Ha noi update 9-2-11

Hi All,

I'm back in Ha Noi. In compliance with many requests I will be sending out updates again this time. However, my plan is to keep them shorter and more frequent. (In all honesty, the requests have been more on the shorter aspect than the more frequent one.) But once again, I'm sure you will find them informative, heartwarming, humorous and as usual extremely well written.

I arrived at the Noi Bai Airport about 10:00 PM Thursday night. Temperature was 86 and the humidity about the same. Obviously fall was setting in. I claimed my checked bag and headed for the exit. (A note of caution: my checked bag was four pounds over the 50 lb limit. Cost me $100. There are no longer any "friendly skies".) Exiting the Ha Noi airport I was asked if I needed a taxi. Without breaking step I said "how much". $20 was the answer. I said "no, I think I can do better over there". Crossing the frontage road I was again asked if I needed a taxi. "How much I asked". "$18". "No", I said, "I think I can do better over there". When I got to the taxi stand they said $18. I advised that the guy back there said $16. They said okay $16.

Sitting in the back seat of the cab I was thinking: "Don't mess with me anymore. I'm Chuck DeVet and know my way around Vietnam. My powder is extremely dry. I just got a taxi ride FROM THE HA NOI AIRPORT below market rates without breaking stride. I'm ready for this trip. Kicking ass and not caring what the names are.

When I got to the drop off point on Pho Yen Phu Linda Bui and Linh, our land lords daughter, were waiting for me. Good thing. The electricity was off in this area. As some of you know, it is necessary to navigate a steep alley to get to our house. The ladies lit it up with their cell phones. Linda and I stayed up about two more hours talking about HSCV stuff. Much going on. Most really good, but some issues have to be addressed. You will be kept advised.

Much more to come. Very, very exciting, and concerning, times for HSCV. Stay tuned. The next episode will follow soon.

Chuck DeVet, President