Back from Tour

Hi Everyone,

We finished the eight hour city tour yesterday. If there is any advise I can give about this to the groups still to come, it would be to do this "before" you get the child. We all went together, Randy, Jack and myself, Karen and Tanner, Bridget, Mary and her friend Liz, Jeannette, Gianna and her cousin Nancy. The babies were as good as they could have possibly been, but it was hot, sticky and long. You're carrying babies, bags and if you shop and you will, more bags. In and out of a cramped bus. I think it feels worse than it might have some other place, because Hanoi is a very loud, polluted, crowded city. It can be a bit over stimulating for you and the baby. The tour included lunch and it was good. The people are all very nice and helpful. A young women in the mall told Randy and I, kinda in amazement, that Jack looked Vietnamese. It was funny, it never dawned on me they wouldn't know he was Vietnamese.

Some other things: The water in the room is "filtered" and very HOT. You could make tea and definitely sterilize bottles. They don't suggest you drink it, but it appears to be ok for brushing teeth and such. At least it hasn't affected us yet. You can request the big 5gallon jug of water when you get here. It takes a couple of days so just order two. You'll have all the fresh water you need for everything. They also put drinks, and bottled water in the fridge daily. They clean the room and pick up any laundry you have daily. They have a complimentary menu and a Restaurant menu. You call ahead and they will call you when it's ready. The taxi has been between 15 and 25,000 dong for just about anywhere we go. 16,000 is about one dollar. The hotel will call you a taxi and tell you which ones are honest. They go out of their way to be helpful. They have a safe for any valuables and there is a safe in the rooms that you set the combination to. They love the babies and will carry them around while you eat. It doesn't make you feel unsafe at all, you really appreciate it. I know Karen has REALLY appreciated them. There are times she might not have gotten a shower w/out them. These are just silly things that I've been thinking about. Sandy and Randy