Post-Tet..... Phap Valentine .....Toan.....Monkey got dumped .... FUCK CHROME: FireFox is back.... Phap borrows and video calls

 5:00

The phone rings.....I answer.....It is Chantal.....  They emptied the storage......and they are getting rid of the TV stands and Great-Grandma's green high-backed Sessel......  

8:00

Chantal refunds me $1200...... right away I send $300 back to her for 'Mika, the Morin Moving Muscle'.

9:00

At the hotel: 

I talk to last night's crazy Swedish woman....and I even get her to smile....... Laundry is almost done....

I talk to last evening's 2 cyclists from Heidelberg.......YES...the indeed WERE in SaiGon 2 weeks ago.....it was their folding bikes I saw on Pham Ngu Lao.....NGHIEP...... AND.....they DID the bicycle trip from Germany to Istanbul...... I feel a little deflated, but feel invigorated in my plan......he is 56 years old...... NOT DONE YET.......today they are off to Quy Nhon.....

10:30

The laundry is done....I hang it.....

An email from Mika.....thanking me for the $300......Chantal probably pushed him ;-)

nap

11:15

chorizo omelet......goes down well; I was craving MEAT.....

11:30 There is the Phap email I was dreading...(I was expecting it)..... "I HAVE to spend Tet with my parents"

I prepare my response..... "Problem or no problem, busy or not busy, I ALWAYS have time for Phap"

17:00

But instead I reply....

"I hope you can find a bit of time to meet me before you return to Bien Hoa"....

Right now......If he FAILS AGAIN.......it will be grounds for divorce....

I'm not expecting an answer any time soon....he only replies to happy messages .....and stays quiet if the answer is not favorable.....

18:25

I've eaten the 2 frozen chicken wings....cut my finger trying to cut an OLD lime....

What now?

18:45

He replies.....he is coming NGAY MOT ....now I feel bad for adding things to his busy schedule....

sleep early

3:00

dazed....

4:00

get up.... coffee 

talk to Andrea....she is unpleasantly hysterical.......I'm trying to talk her down....

Chantal calls back.......

nap

12:00

The flight to SaiGon and all the hotels are booked.

13:45

I've completed my calisthenics, re-fried some tofu from the freezer, got a confirmation from HomeAway..... now I only have to book My for the taxi ride and I'm good to go ....

15:15

I booked My and clipped my crotch..... up to 2.5 bottles already and I have to slow down.....another nap?.....after all, I got up at 3:30 or 4:00.....

nap

16:45

STARVING.... I order a hamburger..... strange new squiggly fries....and not enough fries....ah well....I eat 1/3 and put the rest in the fridge......

17:15

Some neurotic German kids (5-10 years?) try to throw sand on my fire.... one of them (11?) gives me an extended slut/trying-to-look-cute look, probably a look that let her get away with stuff before......OMG, that one will be trouble in the future....pity the man that falls for her .....anyhoo.... it's not working on me....

20:00 a message from Phap

sleep

23:30

BANGS on the door.....Thanh and Jerker..... I am rude to them....NOT today..... I regret it the next morning and send an apology to Thanh.

sleep

1:00

There is BUZZING in my room......and then there is a PLOP on my bed as if a rock fell from the ceiling.... need a glass of wine.... when I go back to bed and unfold the blanket there is this GIANT FLYING cockroach...... I am frantically looking around for murderous instruments.... there ... that wooden stick.... the first strike cuts the beast in half......and I swipe it off the bed.....

I manage to sleep eventually

6:00

10:30

An SUV comes up the beach ....and wants to PARK in front of my trees .....guests of Lisa.... I run out and shout NOOOO....he goes WHY NOT..... I go Because this is MY property (I lie just a little ;-) and bai bien DEP nhung xe o to KHONG dep.....

11:15

a bit of bread....with chorizo....AND cherry jam ;-)

Phap writes:  20:00

nap

finish the burger

nap

16:00 slight belly discomfort.....from wine or food?

19:00

I order chicken wings and fries for Phap....I've told Jenny 3 times today that I don't want the nuoc mam with the chicken wings......what do I get?   Nuoc Mam....... I go back later.....and complain.....If you want to work in hospitality, you have to start listening to the guests.....I would like another order of wings without sauce for free......and then she gets all phony "we don't have any left, you get a massage" all with that phony smile.....when I say "You are not listening; you are not learning", she tells me to go home...... LAST time I will talk to Jenny ;-)

Phap mails...... I don't have the scooter......

21:30 I flip out and I video call him......where are you?.....on the road...I'll be there in 30 minutes

I walk half naked to the road to expect his arrival....nothing....on the way back to my house, I run into Thanh.....we're fine......I get back to the house.....another message from Phap.....traffic police; I will be slow to arrive.....just HOW can anyone be so UNLUCKY or STUPID ?????

