[Description: Travel - Group - Asia - Documentary]
17 - 07 - 07, 8.04pm [Current Vietnam Time]

We slept in today. Is 8.00am really sleeping in? More Banh Uoch (Wet Noodles) for breakfast, then back to the hotel to prepare for a long day. Our first stop was the Red Cross; we were chasing our approval to visit the peace camps.

The director (who's name is Manh Tri) joined us in our discussion with the officials from the Red Cross. The meeting went well, but we were pointed to another meeting with workers at the nearby hospital that was dedicated to pregnant women and children (and thus, a number of Agent Orange victims). Another good meeting, but again, we were pointed elsewhere; to the hospital's management building. After a strangely tense meeting, we were pointed back to the Red Cross. Ultimately, we (director included), came to the conclusion that we just needed to give the proper paperwork to each organization and trust that they will give us permission. What we need, and are working on now, is a script and a paper describing why we want to do what we are doing. Things look good, and we should have everything done by Friday.

After these long meetings, and lots of running around (through heavy traffic), we made our way back to the hotel and parted ways with Manh Tri (who is very kind, and really has our best interests in mind). The rest of the day was ours (until around 6pm, which is when we decided to start on the script). We started by heading to lunch; we went to the "Pho 2000" that President Clinton ate at in 2000. Afterwards, we wandered the market for awhile, haggling a few items into our possession (never getting a proper price, of course, but cheap none-the-less).

Around 3.00pm, we decided to try to walk to a nearby Pagoda. It didn't seem so far away, and we wanted to do some sightseeing - of course, we ended up getting lost, wandering a rundown housing district, and having our noses assaulted by the rank smell of a local river. In all, a fun experience!

On our way back, we stopped in the market again, and I became seperated. It seemed like I was immediately swarmed by all manner of people wanting to sell me shirts, trinkets and useless crap! 2 shirts, 1 bottle of liquor (with a cobra inside) and a headache later, I found my way out and back to the hotel.We rested briefly, then headed down to the cafe, which is where we sit now, doing more research on Agent Orange and writing the script.

I'm also drinking a Long Island Iced Tea. In a coffee house. It's great.

Well, that's all for now. Time to focus...and then sleep.