The Ford Ranch: Additional Trip info

2/10/2015

Everything that Sam said and more.   But we couldn't do this type of travel without a major support system at home. It's good having a Brother and SIL, and adopted siblings that Mom can count on when we're gone.. Having the Brother and SIL house sit with Chuy, Bess and Prank...awesome Ann to take care of puppy Krack, and a great Doggy Day care keep the others also gives us a great peace of mind when we travel, we couldn't do it without them.

The cruise part was relaxing and fun. I did spa days which I never make time to do at home, but when you are in the middle of a sea or ocean you have time. You get the pool time you can't get at home, even when you own a pool. Your phone isn't ringing, and you have to leave your iPhone alone, it doesn't do any good to look at it every 5 minutes - that was hard to do the first couple of days.

It was a trip of a lifetime, I met wonderful people in these countries, made new friends, ate awesome food in places that you only see Anthony Bourdain eat at, even learned how to prepare a Vietnamese meal and saw amazing sights that you only see in magazines. I took over a 1000 pictures and can't post them all.   Yes, some were communist countries, 3rd world countries and yet 2 of the riches cities in the world were right next door to them.

I saw both sides of Hong Kong..the money side and the working man side. In Vietnam, I relived history through Sam's eyes, and at the same time saw a new country and saw how the winners of war write history.

In Cambodia, I saw people that still have dirt floors, that live on dried fish and rice, and seeing the barefoot, diaper-less babies made me want to cry...but these kids weren't crying, they seemed happy to play in the dirt and run around smiling, saying "Hello - Money".  Kids jumping off a bridge into a river, made me cringe as a Mom, but they were having a blast. There are 2 kinds of people there "Have" and "Have Not".

In Thailand, heard how when 2 political parties disagree the military comes in and runs the country - hmmmm is this where we are headed?

I also learned to really appreciate our EPA, and laws that help protect the environment - our air and water, and people that say they don't want more government regulations need to go where people wear mask because of the air pollution. Or the people that complain because they are going to be charged for a plastic bag because they don't want to use reusable ones....plastic trash lined the roads of Cambodia.

Now all that being said....the next pictures are my adventures of going to the bathroom! Aren't you glad you finished my side of the trip!