22:45

I feel like sleeping.....

I head over to Thanh's drinking party......he asks for a bottle of wine....why not....he massages my shoulders with astonishingly STRONG hands ..... 

The whole time I keep my eye on the road to see Phap when he arrives...... then the phone rings and he is calling from my house..... he has a way of walking invisibly.....

LOVE him....

sleep so well

so much nuzzling in the morning......

9:00 He leaves....... that's OK.....I'll see him again in only 8 days ;-)

I'm feeling all MELLOW YELLOW after all that hugging and nuzzling .....and I am stupid enough to call Andrea back...........The usual whining about problems......she KILLS my BUZZ ...... my own bloody fault for calling her!

11:00

Chantal is not doing much better .....hurting eyes, cranky teenager, Broken truck, Sally Ann refusing to take furniture.....

13:00

nap

14:30

Eat the remaining chicken wings.

nap

16:15

19:00

Toan calls and brings me a DuDu...

21:30 He leaves

I realize that Phap sent me a picture many hours ago....

22:30

Time to sleep?

sleep

3:30

coffee

7:00

Oh, why not...... MARKET.........pineapple, mushrooms, garlic, chili, bell pepper, tomatoes, 6 limes.....all for 65k....CAD$ 2.50....In Canada I would have been able to buy ONE lime with that....

15:00

I've DONE the ESTA application......let's see what happens.....

nap with belly ache .... I have to stop eating hotel food !

16:15

I order a Banh Kep and fry up some chorizo

Oh.....I have an ESTA ;-)

belly ache again

time for another nap

18:45

Phone and knock on the Door.....Monkey.....poor bastard got dumped the day before Valentine's Day....

19:45

Monkey is off again.....meeting a friend at his old high school......good for him....he needs all the distractions he can find.....

sleep

3:00

the usual wake-up Canada problems panic...Might as well get up..... 

5:30

OMFG.......AdBlock no longer works on YouTube......the world as we know it is ending..... the end is nigh.....

6:00 

Andrea pushes the FuckOff button......probably a good thing

nap

8:00

reheat the banana pancake

Call Eda.....LOL. she is living in my house in North Van now.....OMG.....

9:30

I head to Le's store.....and buy the 5 boxes of wine.....her husband delivers them on my terrace 15 minutes later....

10:15

The woman with the weird DUT on her head.  Now she has a beautiful scarf over the whole thing.....OH WHY NOT....I am no longer shy after 1.5 years in Viet Nam......I walk over and ask in Vietnamese whether she permits me to take a picture..... 

Then she wants a joint selfie....

10:30

It bugs me.... not knowing.....I ask the manager Xuan ....in Vietnamese......and she understands me.... and answers.....this woman is Tay or Tai (two different minorities, but I still can't hear the tones ;-)

Monkey ....he is still delusional about Cambodia.....he will figure it out

 

15:45 Need nap

16:15 One of the beach cleaners shows up....friend of Choi & My....

17:30 Message exchange with 'Mr. Miss You'....

19:45 Nhat brings me steamed rice...... into the Freezer....

20:00 THREE weeks after submitting it, my Home Owner Grant application is STILL 'pending'.....what the FUCK is wrong with Canada ????!!!?

21:00 sleep

6:00

I wake up happy..... coffee wine.....the sun rises just at the edge of the peninsula....that means winter is over..... my eyes take forever to start working.....I'm typing this with glasses..

6:30

A new Era..... Adblocker is still installed......today for the first time I see ADS on VN Express......Ah well, I'll get used to it.....and they don't work on me.....Instead of buying the advertised shit, I will rather AVOID those products/services because they dared to annoy me ;-)

food:   chorizo, cream cheese, cherry jam on baguette.....

Andrea does not answer.....probably a good thing.... ;-)

Eda calls back....she's rearranging my house......hopefully not TOO MUCH or I will get cranky......

I put 15 trieu into my wallet for the upcoming trip......

doze

10:30

Hungry again..... mushrooms onions chorizo tomato...... on baguette......

11:00

slight discomfort in the gut again.......

ADS are popping up everywhere now.....OH NO...... I abandon Chrome after 20 years or so...... I download FireFox, my browser of 20 years ago...... and ..........NO MORE ADS, LOL..... 

12:30

Nhat drops by...... he's going cock fighting again today.....but far away....

13:00

DONE.....I've switched over to FireFox and closed Chrome......NO MORE BULLSHIT....

nap

14:15

Monkey shows up ....I can tell he's hurting....but he's trying to maintain the stiff upper lip...

16:15

Monkey leaves......

