Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things

Once we were approved (via a $100 rush through the embassy) to enter the country, we went to Vietnam. We hit three spots while we were there including Hanoi, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh city (the artist formerly known as Saigon). And while I don't want anyone to think we were oblivious to the history we have in this amazing country, we wanted to see it through a new perspective, a perspective of a couple of adorable honeymooners, seeing a beautiful country, for the very first time. 

We originally wanted to do the history tours, but found just meeting the people and exploring were 100% more our taste, so we took that route. We landed in Hanoi, and due to our visa mishap, had just a few short days there. Unfortunately, Rob wasn't feeling great (just an FYI, this was the first time either of us got sick, and we had been in Southeast Asia for a month. That was a win for sure), so I ventured out a bit by myself. But only extending 1 to 2 blocks per Rob (and Steve's) wishes. I found an adorable coffee house where zero English was spoken, and played a very fun charades game with the barista trying to order a black iced coffee. (Imagine me pointing to my black shirt, holding up milk saying 'no,' all in my very loud, slow voice...... Because that helps people understand. Duh) The very sweet, and apparently most patient human ever, understood my request and handed me a black iced coffee. She also brought water and motioned for me to mix these together. Well, I'm no pansy, so I drank the coffee straight. That was a big mistake. Big, Huge. (Sorry, couldn't help myself) and I came back completely hyped up and didn't fall asleep until 4 am, despite the numerous drowsy Dramamine I ingested. Lesson learned. There is a very real reason they mix the Vietnamese coffee with some type of milk scenario. That's all I have to say about that. 

We ventured around the next day and saw some of the sites before flying out to Hoi An. (At this point, my new favorite stop on the trip.) Hoi An is a very small Vietnamese town known for its tailors. This may be my happy place. You show pictures, or drawings to a tailor, and they make you clothes in 24 hours. And they are measured to your body. (In your face, $5 charge for the 'tall' girl inseam) Rob and I planned on getting one or 2 suits made, and left with about 5x the amount of stuff we planned for. (thanks to the Vietnam post, we do not have to carry that around for the next 2 months) We did a ton of research and landed at a tailor called 'Miss Forget Me Not.' It consists of a woman and her sister, who measure you (over and over and over) and draw clothes for you that they, along with their extended family, make for you by the next day. It's insane. I also fell in love with these two for their honesty. They told Rob he was not 'large' but probably 'medium' sized after explaining to me that my dress would look 'stupid' the way I wanted it. Both pretty accurate, but it stung a little. These two ladies became our friends, as we were there for two fittings a day over a week long span. And until you've tried to put a full suit on, in 105 degree heat, in a place with no AC, you do not know real sweat.......

Post Hoi An, we went to Ho Chi Minh and did a few of the sites there. We went to the roof of the Rex hotel, known as the expat bar/tourist trap, and spent far too much on two drinks. We then walked to the cathedral, before grabbing a bite at an acclaimed hole in the wall bahn mi place that Rob found on eater. It was amazing. He does have a knack for finding insane food. (Probably why I'm so attracted to him. That and the fact that he understands international public transport. And love and stuff.) We are sitting and eating when the owner's dad starts chatting with us. Apparently he used to be the investor for the New Orleans Firefighters pension, and once went to a 2 day long pig roast in Slidell. We found someone in Vietnam that knows where Slidell is. And Covington. And Old Metairie. Turns out the 2 degrees of separation famous in New Orleans is an international phenomenon. 

We cannot stop talking about how much we absolutely fell in love with Vietnam, despite the CONSTANT sweating situation. (Louisiana heat has absolutely nothing on this place) Everything there revolves around good food and family, which is something we know a little about. The scenery is to die for, and the people are incredibly kind. We left with a few hundred dollars worth of leather bags, gowns, and suits, and a whole new perspective of a country so foreign to so many. I hope that I'm lucky enough to step foot on this beautiful land again, and give a big hug to all of the phenomenal people we were lucky enough to meet here. So cheers to eating hot Pho in 105 degree heat, custom made suits, and the 5 lb weight gain I wouldn't  trade for the world. GOODBYE VIETNAM!

