Blackburns Unite in Vietnam

Checking out the coastal Pagoda - Phu Quoc 

Beach Time with Spunky

Molly and I are so grateful to have spent nearly two weeks with a familial band of Idahoans in Vietlandia.  Blackburns, Betts, Cardoza, Morgan, Radis and Mudie- our blended and extended family created quite the wake on Phu Quoc Island in southern Vietnam.  The spud squad survived the first few days of jetlag, language barrier mishaps, immigration shakedowns, less than sanitary food options, motorbike/flesh collisions, and a New year's celebration induced, brain-rattling hotel orientation. 

By the end of their time, everyone had found their groove.  Rex and his larger than life curiosity, generosity, and bald and big physique  acquired the nickname Buddha by more than one of the locals.  Tara navigated the hit and miss food scene well enough to find a dynamite street BBQ spot by the last. We shared laughs with the hosts regarding their gestures to Tara and Alex about their, unbeknownst to them, future child - a classic projection by the older gen on us 30-somethings without kids. Over vodka shots and rice wine at the plastic tables sidewalk restaurant, we bonded with the family who was joyous serving us and admiring the ease to which we could manage our own table top grill.  Cardoza ate enough local fruit to put a dent in the national supply.  During our final stroll around town before departure, Barb was dodging motos, weaving slender sidewalk corridors, and saying hello and thank you with a seemingly well-practiced accent.  

Everyone was stoked to have good old Spunky Betts and his girlfriend Emily along for much of the fun also.  Spunk and Emily brought young adventurous energy to the equation after their 2 week head-first tour of Vietnam.

It was special to spend the last meal of my 20s with all these wonderful humans and a grip of Hanoi friends too.  I will forever cherish the time spent with my family on their first Asian visit, seeing the friendliness beneath the dusty, and at times crusty initial image of the place and its people.  We like it here well enough and were thrilled to show people we love our new - yet certainly temporary - life.  Now looking forward to our venture to new places and peoples with the Radises next month!