Phap emails..... with a picture.....

way too XA XI......and he probably LIED to me

He told me 3 days ago in the morning that he would ride back to Bien Hoa in the afternoon.......This definitely is NOT Bien Hoa.....  this looks like Tuy Hoa...... I reply "Where are you?" .....I pray to god that he didn't lie to me again......  And I'm SURE he will NOT answer that question ......

17:00

I order chicken wings and fries......

I'm happy with my switch to FireFox...... NO MORE ADS.....and I'll get use to the scrolling through the tabs...... FUCK the corporate West  !!!

18:00

Phap replies.....OLD picture (note, he does not answer my question of WHERE he is)....DAMN my mother for making me paranoid of lying loved ones...... it is SO EASY to damage your children forever..... !!!!

 19:45

Drunk and thinking too much......

sleep

3:15

Coffee and wine

5:00 Talk to Eda.....she is changing things to get comfy in NV....

6:30 Nhat drops by.....mutual crotch grabbing (LOL).....

6:45

sleep

8:15

STARVING......reheat chicken wings and fries.....add orange juice and honey.....YUM....I can cook ;-)

An email from Phap......."Can you send me 2 trieu?"

Why does it STILL piss me off?.......I'm living for NOTHING in this country......but if my LOVER asks me for LITTLE money, I freak out........blame it on Mother and Grandma.....need to work on that.....

 

 

I email Phap: "Good morning LOVE...I wish you were here with me"

7:00

NEED to sleep....to tipsy....

8:15

Phap replied......"Can you send me 2 trieu?".....OH RATS.....he did it again.... it's NOT about the money.....but how will he EVER become 'mot nguoi dan ong doc lap'.....MOTHER all over again....

9:45

tipsy and tired....

nap

10:20

A little angry at Phap...... he still hasn't learned what the Monkey has learned...... I don't want to date my mother......

11:30

I'm back from Quang.....handing over LiXi......they were eating....I eat a little muc....I get hugs..they are happy about the respect.....and it feels GOOD..... I trusted the right person......

12:00

nap

13:00

Nhat drops by again....I get my chest grabbed while I'm thinking about grabbing his.....FUN.... I say "mot ngay vo cua Nhat se giet Han" <grin>

14:00

Tipsy and Turvy ;-)

nap

15:30

Yen drops by......we talk about her dog....she rescued him from the market.....where he would have died if she hadn't taken him.....

16:30

Email and voicemail to Graeme completed....

18:00

Phap video calls......just seeing his face makes everything alright again......

18:15

banh kep voi chuoi va so co lat voi cho ri zo va mut cherry ....ngon.....

18:30

I finally find last year's Speculation Tax form.....It's in Grandma's name....so I'll do it that way this year again....  telling the truth in Canada only ever creates problems :-(

nap

21:00

An email from the Monkey.....NOW he is HURTING.... it finally hit him.....I feel so sorry for him.....

23:00

Drunk and Tired...but happy with what I have accomplished today.....time to pass out....

On the road again...... LOVE....snoring nude....hotel clusterfuck......Toan..... and back HOME ... weak......but Karma strikes again

In my house in my village:

5:30.....the unfriendly voice of the alarm clock gets me out of bed

6:45

Nhat drops by....

Somehow I survive the 90 minute taxi ride to the airport and the UIH-SGN flight ...

13:00

I check into HomeAway early....they got my room ready early.....Thank God......because I am exhausted.....the walk from the 152 bus stop at the end really wore me out.....

14:00

I've bought hand juice (the thing I forgot), wine, cigs (the other thing I forgot), and bibimbap and coffee chocolate .....

time to relax..... I made it to Sai Gon ;-)

17:45

I just ordered the usual food at Parkhaus......walking here my legs and arms are shaking and I've been SO SLUGGISH all afternoon..... watching Princess Margaret die on Netflix......I hope it's lack of food and not what she had......never know....

4:15

I wake up just before the church bells ring at 4:20 ;-)

still weak

I eat the rest of the Schnitzel and talk to Eda

go buy more Cialis.......police and lots of female gossipers next to a blue tarp on Bui Vien next to my pharmacy ..... OH !!! ....there is an elbow sticking out...... Dead person on the ground and the Western tourists are sipping their coffees just across the street.....surreal

I start packing......

12:00

The new receptionist wants to CHECK my room before I leave......he doesn't know yet WHO I am......fruity Levi rolls his eyes at that.....a darling he is....

a nice Grab driver in a tiny car....Phap wishes me a good journey and says he'll meet me at 7 pm in Bien Hoa...

in the Grap taxi.....we just passed a LARGE gasoline tanker truck .....in bright BIG red letters it says CAM LUA (Fire forbidden) on the side of the tank.....

