The beach

Yes thats right folks i went to the beach. It was just a day trip, which ment that we had to start our day at 4:30 in the morning. You probably arnt aware, but at the moment all i really do with my time is sleep. Sometimes i can sleep all day if i dont have any classes. But even when i have a full day, i have a class, come home and nap till my next one and repeat the process. Some how i still manage to sleep all through the night so somthing must be wrong! Anyway so ive been sleeping alot, and so a 4"30 wake up call was not high on my list of things to do. I should also explain that i was going to the beach with the Saoviet school i am teacing at in Thai Nugyen.. ($15 usd an hour and its absolutly worth it!) its basically teaching a class that want to be taught every single day! and they generally have good english.

So we were off, and sposed to have leaft Thai Nguyen by 5:30 at the lastet. There was some trouble however as school organised trips tend to be and after about 2 hours we were away again. So much for an early start! The whole 4 hours there was VN singing and games and boy was i going crazy. I could not sleep for the life of me, but finally i saw the ocean first! i will add that i was the only person playing that game, but i played and it was a relief to see the sea.

The beach was beautiful, though after some seriouse thought on the matter, bridget and i decided that it was like Geelong beach, only slightly prettier. There were lots of large sun umbrellas and deck chairs all laid out and in faided pretty colours. It had just been raining, and there was a port just around the corner, so the water was a little murky... but it didnt stop the kids (about 50 from all different Saoviet schools through Ha Noi, TN and Hai Phoung) from taking a dip, and dragging B and i in kicking and screaming. B was first and then they realised i was still dry so they all came a running! eventually they got me in, i dont know why i struggled, but i paid for it in spades. I now have cuts on my knees and i look like a 10 yr old wo fell out of a tree - it is rather embarassing!

Any way, once b and i were both wet, we got some energy and decided to do an Iron Girl comp. Now picture this if you will. The only two western girls for miles, fully clothed and absolutly drenched like two drowned cats, sprinting with all there might up the beach for no apparent reason and then hitting a wall and then running back again for equally no apparent reason and sprinting into the water and swimming off. WELL i can safely say that the VN crowd was very confused, but rather impressed that we girls could swim. We got a rousing round of applase which streached for ages half way around the bay!

There were some games played on the beach between Saoviet schools, again from all over, and TN managed to win a game of tug of war and won themselves some prize money. B and i once again got some energy and decided to join in. Unfortunatly we lost interest pretty quickly cause it was all in VN even though everybody there was learning English at the Saoviet school and so i think there should have been instructions in English. Apparently nobody eles agreed, and after trying to get an interpreter the games were for money so we didnt want to ruin TN chance of more money for the school.

One thing i would like to pay special mention to is the shower bathing situation at the beach. So there was a big open room with a GIANT vat of cold, clean water with a pile of clean buckets next to it. There were already two girls there and they filled us in on the etiquet. "Bath like nobody is watching" is probably the main point, but in the end we just ended up having a massive water fight with buckets FULL of water and just making a mess! It was good fun, and despite the water prob being absolutly freezing, it was surprisingly refreshing. We ended up in a tiny cubical after our shower/bath/water fight and then we were all nice and clean a dry and shuffled off to a Saoviet bus heading to Ha Noi.

3 Hours later - which doesnt actually make all that much sence but anyway - 3 hours later we were dropped off in a random street in the middle of the old district in Ha Noi and heading for the backpackers before heading for the kebab house - yes Kebabs in Vietnam which are surprisingly good, despite being on slightly sweet bread - and the Bia Hoi for some good cheap beer. 4 Beers later, in approximatly 20 minutes, we were off and racing. No not really, we had a quite night just hitting our local bars and meeting new people from across the world. The night ended like it usually does for us in Ha Noi, with the Police, but it was 3 in the morning and prob time i went to bed seeing as i had nearly been up for 24 hrs straight! Dad, we werent in trouble, The police cut all night life in Ha Noi after midnight. It is there rule, but most of the bars owners dont agree and try and keep you in there bar for as long as possible. It is all kinda leagal, but the VN started it, i guess its complicated, but i havnt been in any trouble! promise :D

And so that was my weekend. Rather uneventful i must say, but wat i needed nun the less. Teaching has been a bit tedious and unwanted and after spending last week in Viet Duc i need to see people who didnt need everything said really really slowly to them.

yep thats me.

Sleep out yall!