Vietnam – Enhancements to first Impressions

Dave here again using Patrice’s account. Someday I might be able to use my very own account, on my very own computer sniff, sniff…

Ok don’t expect this all the time but, I had time while we did our tour today, (more on the later), to double check what I wrote yesterday. I don’t have to worry about what I am putting in here either cuz, Patrice is out like a light and can’t be reading over my shoulder. Isn’t total freedom a wonderful thing? Oh yeah!!!

Today we did the “City tour” with 16 of our closest friends in a bus built for about 10 Vietnamese sized people, and that I am not. I can tell you first hand that the “low cost” airlines have more leg room than our van did. The good news was that we only had 10 to 15 minutes in between stops. Now on to the “enhancements” that are the subject of this little writing.

Remember when I talked about the use of 40 quart Styrofoam coolers for saddlebags? I thought you would. Well today we saw upgrades! Oh yes… they have been enhanced and worthy of a note here too. I know you are just dieing to know what the enhancement is so I will spare not a nano second to fill you in. Use tape, strapping tape seems to work best.

The key to using strapping tape on the containers seems to be to carefully over lap each piece while running each round of tape totally around the container. One does have to have a totally even work for this fashion statement. Something less might work in rural Alaska but not on the mean streets of Hanoi! Oh and don’t forget the top too. One must be thinking of “stylin'”. Ok now that you have that down, don’t forget the “green” plastic rope to strap it down. These little buddies won’t be flying away anytime soon. Am thinkin’ the reuse is way up too. These guys are always thinking for sure.

Remember when I talked about the bikes yesterday? Well, what I didn’t tell you about was the cute little masks they wear over the face. Now granted these are mostly women, the men don’t seem to mind the road debris nor other flying things hitting their teeth or face. But the women, now that is totally different. They use these “totally cute” face masks. These usually cover the mouth and nose but not much more. Most, if not all seem to look like something out of an operating room with one big exception. Don’t ask I will tell you the exception. The exception is they are cute with sometimes their favorite animals or other precious things on them. One that caught my eye today was on this young lady totally dressed for an office in a suit with a helmet that looks like a baseball cap but was metal and hair pulled back and tied. Well you have to do that so you aren’t a mess when you get to work. Ok, the mask… Hers had pink edges and and the cutest Poo Bear on the side of it.

Now what would be more cuter than Poo Bear I ask you? NOTHING! But I don’t want to get into all the fashionestas that we saw today driving or we would be here all day. But I did have to get you thinking about it.

Watch out New York and Paris, Hanoi fashions are on the way! Think about it…what a market for the totally scooter crowd…Scooter fashions, “the coolest way to work”, what a slogan huh and I just thought it up too! Am sensing a copyright on that one – oh yeah!

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