The tanker truck is going FAST......The driver's window is open.. he is driving with only his right hand....and his left hand is leisurely hanging out the window....with a burning cigarette....

... I give the Grab driver 400k instead of the charged 332k....oh what the fuck....it's friggin Christmas ....AND  ....I can do that 100,000 times more before I have to sell the house....  (in retrospect that sounds FOOLISH)

13:15

and I get room 205 again ...I love this hotel...... and I message Phap....

Phap arrives in the evening as promised

4:45

I'm having my first smoke....and then he's getting up and dresses .....not tam gio....but nam gio.... he's leaving early ?!

I feel bad for having to rub one out while holding it.... but the horniness was almost unbearable....

7:30

Breakfast ....the usual.....carry it into the room...

still weak....too much traveling !

I talk to Chantal....and she tells me about Conrad and Mika in a kidnapping danger township in the middle of nowhere South Africa and Mika running off and the police returning him...... OMFG....

Eda calls.....she is in NV.... and I can tell by her voice that she is STRESSED...... stupid Christmas present exchanges (or NOT) with the White Trash crowd in her house (a $400 T-shirt for the uncle????)

Randy is an idiot and his girlfriend is the biggest gold digger I've ever heard of...

11:00

I don't want to....but it needs to be done...... by foot to LotteMart...... I have 20k ready just in case someone offers me a ride..... a Grab rider does ....but only 40 meters from Lottemart....I decline gracefully .....

Buy baguette, coffee, cheese, grapes, 4 bottles of wine......basics covered.....I'm too exhausted by the loud Christmas music and the bright lights to buy a Zippo....  hopefully in Saigon.....Choi deserves one... (?)

I'm wobbly and my shirt is drenched in sweat when I return to my room.....

eat, sink laundry, drink wine, organize tomorrow's departure....start getting organized for my GST return.....finish watching the movie Vantage Point.... calisthenics

13:15

Now that I've written all that down, I realize why I feel so exhausted.  I've done a lot.....

nap

14:00

slight bellyache .....but a stinky dump relieves it..... 3 eggs for breakfast are too much !

15:00

Idiot me....for tomorrow in Sai Gon......I booked a room at the SUNNY Guesthouse....NOT the FUNNY Guesthouse.....good thing the two are not far apart.....

15:15

I take my first look in the mirror at the itchy spot on my back.....YUK.....don't like it.....What the fuck is it?

I buy a ticket home for Tuesday......and ask My to meet me at the airport.....

16:20

No arrival yet.....time to nap.....

5 minutes later Phap arrives

He get's off violently....

and falls asleep while watching soccer....

18:45

He is snoring..... it's too early for me....

morning...... as usual I am awake and he is asleep....

There are competing titles for the above oeuvre of photography:

Xmas Eve (hint: it's a double entendre ;-)

Ihr Kinderlein kommet !

But the one I like best is:

Self portrait with snoring Nude/Dude

9:15 he leaves..... I want to give him 1 million for a present for Duc....he asks for 2 million..... LOL.....no worries....

Tony Diemert sends me one of those electronic Xmas cards.....Blech.....but as soon as I hear Smetana's Vlatava, I get tears in my eyes....... and I'm happy....

11:15

Again, I drank too much...... I miss feeling and touching him next to me.....but I do have stuff to do....

12:00 I grab a Grab taxi

13:10   Sunny Guest House.....she is very friendly and makes me walk up to the 3rd floor (NO elevator) to show me my room.....  a family room with two giant bed and NO balcony.......I flip out at her......she even dares to ask me to cancel my booking.....so she can save the commission..... I reply "If you do that I will leave you the worst review ever".....which I will do anyway.....this shit has to stop........

I try Liberty hotel......he shows me a room.....the guy who is supposed to be cleaning the room is sleeping on the bed..... the earliest I could have the room would be 3pm...it's 13:30 now.....I don't think so...

I start walking towards Gemini Saigon, because Booking.com says they have lots of rooms.....but then I stop myself.....I don't reward liars by going back....

I need to breathe and think..... there is a fancy bar with outside tables......No one comes to take my order.....so I open my bottle of wine.....and my laptop..... when I leave after 20 minutes, I see the waiting staff inside.....typical floosy idiot......

I've decided on 3Beans......they do have a balcony room....and it's ready....it's on the 6th floor and they don't have an elevator......and the owner is GREEDY.....and the room lousy.....she takes 500k when it should be 250k.....khong quan trong....I have a room and a bed to lay on...

15:30

time to get stuff done.....bank machine....success.... CircleK....Toblerone and soup (no fork) and gummy bears.....next Parkhaus....the usual....I take half home.....

Nhat calls and asks me when I'm coming back.....I know the right people...

the DUMB girl at HomeAWay again....she doesn't understand ANYTHING.....

