I got started writing here because Facebook fucked albums up and I can’t write in paragraphs anymore. So I put this text on top and photos below to force people to read this. Scroll down and stuff if you want to skip the old guys rambling ok. I promise the photos are not worth it.

It's not the best place to be writing, but here we are. Finally getting the fuck on a plane after all these years of Covid and life getting in the way. Destination? Vietnam, for a wedding. But first, Ho Chi Minh City.

And more words than necessary for so few pictures. It's going to be a long, boring bus ride with no scenery, so feel free to avoid. It felt oddly familiar, even surreal to be in another country, despite almost 3 years being stuck either behind the bar or on my chair playing games. At the airport, the realisation I had almost entirely forgotten ALL the things that had to be done hit me. All these processes that used to run like clockwork suddenly had a very deliberate nature about it. Luckily, I had a travel buddy in Matt, who knew his shit. What can I (or The Beatles) say? I get by with a little help from my friends.

First impressions vis-a-vis 9 years ago was how many more cars there were. We had to go some way to find a scene that said "Ah, Ho Chi Minh City". Also, try crossing the road with your eyes closed now. I promise that will be the last road you cross.

In any case, the first night was more of a stopover than anything. Met up with Dennis, Jimmy and Ezra (and Gee for like 30 seconds, because she left with Matt on the Grab) at the hotel, we went for food (oh glorious chao vit) and drinks (7Bridges and the shop beside). The recurring theme here seems to be meeting because after that I met Amelia at 7B and Joshua at Heart of Darkness and then we unmet Amelia and re-met Dennis, Jimmy and Ezra and then we went back to our respective rooms to rest, getting ready to meet our long, boring (yet unavoidable) bus ride tomorrow morning. Not before eating Bun Rieu though. That's it for this album. I will return with more photos and unnecessary writing.

If anyone made it this far, sorry and thank you. It means a lot for me to start writing shit again. I will find better avenues for expression.