The Beach IX: Swimming, Translating, Sleeping. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

5:00
I have a cough. I'm tired. I'm listless. I think I'll skip the walk and swim today.

5:30
Screw it.  Soon I won't have this beach anymore. Need to make use of it NOW.

I'm not the only one who went for a dip.   

Most Vietnamese can not swim.  So they stay close to the shore or to another person ;-)

6:00
I'm wide awake, high-spirited and my cough seems to be gone.  Is a beach walk & swim all it takes to turn a horrible morning into a glorious one?   Is it the secret remedy that turns every day into a glorious one?

The consequences of that thought are mind-boggling. Even more reasons to leave Vancouver ! 

6:10
Grandma doesn't sound as chipper as yesterday. A constant worry.  But sitting in Vancouver holding her hand every day is not a good solution either.

9:15
Back to work or a nap?  Both!

14:30
HUNGRY

YES, all you poor schmucks in the lands of the red pre-cooked Safeway prawns.  These are REAL prawns, LOL

Cost of the above meal including one can of Bia Sai Gon: 69,000 VND.

18:00
dinner

Quang's wife keeps smiling at me and keeps taking pictures of me.  But in a nice way.

And I do it again.  The return to my personal Gulag is in sight and to compensate for that I book a flight.   But CAD$ 662 for a March return flight Vancouver Saigon is REALLY a good deal !  Vietnam Airlines now flies to Vancouver !  

Just for fun, I check out an all inclusive single person 2-week trip to Varadero in the same time period.  The cheapest Air Transat package costs CAD$ 1930.  LOL, Canadians REALLY get punished.  Only 2 weeks of vacation per year and then they have to pay such OUTRAGEOUS prices for MEDIOCRE holidays.  Working your ass off in a country that you believe is the greatest but which rips you off every chance it gets.  A fate worth than death!  

But I have a ticket to Vietnam.  I'll sleep better now, LOL.