I buy wine and cigs.......and later..... YES, putting a cardboard take-away container on top of a steaming water kettle heats the contents nicely ;-)

lots of messages with Monkey and Toan (he will take the bus tonight) and Phap (he will go gift shopping with Duc tonight)   

I sent the "self portrait with snoring Nude" to Seamus and to Marion......Marion LOVES it !   which makes me happy..... gotta get away from those crusty Brits....

19:00

What else to do.... I don't want to do stairs again ....

watch Netflix and at 23:00 sleep

5:00

coffee, wine, smoke

nap more 

8:00   Good sleep, nice mattress...

8:30 Call Eda.....talk for an hour.....she's becoming neurotic.....found the fuse for the evil outside lights....and now she wants to install a surveillance camera.....(ONE ! , which doesn't do squat....and she will be staring at her phone the whole time...)

Phuong posts a suggestive video 

Yet another naked Xmas Card ;-)

 and sends me a Merry Xmas message....

Down the stairs, talk to Levi, buy lip balm, tooth brushes, and some food (disgusting sandwich) and up the friggin stairs again.....

10:30

worn out... tipsy...... 

nap

shower water is not hot.....a cat wash will have to do...

12:30 I leave and hand the key to the cute laundry guy who is cleaning a room....

My room is not ready.....I leave 100k for Levi to hurry things up with the nice woman....and go eat some Sushi...... I bought 2 lottery tickets and I tip the sushi server with it....  "chuc may man", I say

Talk to Levi.....and show him the 'self portrait with Nude'...... when I tell him that Phap is married to a woman he almost loses it....I am living a much wilder life than the young ones ;-)

13:00

Finally In the HomeAway room....

veg out....drink wine, watch Netflix, write emails and messages...

nap

16:30

Toan will show up around 19:00

easy..... which is also what I will take it like....

19:00

Here Toan is..... a glass of wine

19:30

Parkhaus......Toan's chicken tastes like sawdust.... too bad....

we talk....and he tells me I should try public washroom cruising....LMFAO.....

20:30

Back at the hotel, more drinking and talking.....it's fun, but there is a slight abrasive edge to him today..... he's not happy....

22:30

He goes home and I go to bed at 23:00

4:00

There is funny music outside......Yup, another funeral.... much more modest than the last one...... the guys in the white uniforms double as band and coffin carriers.... this is how early they start their day....I'm sure they have many more bookings today.....

5:30

Chantal is with Tamil in Victoria.... Good for her..... Mika & Conrad will return tomorrow....

6:00

I miss Phap

Back to sleep....but NO.....I putter and pack and watch more Netflix

I phone Chantal.....she's with Tamil on Vancouver Island, so she decided to go after all.....good for her..... Tamil shouts something and I secretly cringe at her voice

8:05

I start walking to the bus stop......the orange bus starts moving after the first cigarette.... it actually has 4 passengers on this trip.... a new record.....

Eda calls back while I'm on the bus......she went to the movie theatre to watch 'Hunger Games'.....really?

HUGE lineup at the VietJet check-in counters....Good thing BayDep already sent me a boarding pass....I have another smoke and then take my two backpacks through security, including a 550ml bottle of Nivea and a corkscrew..... try that in the uncivilized world !

9:45

A beer and a ham and cheese sandwich later.....tiredness hits me..... 30 mins+ to riding the stupid shuttle bus again....

14:15

I'm HOME....still shaking from too many stupid people and driving 1.5 hours on an imperfect road....

2 glasses of wine later and I feel slightly better

Nhat walks by and we shake and smile 

15:00

Still a bit weak and I think I should eat something...but what..... then I see Yen return....with a big green plastic bag.....containing 2 pizza boxes.....HOLY SHIT.....I forgot that I asked her to bring me 2 .....and JUST at the right time ...... Cam On Nghiep Chuong

17:15

Phap FINALLY sends something...... and he's communicating....... he won't have time in two weeks to travel to Tuy Hoa....... we'll meet in Bien Hoa in 3 weeks.... and some other sweet words......and I realize how much my immediate happiness depends on him...... nhung ma anh ay luon that bai !!!.....

We'll see ....

17:30

I visit Choi to let him know that I'm back and that we're still anh em..... but I can tell that he's otherwise occupied, so I leave after one cigarette....but Hoa (the darling wife) gives me a bowl of fried tiny shrimps....and Choi insists that I take it home..... I donate it to Yen and company..... I would just feed the cat with it....

18:45

Nhat drops by.....and tells me that he missed me while I was gone.....

I set fire to my pile and the stupid hotel pile.....still here after a looong time....

19:30

and set fire to it again.....but the high tide is wetting it from below.....Idiots !

