Friday is my first day of vacation. I feel like I have been needing this time off for a long time and I was hoping I could relax the work tempo a little before I left the office. I at least wanted to get all of the work that I had in arrears completed before I started my leave. The problem with taking leave with all of my projects done is that it seems there is always a new project thrust upon me before I finish the last. A never ending work cycle that will be there even long after I am gone... well, maybe not that dramatic, but close. Anyway, barring any major catastrophe today, I may be able to leave in relative peace. I will still have to make the car rental reservations and figure out our other plans at the last minute, but at least I can rest assured all of the work waiting for me when I get back is new work.
Megan wants to test for her learner's permit this time back. I will let her give it a try and see what happens. She has been looking at the book, but she seems a little confused on what to actually study. She asked me what she could expect on the test and I could only answer that it has been 30 years since I took the test and I had no idea.
I still have no idea what we will do for fun back home. Obviously shopping is at the top of someone's list, but I do think a little trip to somewhere in the region for recreation is in order. I always tell myself I will set aside some time for fishing, but I never get to do that because I am constantly chauffeuring everyone else around. No big deal, just not stressing at work should be vacation enough.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Haircuts
I have been on the road for quite a few days now. I am pretty sure I posted about my time in Nha Trang with Diep and then moving on from there. Anyway, I was in Nha Trang for two nights and then flew to Pleiku, by way of Danang. I spent five hours layover in Danang before I finally got on my flight to Pleiku.
Upon arriving in Pleiku, we had dinner with our counterparts and then worked the following morning. We had the rest of the day to kick around and the whole following day as well because our flight out of Pleiku wasn't until 2130hrs due to an airline delay.
As it so happens, I have an official reception I have to attend here in Danang tonight, so while I was in Pleiku with extra time on my hands, I thought I would get a haircut. I found a place that looked like it would be decent and the price was around $2.50, which is about standard for Vietnam. I sat down and told the guy to use the #1 shear on the back and sides and trim it up on top. He did alright with the back and sides, but then he whipped out the thinning scissors and went all Edward Scissorhands on me. By the time he was finished I looke like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. It wasn't that big of a deal in Pleiku because everyone looks like Podunk Phil there, but by the time I got to Danang, I felt pretty self-conscious about the bad cut and went to another shop here. The guy in Danang did a decent job, but he had to cut it pretty short to take the spikes out of what the other guy did. Now I look like an Auschwitz reject, but at least it is evenly cut. All I have to say is "lesson learned" about haircuts in Pleiku!
It would have been nice to have Diep and Megan here in Danang for Father's Day, but the cost of getting them here and getting Megan another room would have been fairly high. Diep decided it would be better if she and Megan went to Ha Long Bay instead. That is fine, because I will be home on Thursday and then we can do something in Hanoi to celebrate my belated Father's Day.
I will go on home leave 1 July. I only have three weeks because of some requirements back in Hanoi, but it should be a good time. I plan on relaxing, getting some shopping done and taking a trip to Atlanta. There are so many other places I want to go, but with the limited time and other things I have going, this is the best I can do.
Upon arriving in Pleiku, we had dinner with our counterparts and then worked the following morning. We had the rest of the day to kick around and the whole following day as well because our flight out of Pleiku wasn't until 2130hrs due to an airline delay.
As it so happens, I have an official reception I have to attend here in Danang tonight, so while I was in Pleiku with extra time on my hands, I thought I would get a haircut. I found a place that looked like it would be decent and the price was around $2.50, which is about standard for Vietnam. I sat down and told the guy to use the #1 shear on the back and sides and trim it up on top. He did alright with the back and sides, but then he whipped out the thinning scissors and went all Edward Scissorhands on me. By the time he was finished I looke like Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. It wasn't that big of a deal in Pleiku because everyone looks like Podunk Phil there, but by the time I got to Danang, I felt pretty self-conscious about the bad cut and went to another shop here. The guy in Danang did a decent job, but he had to cut it pretty short to take the spikes out of what the other guy did. Now I look like an Auschwitz reject, but at least it is evenly cut. All I have to say is "lesson learned" about haircuts in Pleiku!
