(Huey) In defense of my yellow bag... I have tried many times to get the stains out of the yellow bag. They will never come out. In addition, that bag has travelled more and seen more action than Charlie coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail. However just like Charlie it has not yet surfed but plans to do so soon...

Its quite a different world here than in the north. First of all painfully hot and humid. Once we crossed the Hai Van pass the weather instantly changed. All the better as we are off to do some diving on Phu Quoc island home of some of the best 'nuoc mam' on the planet, graded like a fine olive oil or even french wine but smells even better. Can't wait to get a wiff of that vat of fragrantly rotten fish.

While in Saigon its a lot of visiting family and listening to stories of pre-communist days when I was little boy. Apparently I provided much entertainment to my aunts and uncles in the first few years of my life. Good to see everyone doing well these days. We've just completed an exhuasting day of eating and napping at my grandma's house here in Saigon. I nearly went into food coma after eating some of the best homemade cha gio and bo kho I have ever had. The mangos were so delicious, practically vine ripened. We never tasted fruit so good.

We have been saving our nightlife for Saigon. Something about this city makes it feel much like NYC. There's a lot of noise everywhere and an overwhelming energy that grabs you just like NYC. People here are much more sophisticated and seem in a hurry to get somewhere. Probably a good transition place for us. My grandma from america is showing up tomorrow. Maybe she'll take us to see our old house and try to reclaim it....apparently it is now occupied by some government comrades....not likely she'll get it back anytime soon. May just have to open a hotel on some beach somewhere here then...back to my mango shake while I ponder the merits of that last thought.