19:45

I have a confirmation for HomeAway in 15 days.....and Ha Trinh is booked.....I explore Cambodia options....ah well....not something I have to do tonight......

20:15

Monkey says it is not cold..... ah well....he probably is wearing a WARM hoodie.....

20:30

ready to end this day.....and trip..... and see what happens tomorrow.....

On the road again.... Saigon ...2 LOVE birthdays ....Toan .....Clusterfuck return to home

Thursday .... 6:00

OUCH .... getting old

6:30 Nhat shows up

9:30 My, the taxi guy (that even rhymes ;-)

14:30 I arrive at Home Away in Sai Gon

19:30 Levi is leaving....because Long wants to put a CircleK into the lobby....WTF?

19:45 DEAD tired.....

 1 am..... awake again.....super horny...but I keep it in for tonight....

somewhere in here is a Friday and Saturday.....but it's a blur of love and happiness ....because it is MY birthday.....and at Midnight it becomes HIS birthday ;-)

Sunday

9:15 Phap leaves and while my love battery will hold some charge for a while, I already feel it draining

But then Joanna calls.....and I talk to Eda.....and I feel much better again ;-)

12:00

I order the Grab taxi....but it's not showing up.... I finally find him on the main road....he's parked and fixing his engine.....

13:00

I arrive....and they tell me my room is not ready yet.....WTF?  What did I bribe Levi for?....WORSE....

18:30

23:30 Toan leaves.....

sleep

sweat a lot...

6:00

OUCH.... getting old ;-)

7:45

Andrea calls..... she forgot my birthday.....apologizes way too long about it and then chews my ear off about her weird 'wealth management' issues......

No call from Eda..... I don't call her because she wanted to be with her friends.....

Eat some more chicken Schnitzel .....  It's expensive at 290k (12 Euros), but for me it is dinner, breakfast and lunch..... that's 4 Euros each meal ;-)

12:00

Buy more wine & cigs

14:00

I walk over to the bank.....I want 2000 us$ and 120trieu (5000$).......they can give me the US$ but say they have NO vietnamese money left..... OMFG....... and I'm STUPID enough not to take as much as I can in US$...

14:30

another news item.....developers built these mega cities....and they don't sell.....guess who lent them the money..... oh oh...

I contemplate going back to the bank to take as much money in US$ as possible....

16:00 

I've applied for my new Cambodian visa.....this time the payment worked..... one of the few successes today..

17:30

I almost cry my eyes out when Georgie on Young Sheldon tells his parents that he got a girl pregnant.... and that she wants to keep it ....to get the husband......I cry for Phap.

Then 17:50

Phap writes: Wish a happy evening in Vinh Hoa, Love....... OMFG....he never listens

18:00

I'm back at the ParkHaus to drown my sorrows in a Jaegerschnitzel and Caesar Salad....

They are still drumming in the park.....maybe I should make a video of it after eating....

Some stupid white-skinned skinny fake girl Korean band......and the Viet kids are loving it....it's the end of the world as I know it....

23:00

Finally pass out drunk..... I miss him

4:45

Shit..... wide awake..... might as well get ready....

8:10

Levi in his gayest tone:  OOOH....you're leaving already ?

I have to run for 10 meters waving, but I do catch the 109 bus......I'll be early at the airport....

9:00

Trying to check in......and I'm told that I'm on the 15:10 flight  ....WTF???

Turns out they cancelled the 10:45 flight........ OH GREAT...... if someone had TOLD me, I could have stayed in my room, I could have gone to the bank, and I wouldn't have to spend at least 6 lousy hours at Tan Son Nhat .....I start sweating and am about to collapse with frustration....

11:50

At least the bank machine worked....I contacted My that the flight is MUCH later.....I had a nap on the benches....2 beers and way too many cigarettes...I will be a wreck tonight.....especially since the new flight probably will be delayed....

13:30

After another nap, I'm back for another Ham&Cheese sandwich and a 333.  I am weak and shaking..... I eat the sandwich to prevent fainting from exhaustion.  I am too old for this shit.... I feel like crying....wishing Phap would be here to calm me ...or the Monkey....

Nhat calls and asks when I will be back.... no idea, but it will be dark already and I will barely be able to walk.....

13:45

less than one hour until the SCHEDULED boarding time.....  

I finally get home at 19:00.......after an exhausting 11 hour journey.....and it's pitch dark and raining....and I only have 1.5 bottles of wine left...... ah well I might have to finish the Gin .....

but no, there is a break in the rain and I go get some wine..... My Vietnamese is so obviously flawed by my exhaustion, the store woman looks at me funny....

On the road again .....3 hours of UTTER HAPPINESS .... International ST00PID day .... returning HOME

A 'holiday' in Cambodia: 

4:00

not enough sleep.....the mattress smells of smoke...or BO....don't even know anymore....the only thing I know is that it doesn't come from me....

