on the boat for $25! We had said goodbye to Cam earlier today because she had to accept a top sales award at a banquet tonight in Saigon. She sells Amway. She will meet up with us again before we fly out to Phu Quoc (spelling?). We thought we'd be on our own for that part of our adventure but she and her mom (Phil's sister) want to come with us. They've been such terrific hosts! Cam and Hue have been just loving the kids but especially pampering Emily, painting her nails, brushing her hair, taking her shopping and dressing her up. They are giving her the royal treatment! Em's not complaining! Anyway, it's almost midnight so I better get to sleep. I am still waking up at 3 am which makes for very long days. Miss you all!

C.