Safe From Tsunami

We have received many emails asking us if we are okay after the seismic events in SE Asia. We left Indonesia a couple of days ago and are now safely in Sydney, Australia. Many of the places we have traveled are devastated and many of our acquaintances are still in the area. Please say a prayer for them.

We had a blast with the family at the homestay! The girl in the back helped show us how to eat - we felt so hopeless because we didn't even know how to eat what they gave us - and the little boy entertained us the whole night. What fun!

After Cantho, we traveled up to Vinh Long Vietnam and stayed in a "home stay" with this wonderful family. Jennifer learned how to cook Vietnamese delicacies, such as the frog that this family member was grilling. While we did try it, we decided we would not include it in our weekly diet.

We were amazed at the little vendors that manuvered their way through the big boats of the floating market selling cokes, food, pastries, and gasoline to hurried shoppers. We had one of our best meals in Vietnam while on our little boat. This woman steered her way up to our side and served us a delicious and spicy bowl of "pho bo." We never found another bowl quite as good.

In Cantho, the capital of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, we took a little row boat for 2 through the famous floating markets. This little boy had a great marketing technique - demonstrating that the watermelon was actually tasty before selling it.

We arrived in Vietnam via the mighty Mekong River. The breeze was amazing and the views astounding. We were greeted into the country by little villages of homes built on stilts to accomodate for the rising and ebbing tide of the Mekong.

Wherever we went, the children were always the most curious and the cutest. As we arrived in Vietnam, Dave taught this little boy the secret Kappa Alpha handshake (kidding, Charlie.)

In Phenom Penh, Cambodia we visited the horrific killing fields and torture chambers of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. The pictures of the actual killing fields are too much for me to add to this web page due to their shocking nature. The mass graves have not been completely excavated; therefore, much of the walking path through the aptly named "killing fields" is littered with clothing and bones coming up through the ground. Above is a high school that the Khmer Rouge converted into torture chambers. It has been left just as it was found. These were the most shocking places we have visited thus far. We highly recommend renting the movie "The Killing Fields" to learn more.

We were taken aback by the beauty of the ancient Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. We watched the sun set on this magnificent creation.

"I get 70 miles to the gallon on this hog..."

Can't beat this view. I am almost ready to move to the beaches of Thailand!

Dave relaxing "southern style" on the secluded beaches of Phuket, Thailand. He lasted 2 hours under my skilled teachings. I am so proud of his effort and achievement!

"I'm too sexy for this mask..." Dave getting ready to dive off the Mariner I on his 7th dive in 3 days. Lookin' good!