An email from Inglewood.... Nurse Chan wants me to buy a second set of arm protectors for Grandma.... let's hope that works from Vietnam....

7:00-8:15

The Monkey is waiting for Thai Linh and leaves

I forgot to call Eda.....do it now....

shave shower....I feel better.....small breakfast upstairs....

Andrea calls.....nightmare talk that puts me in a bad mood....she can't take care of herself or think straight..... bad thought: "No wonder he ignored her"

9:45

NEED nap...I set the alarm clock for 11:00

nap

10:30

nap again......or finish the wine?

11:30

Finish the wine it was ;-)

Monkey stays another day (Young Love ;-), but I have to make my way back to Viet Nam ...... Uneventful....

1st on the list: Bun Cha Ha Noi ;-)

The Monkey and Thai Linh....overlapping hand prints and hearts made from finger prints.... ..... Young Love....beautiful....but never lasts long :-(

3:00

A weird dream with bullies, coke, and gorgeous kites.....

6:00

slightly tipsy..... need to nap more....Phap is coming soon...

8:45

There is the Phap phone call .... The Monkey is shy again.... hides in the stairwell when we take the elevator up....

so much kissing and HAPPY eyes and kissing and touching..... OMFG.... I am so in LOVE

11:45 

he's leaving....kissing, necking...we start another round... only I get off...somewhere in the middle of it I hear a LOUD noise from the hallway...... OOPS we left the door wide open...  

12:15

He leaves.....and I'm left by myself again.....

but I'm glowing

then HUNGRY

but Bun Cha 145 is overcrowded... I keep walking down Bui Vien

I take a tiny alley to get to Pham Ngu Lao...... there is a tiny restaurant.....Taj Mahal.....next to the window a big Indian guy eating something that looks yummy....

Chicken Biryani .....  I order one....I can not even finish half.....the Big guy ate TWO of those....

14:00

The key does not open the door to my room..... of course when I finally track Levi down (walking all 4 floors up the stairs)....the fucking door opens with his key....

nap

15:30

feeling lost and overwhelmed......

16:30

buy 3 bottles of wine and another carton of Marlboro....

I tell Long about the red light and the failure to open of my room door.....he replaces the batteries....

18:00

Organizing things...... Graeme, double checking the Verification, traveling home, fixing the invoice..... NO actual work done...... and I'm tired..... and HUNGRY

I get 10 trieu out of the bank machine..... don't feel like ParkHaus...... the corner restaurant doesn't have any bright lights so I can't even read their menu.....  so I end up eating a TINY hotdog (this is Vietnam ;-) on a normal bun.....but it has lettuce, mustard, pickles, ketchup, etc etc.....it will just have to do....

19:30

I send the email and call Graeme.

I send an email to Phap.  This morning I was SO HAPPY!

He replies..... "me too.... good night Love"

21:45

sleep

5:00

"I can barely stand on my feet .......I look in the mirror....and cry...."

Graeme replied......money will be in the bank on Tuesday....

doze/nap

8:00

Eda does not answer.....but I talk to Chantal...... NO ONE works who works for the Government...

8:45

Online check-in with Bamboo does not work.....because my e-ticket does not include the e-ticket NUMBER....... MORONS...

9:30

Bank Machine..... "The card-issuing bank declined" it says when I try to get another 5 trieu..... Fuck Canada !

Buy a sandwich and a Bibimbap at CircleK..... I barely manage to stop the idiot from nuking it....

10:00

Eda is a little cranky on the phone and it is not a happy phone call....even though it is Friday over there...

11:00

I bring out the garbage and ask Levi to do 401 as soon as they move out.... one hand washes the other....

Start translating....

12:00

I'm hungry.....I get ready to head to Sushi Sun..... and learn that Long granted late checkout to the people in my new room..... WTF ????

work, nap

14:45

I'm finally in 401.....I like Levi more and more..... he is funny.....

work

Bun Cha 145 ;-)

work

Another Hotdog

More horribly loud bass from the park

22:00?

pass out

sleep

2:15

might as well get up

my laptop was shut down by updates again.....and this time it reports 'Drive Errors'...... FUCKING FUCKERS...

EARLY morning .....

Bamboo Airways is almost on time.....

I told My 10:00 and I walk out of the airport at 10:04...... NOT bad....

11:45

BACK HOME....

drink some wine.....talk to Lisa....same old same old.... :-(

13:00

1.5 bottles of wine left.....I should buy more today.....

Khai shows up......oh no....fun talking to him, but I'm just not getting anything done....

