Vietnam and Kyoto?

so we are home safely from vietnam and been teaching now for 1 week. it feels good to be home and getting back into the swing of things.

Vietnam was really wonderful place to visit. i dont recommend it for all, but for the backpacker you couldnt ask for more. its got beautiful landscape, really nice people and excellent food.

top memories from Vietnam.

1. Kayaking on Halong Bay and entering a secret cove that was totally protected by the rock island by way of a cave water inlet. the views were stunning and the shear size and magnificence of the karsts (rock islands) were humbling, in a calming type of way. sometimes its good to be reminded that you are part of creation.
2. eating, eating, eating. Bun in vietnam is ridiculously better than in the states. it is eaten totally differently and tastes sooooo much better. its hard to explain but we'll show you when we get home.
3. new ways to eat noodles. pho, bun noodles, and other types.
4. walking the beach with mai kao collecting shells in Hoi An.
5. dodging even crazier traffic in Hanoi. i thought traffic was bad in China, however, i was seriously mistaken. there are seriously millions of motorbikes in hanoi...honest, there are 10 million plus people in hanoi and most own motorbikes.
6. sleepless nights. either the nonstop noise of motorbikes honking through the night or the rock hard pillows normally kept us from getting any real sleep.
7. Mai Kao destroying me in Paib lev (cards) i had no real chance in all the games we played.
8. no more trains! 20 hour train rides in any way shape or form are brutal.
9. drinking coconuts on the beach...not that good but always wanted to do it.
10. squid fishing in halong bay with the locals at midnight on new years.
11. coming back to our wonderful apartment to finally get a good nights rest.

i wish you all could have joined us for the trip, it would have made it even more awesome.

oh, one more important thing. you must respond ASAP. Should Josh go to PRO TOUR KYOTO in two weeks? yes or no? is it worth it? let me know pronto. my staying or going depends on your answers.

josh out.