War of atrocities

Steve and I just spent the day In the war Remnants museum which largely documents the war crimes of the Americans during the war and it's affects on the survivors. Going through that museum (which is largely told from the vc perspective) is like getting punched in the gut over and over for two hours.

There are stories of massacres and ritual killings. There are pictures of the scarred napalm victims as well as the deformed children being born to this day handicapped as a result of agent orange.

Almost as touching was an exhibit that was a tribute to the slain photographers who transformed western opinion about the war. Their photographs, which poignantly told the us soldiers side of the war, were even more saddening when you hear of their deaths. These were the final images the photographer saw in his last moments of life.

The whole museum just made me realize how pointless war is, whoever it's against and whatever it's for
-- Post From My iPhone

Death sport

Ho chi minh - where crossing the street is a sport

We arrived last night in hcm. The budget flight was uneventful. We spent it watching anthony bourdain be swept across north vietnam by an official communist. when we arrived the airport was well maintained, but rather desolate. No official cabs but official scary looking guards walking around.

Since Getting picked up we've been constantly scared, exhilarated and exhausted. The streets are filled with motorcycles - driven by Vietnamese of all ages from 10 to 100. What's more there are noo stop signs or traffic lights. Motrorcyles just pull into the center of the intersection to go left. And most streets don't have aidewalks (only the few grand boulevards the French built.). To cross the rule is to do it slowly so that the motorcyxlez have time to adjust around you and dpdge you (they will not stop)

Our hotel, which was 1 on tripadvisor, we soon discovered is in the center of the backpacker district.

More on this later.
-- Post From My iPhone

Oriental beauty or oriental drug?

We're at the national palace museum in Taipei enjoying oriental beauty
tea, a traditional taiwanese tea we heard of on 5 takes taiwan.
Steve's convinced it will rejuvenate us and leave us wired for the
rest of the day. Only time will tell.

As for yesterday, my blues thankfully disappeared. We saw the changkai shek monument and Taipei 101, the tallest occupied building. The building was pretty cool- designed to withstand 150 mph winds during monsoons and earthquakes that only come once every 2500 years. we also discovered my food of choice - cheesy bread - which I haven't found since brazil. It's soft enough for my teeth and cheesy!

Taipei blues

First day of the trip and already something is missing. I appear to have lost our headphones, my iPhone charger and most importantly Steve's iPod nano all at once during a low moment on our way to our hotel.

airlines airports and buses have been contacted but to no avail.

Ah well. At least my tooth is doing better and we made it to Taipei in one piece.

Now for some sightseeing.


-- Post From My iPhone

Asian invasion

Business school decision - x
Move across country - x
Get married and have a fairytale wedding - x
Travel the world - still to do!

Steve and I are off to Asia tomorrow for a month long tour of all the countries we can do in that time. We have loose plans and tons of guidebooks.

Unfortunately we've been delayed by my dental problems (filling then root canals gone wrong) but hopefully it's nothing some good painkillers can't solve.




-- Post From My iPhone

Cinque terre

Draft

Sent from my iPhone

Sick and icky

I have caught the plague aka the cold that never ends aka the sinus infection taking over my body that my doctor won't diagnose.

I am about to see dr. daphne now. I hope the end is in sight.

Another year

Today, actually right about now exactly, I turned 27.

When I was a kid I thought 27 would be a year when I was all "grown up". I would be married or getting married, have a fabulous career and life. Well, some of that is true - but it is all in the eye of the beholder. I always thought 27 was the perfect year to get married.. And lucky me its happening!

Do you ever notice that young kids (especially girls) stare at you when you walk by? They just keep looking as their mom takes their hand when they walk down the street or over the back of the seat ont he airplane. They have a mesmerized and curious look on their faces.

Well, I remember being that little girl, looking at the grown up women and wondering about them and how I would be when I was older.

I know this is kind of a somber thought, but when did I lose this curiosity? What did I want to be when I grew up and why am I not that now? Is it a ceo, a princess, a president or just simply a mother?

In my 28th year, what do I want to accomplish?

No :HBS Invite

Sadly, both Steve and I did not receive interview invites to :HBS today.

According to the hbs blog, they sent about 90% of their interview invites for round 2 today- 750 with another 50 or 100 to go out over the course of a couple months.

While I prepared myself for the letdown as a couple of colleagues had been rejected before, I still had a glimmer of hope. Oh well, there's always my other schools and always next year.

Follow up to 300k miles in 3 hours

I've applied for 4 credit cards. One I was accepted instantly 3 still waiting to hear from.
Tip: apply to cards issued by banks you already use.

I'm well on my way to getting 25k in american miles. Now for the rest...

Other thing I saw- 15 minutes a day lastminutetravel is putting up all their hotels for 1 per night. The catch - you have no idea when. Monday - friday on east coast time. Who has the time to sit in front of the computer and click on a website every 15 minutes (no autofresh). I thought I did but you have no idea if the auction completed for the day or not.
Kind of disappointing.

Nice view

Twin peaks- jog of glory

300,000 miles in 5 hours?

I just read this post-- the 5 million mile challenge. Basically, he talks about how to get a ton of frequently flier miles in a short amount of time, by signing up for all those credit cards..

I think I may do it.

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/the-5-million-frequent-flyer-mile-challenge/

Singapore Chinatown

Last week I had my first foot reflexology session in chinatown. Basically I sat in a pedicure chair, had a foot bath and pumice scrub and then had an old chinese man massage my feet veerry sloowly. It was a bit weird because each part of the foot is supposed to signify or correspond with a different area of the body. So for instance when he massaged my ankles it really hurt-- and he said it was because my lower back hurt.

I also had a painful back massage (do not recommend).

Afterwards I wandered the chinese street markets and became a bit overwhelmed by the crowds. (See pic).

Where to go: kenko wellness boutique on south bridge rd, sg (www.kenko.com.sg)
Price: around s$ 50.

IMG00222.jpg

First post!

I am in Singapore on an illustrious business trip and exploring the
city on the weekend.

I'm not much of a blogger (this is my first) and I've never had a
diary (so no searching my bookshelves for it).

I was inspired to start this by my cousin roxie who has kept a blog
for quite awhile.

Will send pics and stories soon.

Carolyn

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