15:00

I leave to buy wine.....the scooter doesn't start....battery EMPTY.....so I walk....5 people shout "Xin Chao Han"..... and I'm happy to reply to this one "Chao buoi chieu Tinh".....  I'm sure tomorrow people will hear about it....

15:30

Nothing from Phap even though I sent him a lovey message this morning......it is starting to STINK....and the anger is building again...

a bit of work, a bit of reading, a bit of snoozing.....

19:30

NOTHING from Phap.....on his day off.....WTF?!..... he is SO CLOSE to losing me....  I'm drunk, and by now I know NOT to write impulsive emails in this state......but he is SO CLOSE....

8:45

Phap finally wrote....he had fun with his son today......HOW could I deny him that ????

But I am so fucking miserable without him.... and I reply in that tone...

Han RAT vui vi Phap vui voi Duc.

Han cung rat nho Phapie....(va Duc ;-)

cuoc song phuc tap qua

ngu ngon tinh yeu.

that's only a tiny fraction of my feelings.... and he is SO CLOSE to getting dumped....

21;00

I refrain from taking it further..... not while I'm drunk..... but this can't go on forever....

sleep

Home...chickens and snakes..... kind Hoa ...Gunnar and the Villa Villekulla/Kunterbunt

 I wake up and it is not dark outside.....let's call it 5:15

It is the longest day of the year...

..summer solstice !

there are messages from Kealy, Marion, Fabian....

6:15

Choi shows up for coffee.....we move inside because it is TOO sunny outside.....

7:00

I talk to Eda..... she's TIRED..... "talk tomorrow"

8:00

Nhat shows up for a chat

9:50

Quang shows up......again he mentions that a friend of him in Saigon can get me a SIX months visa..... I ask Quang whether Tina knows about this...... he waves the idea off the table...... OMFG....THEY can NOT make friends here.....

Choi comes back...there is loud bickering on the construction site again....I talk to Lisa.....they're threatening to play Karaoke forever and shout "no one will sleep tonight".... I just laugh.....

13:00

Buy some Wine and milk and Coke from Linh

nap

eat an anchovy omelet with capers !?!

14:15

do dishes..... again.... I need a wife or a cleaning lady ....

15:00

Screw it....I walk over to the hotel and talk to the interesting looking guy...... Warren, English carpenter, nice, but not enough to keep my interest.... I leave after half an hour....

16:00

People keep showing up....

Monkey

Khai

Nhat

2 chickens, 2 snakes.... we have fabulous fun until 22:00

NEED to pass out .....

5:00

OUCH...everything HURTS..I really NEED to stop these nightly drinking sessions....

thinking about Phap.... I miss his oh so GENTLE demeanor..

5:30

What now?

Kai is still sleeping in the hotel hammock ....

6:15

too tipsy already.... don't like it.....

6:30

I have tears in my eyes...... realizing how lucky I have been...... (emotional Drunk ;-)

I've always wanted to make my house into the Villa Kunterbunt... (in SPIRIT, not ARCHITECTURE)

VILLA VILLEKULLA

.. then a guy walks over from the hotel ..... older than I.....his name is Gunnar Nehls

We talk.....He tells me that he is one of only 8 professional engravers in the world who still know how to engrave the metal printing plates for currency notes (bills) by hand.....Nowadays it is all done by computer 

I tell him the story about me trying to create my own Villa Villekulla..... 

He stares at me with a strange look......and says "Wait a minute".....and goes to his room.... and comes back and gives me money....

Money for which he engraved the printing plates by hand...... 

.....I still have that 20 Kronor bill... And YES, that is Astrid Lindgren (and Pippi Longstockings who lived in the Villa Villakulla ;-)

and Gunnar engraved the plate !

.. and now my house has become just what I intended it to become..... a place for NICE people to congregate and laugh.....

I need to ENJOY every moment .......The Monkey will go to university in September; Khai will quit his job in October..... the summer (not of 69) of 23 is ending soon

Sleep.....

7:00

I email Phapie with love....

Khai and Warren (the latter returning the Nivea ;-)

8:30

Phap replied...... ;-)

LOTS of people drop by..... it's a good life....

Hoa from Blue Dragon replies..... and it's a NICE & KIND email.....

Chào anh Chris,

Wow anh đang được ở biển Phú Yên. Thích quá! Biển Phú Yên đẹp lắm. Em rất thích.

Thank you so much for your additional 'egg' of kindness. I hope that young man will have great results at the exam and pursue his dream in university. He is really fortunate to get to know you and receive your kind support, just like the kids at Blue Dragon. I'm happy for him, and grateful to you, Chris!

Chúc anh một mùa hè tuyệt vời và hẹn gặp anh ở Hà Nội.

Best wishes,

Hoa

18:15

doc sach?

Nope....Monkey shows up again .....

21:00