Firsts

I have been gone since the beginning of November and thought it might be time for an update.  For those who are paying attention, my job has changed a little bit and now I work in investigations. I am currently the team leader for a miniature investigation team scheduled to work until next week. The idea is to address some investigations off the beaten track so a larger, more expensive team doesn't have to go off the grid to do the same thing. The concept is to save money without sacrificing quality.

Anyway, because of what I just explained, I have spent more waking hours in a vehicle or airplane than I have in a hotel or on a site. That is just the nature of the game.  Through the mission, however, I have done a few more firsts in a country I thought there weren't very many firsts left for me.  For example, during this trip, it was the first time I ate a coconut grub... actually about four of them. Not sure I could have eaten them raw, but these babies were stir fried, and filled with tasty warm grub juice. Actually, "tasty" might be a deceptive word, because it does seem to imply "good" when I wouldn't want that impression to get out.  During that meal, we also allegedly had liquor made from a distillation of stewed mouse marrow, "rượu cao chuột". To top it off, we had fresh durian (stinky) fruit.  It was a little ripe and resembled in no distant manner baby puke on a large, smooth seed pit.

Other firsts include riding on National Highway 14 from Saigon to Pleiku.  One of the most miserable rides in Vietnam I have yet to take.  Expressway? Not! First time? Yes. And, I experienced a first when I stepped on a thorn - several, actually - that were long, strong, and sharp enough to go right through the sole of my Merrel hiking boots, barely penetrating the sole of my foot. After the first one, I felt like I was in a mine field, constantly afraid the next thorn was going to be a little bit longer.

We are on a timing break in Danang before heading to Dong Ha, Quang Tri Province tomorrow.  Nice to have a break from the driving, even though it is catch up time on reporting. 

Sorry I have no pictures to post. I only have my work computer and due to security, can't download pictures from the camera to the work station. Hopefully I will get time to post after I return to Hanoi.