Week 1

So just a quick update on the trip.

We stayed in Phnom Penh for a few days to start things off. Got our visas for Vietnam, visited Toul Sleng (S-21), the Killing Fields, and the Royal Palace. Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields were shocking and numbing much the same was Auswitz was for me. Words really cannot describe the experience of standing inches away from human skulls. We also got to meet up with some CRC missionaries who knew some of my family from Nigeria. The city was a bit more developed then I expected, but there was still a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. Lots of motorbikes as very few people seemed to be walking around. On the way to Siagon I saw a lot of the countryside which was a bit more rustic, but there's still a lot evidence of rapid development.

Siagon was a bustling place with even more motorbikes (an estimated 4 million of them for 6 million residents). Crossing the street was always an adventure, but you could pick up the pattern quickly. We visited the War Remnants Museum which was interesting mostly for its onesidedness. The only things listed were the horrors of war inflicted by the Americans as if the VC and NVA were innocent victims. It would have been much more beneficial if it showed the horrors of war in a balanced manner, but I guess propaganda is to be expected. Next, we took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta. A lot of it was pretty much geared for tourists, but we got to see a fair amount that we probably wouldn't have experienced on our own. Much of what I saw there reminded me of pictures of the slums in the Philippines that I've seen. I've seen quite a few churches here which has surprised me. Vietnam seems much more modern than Cambodia.

After a night bus, we're up at Nha Trang (google earth it) which seems much more laid back. The beach is nice and there's some islands off the coast that we can explore. Looking forward to the next few days here immensely.
Vietnamese food is delicious and cheap! The French colonial influence is evident in the availablity of baguettes everywhere which is making me very happy.

Wish I could write more, but there's not really time as I'm in an internet cafe and the best stories are told in person anyways.

Leaving on a jetplane...

Two days and a wakeup (early) until Cambodia and Vietnam. I still have some things to do, but I think things are looking good. I've done some planning and most of the important stuff is taken care of, I think. Notable exceptions would be travelers insurance and getting a Typhoid vaccination. The former is necessary, the latter we'll see about tomorrow. I'm assuming the doctor will know better than I do.

I found out that I can shoot a RPG (rocket propelled grenade) for $200 in Cambodia...it's awfully tempting, but I think the price is a little out of my backpacker budget. I was going to see if people wanted to live vicariously through me and help sponsor me, but then decided that was too selfish. It will be a great trip even without blowing something up.

Hopefully the next time you'll hear from me, I'll be in a warmer climate. Please pray for safe travels for the four of us.

Crazy

It's almost been a month since break started and I still have roughly 6 more weeks till classes start up again. What a long break! Linda commented the other day how crazy our lives were compared to most of our friends and family. I mean, about this time in January people are either back at work or are soon heading back to school. At the time of her comment, all four of us Dordt grads were sitting around on a Wednesday afternoon playing a card game in Korea. Crazy! Life around a university when most of the students have gone can be quite dull though. Nothing too exciting happening here.

In less than 2 weeks we'll be heading to Cambodia and Vietnam for almost a month. I'm excited to visit new places and experience new cultures. There's so much that goes into that experience. New people, food, sights, sounds, smells, etc. One thing I know that we're all looking forward to is the warmth of Southeast Asia. Korea is a bit cold right now, and even though Busan isn't as cold as Seoul, it's still a bit frigid.