It would have been nice to have Diep and Megan here in Danang for Father's Day, but the cost of getting them here and getting Megan another room would have been fairly high. Diep decided it would be better if she and Megan went to Ha Long Bay instead. That is fine, because I will be home on Thursday and then we can do something in Hanoi to celebrate my belated Father's Day.
I will go on home leave 1 July. I only have three weeks because of some requirements back in Hanoi, but it should be a good time. I plan on relaxing, getting some shopping done and taking a trip to Atlanta. There are so many other places I want to go, but with the limited time and other things I have going, this is the best I can do.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Checking in!
After a couple of weeks, I figured it was time to check in. I think I mentioned that Diep went to Nha Trang with her mother, sister-in-law and nephew. Diep liked it so much that she decided to extend her stay and let Megan go down as soon as school let out last Friday. Megan flew down by herself on Friday, and I flew down on Saturday with a colleague to take care of some work. Diep got to stay with me for her last two nights in Nha Trang at the Sheraton while a myriad of her relatives and friends stayed in a cheaper hotel down the street. The Sheraton in Nha Trang is beautiful; probably one of the nicest Sheraton's in Vietnam.
But, alas, all good things come to an end. Diep flew back to Hanoi on Monday, and I flew to Pleiku. My travel took all day thanks to a five hour layover in Danang. By the time I got to Pleiku, I was hot, sticky and a little irritable. A decent night's sleep put me in a better disposition on Tuesday and I was off to work again. We finished what we were doing by noon and I had some coordination I had to do back at the hotel. Now, it is Wednesday and we have to wait all day for ou 2130hrs flight out of Pleiku back to Danang. I could work on reports and maybe get a workout in before I have to check out at 1400hrs, but I still have to hang out until 2000hrs before I leave for the airport. I do believe it will be a pretty boring day. I am lucky in one respect, however. This time of year in Pleiku is the rainy season, and though it has rained, we haven't been deluged with all day rain so far... for that, I am grateful.
I got out a little while in Pleiku yesterday: Hit the market, and had some broken rice and pork chops. Didn't take any pictures, though. I didn't expect anything to catch my eye, and then I walked by the park to see adults and children flying upwards of fifty kites on that windy day. Right now it is cloudy, but if things clear up and the kites come out again, I may have to dust the camera off.
Due to unexpected difficulties, work may be a little slow in Danang. That will give me a chance to get a couple of good runs and swims in. I could use the exercise.
But, alas, all good things come to an end. Diep flew back to Hanoi on Monday, and I flew to Pleiku. My travel took all day thanks to a five hour layover in Danang. By the time I got to Pleiku, I was hot, sticky and a little irritable. A decent night's sleep put me in a better disposition on Tuesday and I was off to work again. We finished what we were doing by noon and I had some coordination I had to do back at the hotel. Now, it is Wednesday and we have to wait all day for ou 2130hrs flight out of Pleiku back to Danang. I could work on reports and maybe get a workout in before I have to check out at 1400hrs, but I still have to hang out until 2000hrs before I leave for the airport. I do believe it will be a pretty boring day. I am lucky in one respect, however. This time of year in Pleiku is the rainy season, and though it has rained, we haven't been deluged with all day rain so far... for that, I am grateful.
I got out a little while in Pleiku yesterday: Hit the market, and had some broken rice and pork chops. Didn't take any pictures, though. I didn't expect anything to catch my eye, and then I walked by the park to see adults and children flying upwards of fifty kites on that windy day. Right now it is cloudy, but if things clear up and the kites come out again, I may have to dust the camera off.
Due to unexpected difficulties, work may be a little slow in Danang. That will give me a chance to get a couple of good runs and swims in. I could use the exercise.
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