March 24 - 26

03/24
Today was HOT!!!! Mom told us we couldn't go any where today because it is to hot. So we did some swimming to cool off. After lunch we walked to the market. One of Susan's cousin stop by for a visit and he is driving to Laos tomorrow for work and wants to know if we want to go along. He buys lumber to ship back to Vietnam. We said sure why not. So Mom, Susan and Muriel are off again in the morning. Four of us meet up with Dr. Hang at 4:00 PM. We road way out of Hue to a house and parked are motorbikes. We walked up to the top of this mountain to a cemetery. When we arrived at the top this gentlemen had just finished burying 6 children. There parents drop them off at gas stations after they pass away. They get a call to come and pick them up. He said that they are of all ages. The gentleman's house that we parked are bikes at also helps. It is the two off them that do this for there church. There are 3200 children there. They keep it all nice and clean and each one has a flower of some kind planted in the middle. We put a burning incense on each one of them. The Father of the church gets help and donations to help buy the cement and other items that are needed. The gentlemen had just bought a Huge Angle with his own money for the newer section. We all gave him money to help pay for it and what ever else he might need. It was a very sad but good day. They are gone but not forgot!!!!!!!! We got home just in time before the storm hit. It was the biggest thunder and lightening storm I have ever seen. Then it got really windy and poured down rain. The storm lasted for about 4 hrs. It was really something. Time for bed we have to be up at 4:30 am to leave for Laos.

03/25
Up at 4:30 and ready to go. We drop Daddy off at his village on the way out of Hue'. We have a long drive ahead of us. It takes 10-11 hrs to get to the boarder. It was a very pretty drive. We went by the ocean a couple of times. It was just beautiful. Stopped to have lunch in a little village along the way. Phoung works in Laos, he has been working there for 17 years. The drive up the pass was really pretty. Rivers, waterfalls and lots of huge palm trees and greenery all over. Kind of reminds me of driving the road to Hanna in Hawaii. We finally get to the top and go in to customs. S how are passports and they ask for are Visa. Well now the fun begins Susan and Mom don't have theirs. They were told they only need passport. (Wrong) We talked and talked to them BUT they wouldn't let them go any further, So back down the mountain we go. We now have to figure out a way to get us girls back to Hue. We couldn't find a bus and Phoung wouldn't let us take a taxi. (NOT SAFE) It is now about 7:30 PM. Phoung starts calling people to see if any one could help us. He finds a gentlemen that was willing to drive us back home to Hue. He had a little 4 door car. So we leave from Vinn City around 8:00 PM 6 hrs drive ahead of us!!!!! It as about 20 minutes later and the driver is yawning like crazy, puts the windows down and turns on the music really load. Next thing I see is his head start to nod a couple times.(OH MY GOODNESS ) We STILL have a LONG ways to go!!!!!! Susan is sleeping and Mom starts to notice things are not going good. We gave him mints, water, face wipes and Mom talks to him off and on. I have never been so scared before!!!!! Then is when I really needed to know Vietnamese!!!!!!!!!! We stopped at a toll booth and he buys gum starts chewing right away one right after another. The gum didn't last long. We finally stop he is hungry. I told Susan GREAT now with a full tummy he will really fall a sleep!! I talked to Susan about what was going on and so did Mom. I told Susan if he starts that again and we are stopping for him to take a power NAP!!!! Next thing you know he pulled over and says SLEEP. THANK GOD I was praying the the whole time!!!!!!!!!!! Please GOD keep us SAFE!!! He sleep for a while, then Susan wakes him and tells him that I will DRIVE! He says no he is fine? I guess we will see. Susan and Mom stay awake to help talk to him. He hit a big hole in the road. The car hit really hard I am amazed his car was still driving. It sounded really BAD when it hit the hole. It did end up doing something to his car after that every time he put on his breaks it made a horrible noise and when we went the wrong way and did a U-turn it sounded awful. It was a horrible drive home!!! I just keep on Praying Please get us home safe !!! Come to find out we all were!! I told Susan never again will I drive at night like that! I can't even tell you how scared and bad it was. We finally got home a 2:15 am THANK YOU GOD

03/26
My teeth and jaw are sore today from are driving adventure. We all made it home safe. We checked on the driver and he made it home ok too. We told he to make sure he sleep for a while before he tried to drive home. Sounds like he listen. All's good!!! Lesson learned!!!! Didn't do much today. Susan went to visit some of her friends and go to the school for the blind. They wanted to talk to her. I did some reading and started to get things ready to pack. Went and picked up traditional's tonight. They did the neck wrong so Susan took them back. When Susan got back home we stuff envelopes for tomorrow and then off to bed.