Stealing an Internet Connection!

April 11th

• I plugged my laptop in for the first time in the hotel and discovered 4 unsecured wireless connections!! I love people who don't secure their stuff! I can sit in the comfort of the hotel room and surf!!
  
• This is day 2 in Saigon for KA and I. We arrived yesterday morning after a very long (9.5 hours) bus ride from Nha Trang. We couldn't sleep on the bus as the driver is crazy and raced all the way into the city. I saw a motorbike accident which didn't make me feel any better about the bus zooming along and weaving in and out of traffic.
  
• We went shopping at another open market this morning. There were too many products that we were overwhelmed. Reminds me of a large Cho Dam (in Nha Trang) but our cousin says that the stuff in this market is shipped to the market in Nha Trang for resale. I don't like the crowds and don't like pushy sales people either - so I wandered around behind KA as she purused through the clothes (nothing fits).
  
• We went to the War Remnants Museum today. There were some pretty gruesome images there. The Vietnam War had so much media attention back then. Some good photography too. There was even a scary moment - when we looked into a dark cell and saw a wax prisoner looking right back at us. I nearly jumped out of my skin!
  
• After the museum trip we went to get KA's moles removed. She had decided to try it out here. KA and I met up with AN's friend who took us to this house. The lady in the house had medical equipment. I was kind of weary of the whole set up. They sell medical equipment and supplies on the streets - I've seen the many "hospital equipment" stores.
  
• KA went through with the procedure. It looked pretty painful - so I took pictures. It didn't look like regular "laser" treatment. Looked like the lady was just burning KA's face with a metal wire. She's now mole free but has to stay away from sunlight. The "technician" also recommended that she stay away from beef, chicken and seafood so that her wounds would heal faster. I wonder what left for her to eat - not much I guess. Actually - this might alleviate some of her stomach problems related to seafood.
  
• KA and I had the TV swapped out of our room tonight as the volume on it didn't work. I think the hotel staff are getting tired of us. We watched the english channels. It was so nice last night when I discovered an anime station. I miss cartoons so much!! I ended up leaving the TV on all night - I miss hearing/speaking in english.
• I went to their version of Superstore over here. It's about a block away so it's easy and convenient. The only scary part is crossing the street to get into the store - no traffic lights - almost got run over twice. That's one thing I'm TOTALLY looking forward to getting back to - "normal" traffic patterns.
  

April 10th

• We arrived in Saigon this morning at 5:30am. Our bus came in early so we had to wait for our cousin to come out and meet us. He thinks our bus comes in at 6am.
• The bus ride was on a greyhound type of bus so much more comfy then the van that we took into Nha Trang from Saigon the first day we arrived in Vietnam.
  
• We were suppose to take the train into Saigon but I wasn't able to get us any tickets the day that we were suppose to leave. We could have waited another day and taken the train later but KA and I were admited ready to get out of Nha Trang.
• We got off the bus to be greeted by a dead rat laying on the sidewalk - so gross. We stepped over it and sat down a bit to wait and get harrassed by the taxi drivers and motorbike guys. There were people in the park behind us exercising. We started watching them as they are always amusing.
• Anh Ngiem (AN) arrived and we went to the hotel. KA and I didn't like the room they put us in as the room had a musty smell and was too small. They upgraded us to a new room - the air conditioner in the second room didn't work. The hotel upgraded us after they had the housekeeper look at it. The final room we were upgraded to is really nice - very roomy and has a chinese symbol above the door (don't know what it means but I think it's the luck sign).
• We went out shopping after a couple of hours of rest. The hotel we're staying in is in the middle of the downtown core so stores are conveniently close. The strip that we're on right now has lots of computer stores - so that's where we started. KA was bored right away but at least our guy cousin didn't have to endure a FULL day of clothes shopping.
• There were no good deals on anything electronic over here. Boohoo!
  
• I've seen lots of knock off goods here. Spend a fair chunk of money on movies...hopefully we won't have any problems when we get back into town. Though the ladies that have sold me the movies have showed me "techniques" for evading inspection. Plus - there is nothing that the "right" amount of US dollars can't "fix" over here.
• I saw an SUV rush through the streets with alarm lights and sounds on. I thought it was an ambulance (as the hospital is near the hotel). AN said it was a rich man weaving through traffic. I looked again at the SUV and saw that it was completely tinted (dark tinting too). Could only see the driver - must be a REALLY rich man to have sirens on his vehicle.
  

April 9th

• Our last day in Nha Trang. We had many things to do and tidy up before we left.
• KA was having tummy problems (from the shark fish dinner we had the night before). She pretty much has written off anything that is "caught" by my family as none of it agrees with her so far.
• KA and I went to say goodbye to the extended family. Both grandmas cried so much. Such an emotional group. They're worried that they will never see us again - as they are old and don't think that they will live much longer. We took many pictures of the family.
• Some of the aunts waited for us to get our stuff and went to the bus to see us off. It was so touching as our parents didn't come to see us off (they're use to us traveling on our own). Being back in Vietnam has reminded me how important family is and why my parents want us to adopt many of the customs/culture they grew up with.
  
• I will miss having people cook/clean for me. KA and I will also miss having such a large extended family constantly around us. Back home we spend a lot of time on our own as everyone is busy working or doing their "own" thing. So different from life in Vietnam where family comes before everything else.