VIETNAM, OCTOBER 2010

24 October 2010
Arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on time but had to get a visa for one year so I can come several times. Thus when I came to get the baggage it had already finished and they had taken my luggage for storage. I found it but when I came out I had to find Dat who was collecting me. I could not do it .A taxi driver wanted to take me but had some problems in remembering the name of the Hotel. I finally managed to speak to Dzung, who on mobile said that I was being collected by Dat’s driver and a student as Dat had to go to the doctor. I found them eventually who took me to Monh Tam Hotel.

Met up with everyone this morning and had a good meeting to decide on next year’s programme. In the afternoon I went shopping in my favourite market and bought a few things. So tomorrow we go to visit farmers and in the evening I hope to have dinner with Dat and his wife. I look forward to seeing the goat projects but we have to start at 6 am, very early.

25 October 2010
It is 9:30 pm. We had good dinner last night with 10 people. They were serving Shivas Regal! In fact the 10 of us consumed two bottles of 750 ml but I did not take as much as the others; Scottish water in Vietnam!

27 October 2010
The next day we went to see some of the goat farms we had helped set up about 100 km away from Ho Chi Minh City in a forest area with lots of mango trees along with other fruit trees. Goats were introduced to some farmers with a great success. I had been there before and they seemed happy to see me again. They were Christians but I do not know if they were Catholics but I think they were. Anyway yesterday was a free day. Again went to the market to buy few things for sale at home and got most of what Joan asked for. Thanh joined us. I have been invited to go to Laos in November to a Mekarn meeting. The organisation which Sweden has done a lot for Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. I do not think I can make it but have been invited. I wanted to see Dalat again; so I went down there this morning. The plane was late but had to get up at 5:40 am to get a taxi to the airport. I should really have left for Scotland today but had my ticket for the 29th. Today at Dalat, at the market I had a good meal. Off day after tomorrow.

28 October 2010
On way back to Ho Chi Minh City from Dalat I saw a very remarkable house made by cement to figure different animals such as giraffes, elephants e.t.c and each figure had a bedroom which you could hire. Also today went far away to a remarkable area called Gold Stream or something where the water supply to Dalat came from being cleaned by a large factory. From the top of the mountain I could identify Danish flag Danebrog and went of course to see what it was. Well in 1983, the Danish Government agreed to assist Vietnam in setting up the cleaning factory and as a result the Danish flag on the top of the factory building. Apparently, the Danish Queen came to visit last year and was very impressed. Our driver said one of her sons had a girlfriend in Dalat! I do not know more than that. So after that we went to the Table I had seen before it could understand what you say. If you say turn around in any language, it will start turning to the direction when told left or right. And if you want it faster, say so you hold you hand on ice table loosely! Seem a psychology. In fact when you say so it goes in the direction you want provided you hold your hands on it. So now off to Ho Chi Minh City again and off to Scotland tomorrow afternoon.