Day 2

I can’t believe it, but I slept a good 11 hours last night!  I took some pills just in case, as I pretty much live off of pills/coffee to get me thru jetlag (healthy I know).  But I am usually up really early here, and while I was up for a bit around 730am I was able to fall back asleep!

We spent the morning getting organized and blogging (it surprisingly takes a while).  We made PB&J for lunch (delicious and so very happy to have this kitchen) and then hit the road!

I think I found a new coffee spot, right behind the bus stop!  I loved my coffee place last year, “The Coffee Loft”, but it is no longer is business.  I tried the place right next to the hotel, but didn’t love the coffee (and it was about $2.25) where my new place is my favorite coffee and more like $1.50!

So, after an iced coffee, we were on the bus and off to the orphanage.  We found Thoung walking around the Pagoda (a few of the kids do) so we went off to our little spot in the corner and did some puzzles and a few games on the iPhone.  I was able to get some puzzles printed that are pictures of us from last year, but the smallest I could find was 30 pieces, and that’s really still too many pieces.  But, if we could put together most of it, he could fit the rest in so it was really cool to watch him figure it out!

We decided to try and find some other people to play with; so on our way inside we spotted Bob!  Mom stayed to hang out with Bob for a bit and I went to find Dorothy and Kap.  They weren’t overly impressed with the puzzle.  Dorothy was doing a decent job, but this other kid kept walking thru the puzzle pieces.  I don’t think he was trying to be annoying, but the puzzles didn’t go over so well.  So, the phone came out (I was trying to be good and do something that WASN’T on a screen).  Thoung, Dorothy and Kap do a pretty good job sharing with each other, but these 3-4 other girls (not disabled) came in and really wanted to take over.  This is where we tend to have issues every year (normally it’s the non-disabled boys) but the kids love the cameras and iPhones, and have more strength than “our kids” so just grab it out of their hands!  We sometimes spend more time “pushing” the other kids back so “our” kids can play!  SO stressful!!!  Luckily they didn’t stay too long!

It was time for Dorothy and Kap to eat, so Thoung and I left and went outside to hang out with mom and Bob.  “Cut the Rope”, an app, is a huge hit!  And, it’s actually really good for their motor skills.  While we do spend a lot of “screen time” we try to find iPhone games that make them think and challenge them a bit.  It was starting to get dark, and looked like rain, so we decided to hit the road, and we are glad we did because it DOWN POURED!  This was Mom’s first Vietnamese rain, and I think I’ve only seen rain one other time.  Vietnam is just hot and hot and hot and hot, so their “seasons” are rainy and dry, and we come in the dry season, so usually don’t see a lot of rain!  Luckily, by the time we got off the bus it wasn’t a downpour and to be honest it felt great!

When we got back to our room housekeeping was there, so we grabbed our computers and went down to the lobby to catch up on some emails and relax a bit.  Luckily, they were pretty much finished, so we could change and shower, because we were meeting Wullie!

I met Wullie my first time in SE Asia, when we were both volunteering with Pandas in China.  We became quick friends with our sarcastic nature and have kept in touch over the years.  Wullie spends a lot of time in Cambodia, where he builds schools and houses!  We have literally passed each other in the air over the years, but this year, he is coming to meet us in Vietnam for a few days!  I was so pumped (this was just decided a week or so ago)!

As we were getting ready, the phone rang, and it was Long in the lobby, who had stopped by to say hello!  So we hurried downstairs to see him, and Wullie was there too, so it was one big reunion!  We caught up, and then Long had to leave so we finished getting ready so we could head out to dinner. 

We went to a place we had been before with Long, as it has a TON of options so something for everyone!  It was so nice to catch up with Wullie and hear about all the amazing things he is doing in Cambodia!

By 8pm I was really hitting the wall, so we called it a night to come back to the hotel.  I am looking forward to another good night sleep!