-^-for posterity-^-

i was lucky enough to b e put on the puke bus from ho chi minh city to long xuyen. i have an old lady in front of me with two small children. she only reserved one seat and they are all piled on one another with bags at their feet. she is currently leaning against the window and her children are standing on her making clicking sounds. they're about four and six. she has puked a total of 10 times since this five hour bus ride began and every time she vomits she makes this disturbing guttural sound that seems to shake the bus.

behind me is a group of young people who chatted me up a bit and wanted to learn more about an giang university. they had interesting things to say and have a glow about their face that only young people get when they're away from their parents and having fun with friends. no restraints, only freedom.

two of the four have puked a couple of times. i didn't really keep track and it always catches me quite off guard. the one girl is sitting directly behind me and, when she wants to puke, she'll lean forward, push the seat with her hand and let of a gushing whirlwind of partially digested food.

there is one lady who is sitting on the right side of the bus who gives advice to everyone.

'throw the puke out of the window'

someone else, 'it'll hit someone who's driving'

'no it won't' and the puke goes out the window and no one's sure if it hit anyone.

she is about fifty and has dyed her hair the color of a pumpkin. she is wearing pajamas that are the color off pumpkin pie. her lipstick is the color of cranberry and everything together reminds me of thanksgiving.

the return trip has been a normal travel day. it started early in the morning, about five thirty, and continues now, about seven thirty, about two hours from home. we drove down laotian roads from a small resort town to the airport. there was absolutely no traffic on the roads and we had to slow down considerably a number of times in order to avoid a cow. we arrived in the sleepy capital, had some breakfast and headed to the airport. i asked the country representative for laos and thailand where i would go after i checked in and he said, 'up the steps, turn right, turn left and it's the only gate in the airport. it's a very nice airport but it only really has one gate through which you proceed and walk onto the tarmac.

the flight was peaceful and i watched a group of french twenty-somethings talk about things i didn't understand. they were all confident and hairy and seemed to be interested in everything. too bad they're cheese eating surrender monkeys.

phenom phen also has a very nice airport. the inside is very modern and there are high ceilings and chrome and shiny things everywhere. everyone sits on small stool-like chairs that have interesting backs and interesting legs and they all look very modern and uncomfortable as they sip their three dollar coffee.

on the flight from cambodia to vietnam, we spent more time waiting on the runway than we did flying. as soon as you're in the air you're falling again.

returning to vietnam is wonderful. i'm in a place where i can talk to people and where i understand things. i'm comfortable again and made it a point to talk to everyone at the airport. in laos, i only knew how to say 'hello' and that was about all. i remember enjoying the thrill of being in another culture and feeling very vulnerable. this time i really didn't like it, it could have been because i didn't really feel vulnerable at all. the laotian people are some of the most peaceful and enjoyable people i've ever met. i was not bothered at all and want to return there and live forever eventually buying a nice motorcycle and scooting down the semi-populated streets on the way to my humble pizzeria that's butted up along side the river. i'd have to learn how to speak the language.

life here is considerably more hectic. the bus is packed and people are all moving and doing so at a feverish pace. the roads are congested and everything is in perpetual motion. for better or worse, i'm home.