James and Rachel arrive

I've had a very nice weekend acting as partial tour guide. My son James and his partner Rachel arrived on Friday night for a 3 day weekend. They are both on their way back to NZ and flew up from Singapore while staying there with Rachel's sister and family. While both countries are in Sth East Asia there are many similarities and differences. Singapore is very clean, structured and orderly with a very efficient and modern infrastructure and transport hub. Ho Chi Minh is ordered chaos, hustle and bustle, with motorbikes going every which way. And yet as I wove my way around the main tourist part of the city I loved the chaos, the unexpected, the small street stalls, the shops spilling one to pavements, places with no pavements and even the motorbikes going every which way. While I feel I'm under house arrest and can't leave the city unless I fly, I also feel very fond of this city and its people. There is not the structure and order. I bought my fruit and veges at the local market where chaos reigns and yet I love the vibrancy, and the purchases were cheap. $7 NZ. Its not a life sentence but an opportunity to be enjoyed and savoured. Hopefully James and Rachel have enjoyed "my world", as we are out

enjoying Vietnamese cuisine eating spring roll, drinking Ca Pha sua da, Vietnamese iced coffee, and enjoying Tiger Beer. The good life some would say.