Phuket.... WE'LL DO IT LIVE

After we left Phi Phi we headed back to Phuket on the 9 am ferry. There were later ones but I knew we had an actual full service hotel on the other end of that ride, so I woke up early (which you know I hate) packed up, and booked it to make that boat. Once we got back to Phuket and arrived at our incredible hotel, we grabbed our suits and hung out by the pool. All. Day. Long. I didn't hear the words 'jack daniels bucket,' or a woo girl scream once. It was pure bliss.

Once we sat down and started to unpack, I realized, very quickly, that my hand felt a little weird. And as soon as I looked down, I recalled the beautiful ring, that we bartered for in the Dubai gold souk for over an hour, was safely resting on the bed side table IN PHI PHI. I called the hotel (I'm being generous with that word) where there were zero English speaking receptionists, and tried to explain the situation. (I also realized I'm one of those people that just gets louder the more you don't understand me, until I'm just screaming the words "gold ring" at a deafening volume for 5 minutes straight) After the third time, they hung up on me, so I typed our issue into google translate and then held the cell phone up to the room phone in our hotel (We're very crafty). They informed me they found the ring. They then told me that I would need to take the ferry back to the island to get it back. I really like this ring, but there was no way in hell I was going back there. I had JUST gotten the liquor smell out of my clothes! Therefore, I proceeded to email every tour company in town until I found a guide who agreed to go to the hotel and grab the ring for me.... in exchange for a small $50 fee. So see, you can get memories back, but they'll cost you.

Once the incident known in the Casey household as ring-mageddon had ended, we spent the next few days wandering the city and sitting by the water. But - don't you worry, we weren't totally lame. Two of our friends, who were married in June, were actually honeymooning just up the road from us. (Shout out to the new Mr. And Mrs. Yeates). Obviously Rob and I have been having a blast together, but up to this point, it was just us, together, having fun, all the time. (#alldayerryday) So the fact that we had other people to talk to, especially good friends, who had not spent every waking moment with us, was like Christmas morning. We went to an amazing dinner with them and then we all ventured to Bangla Road.

From what we were told, we expected something similar to Bourbon street. But oh man, this was much, MUCH more serious. Imagine if the big ass beer people from Nola were wearing sparkly undergarments and constantly attempting to sell you the most random things (i.e. Light up Minnie Mouse ears or bracelets that literally said " I Love Rape." What is that? Like in all seriousness, who is responsible for that great tagline? I was waiting for the one that said, "I love pushing down old ladies walking to church.") Also, understand that some of these salespeople were not so much girls in general (or at all). And not only do they assault you with menus of various performances that you do not understand nor have any desire to witness, competing Go-Go Girls will take you by the hand and drag you into their particular establishment which I can only describe as one of the most frightening "clubs" I've ever seen.  You will then be challenged by a bar girl (maybe..) to compete in connect four, loser buys drinks. 

Now, THAT my friends, is Bangla Road. 

We finally found an Aussie bar, literally called Aussie Bar, and sat together for the night whilst watching the chaos ensue around us. We also fit in a few games of connect four, among ourselves, because when in Phuket?! (Seriously though why is this a thing? Why not a more fun game? Like maybe chutes and ladders, or a scrabble situation?) But in all seriousness, this town deserves a gold medal for people watching. There were a few things I certainly wish I could unsee, but it's kind of like a train wreck. You just can't look away.

We were supposed to leave Phuket the next day, but we had a few issues with our Vietnam visas, i.e. we didn't get them, mainly because we didn't apply for them. (That was kind of our bad) And so a repeat of the night before it was. Phuket was an absolute blast, largely in part because we got to do it with some of our best friends, and largely in part because it is one of the most ridiculous places I've ever been. So here's to group honeymoons, (not attending) ping pong shows, connect four, and the puckering sound that will forever haunt my dreams.
 
Much Love,
(A collaborative effort by) The Caseys