Some might not know, but I have been away on my first O/S trip and Vietnam was the destination. I attended with Big Phil (who had to pay extra on a bus a trip to Can Tho)
And I thank him very much on a great time and experience.
Since returning I have been fighting of a chest infection that is on the improve and this week coming should get back into the fold, before retiring for 10 days on the Gold Coast with the family (Let me know when the recession hits ) and of course thank you Mr. Rudd.
The adventure to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) was certainly an eye opener for me personally, the place was beautiful, the people were friendly and the food was wonderful. (Lost 4kgs) hmm might think about a month there for a good weight loss program.
I was able to get a lot from going there and it gave me a reality check that I knew I needed to appreciate where I am, what I have and how lucky we really are in this great country.
I was fortunate to meet a lovely young lady that made money out of me by the way, as she worked in the marked and I spent the first two days clothing myself and my family back home out.
I was able to learn from this woman that she works 7 days a week, 15 hours a day for $450 US dollars a month.
She is 21yo left her family in a rural town when she was 16yrs to live and work in Saigon and according to her, she has and is doing well.
I was amazed with two things, one was her attitude and the other was her keenness and motivation to her job.
After being in Saigon for a few days and watching other people getting around, working and making more inquiries, it then dawned on me that most of them m/f that were working, worked long hours, mostly 7 days for minimal money and had no time for recreation of sport and some even did schooling if they could fit it in.
A good friend advised me when I left to do one thing when I go there and that is "smile". That was the best advise I could have been given.
I witnessed a lot of poverty and sadness, one I recall being a 16yo girl trying to sell me post cards, she stood there persisting the sale and smiling, then I noticed that she had no hands and was holding the packets to her body by the stumps of her wrists.
For the next half hour I was overwhelmed with happiness to see smiles on the faces of 6 different people that had tried to sell me something as I had just bought them a soft drink or coconut milk.
I was also taken back as I noticed that most of the tourists just went along there own way and never acknowledge or smiled at the locals which I felt was selfish.
All in all the experience was gold and very self motivational.
Jockey
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