Two guys, two weeks, two cities, too many adventures

Can I even begin to wrap my head around the last two weeks as I sit along in an airport in Vietnam and look back at it all?

Honestly, I can not.  Part of that was the drunken reverie of it, part of it is the lack of sleep as we just kept going, and part of it is that I miss my friend.  It will all come back, as I get rest, get distance, and get to debrief and talk with J; of that I’m not worried.  It has, however, been about 5.5 hours of sleep per night for 2 weeks, coupled with napping here and there, so it’s still a whirlwind of food, drinks, activities, life, friendship, camaraderie, and two guys who are 30ish years into friendship who haven’t seen each other in long years finally getting back together to explore and enjoy each other’s company and the enjoyment and never stopping energy that is Bangkok and Saigon.  

I will say to BSchmittah, since I’m writing, I kind of hate you for the ink.  Not in an angry way, but in a; Damned it, I want that too- kind of way.  

Other than that, I don’t even know where to start.  Firstly, BSchmitah was a CHAMP at just rolling with SE Asia life.  Hell, the dude was damned near SEA by the time he was leaving.  “Yo, hol’ up…. Imma hit the 7-11 real quick and get a…..” Or “You need from FamilyMart, I’m grabbing a Vit C shot and a coke.”  That’s NOT something an American is going to say.  He also took about a day to start to walk like a local.  Asian cities hit different, it’s a whole new vibe to them, a whole new chaos to them, and BSchmittah picked that up and rolled right into it.  If I was leading, I knew I needn’t check back, he was good.  When he was leading, all I needed to do was call a direction and he’d smoothly and seamlessly make that move.  It was, I will say, very impressive.   

On top of that, I’ll also give BSchmittah props as we never punted.  Yeah, we had Korean fried chicken on night at midnight coming home drunk.  A. It was open.  B. It’s fried chicken!  C.  FRIED CHICKEN!!!!!!  And then, once in Saigon, I ordered delivery tacos.  A. Drunken.  B. Tacos.  C. Saigon has an actual good Mexican food scene.  Other than that, we ate local.  We ate in markets.  We twisted down strange alleyways to a Bó Né place that was (literally) in someone’s house.  

We, two white ass white guys, one who has a BEARD were rocking the streets and walking the smaller areas, and we got LOOKS.  B was called Santa on more than one occasion.  Kids, especially, would lose their minds in seeing us, but especially him. 

We got massages… three in BKK and one in Saigon.  Sorry to my man, Ngoc Mihn, but VN massage ain’t got nothing on Thai Massage.  Also, NM, your Banh Mi place… chain restaurant trash!  Go local and small or go home!  Also, I gotta give it to B as his first massage was a foot massage, first night in BKK, approximately 12 hours after landing and the masseuse he got was a Ladyboy.  She was… Fun.  Flirty, but not at us, with the woman massaging me and they were having a good time at our expense.  At the end, however, when B broke out a Khabkhun Krup (Thank you) at them, giggling and suggestive talk and secondary flirtations became embarrassment and some Thai ladies turning bright red as they thought they were busted.  

We did a full body Thai massage as well.  That can be intense and brutal, but if you can roll with it and you dig it, it’s wonderful.  B could and did.  The old aunties who massaged us couldn’t believe it was B’s first go.  And then, afterwords, “I didn’t know my neck and shoulders could move like this.”  Yeah, bro, that’s why I make sure to get at least one each time to BKK or Thailand.  LOL

Vietnam has a whiskey scene and we hit that.  Enjoying the local whiskeys as well as some of B’s favorites (He’s part of a whiskey club in The City) and trying a few new ones to boot.  

We had afternoon beers, evening beers, local food, local fun, and I could show him the parts of Saigon that I know (although barely) and the parts of BKK that I know (rather well) on top of some of the local spots I know in each.  I could introduce him to Beer, Tony, Ashley, and a few others.  We got to Rama 2, saw Plurn Dee, and even got to GoodHands for a foot massage.

The bummers were the night market and the boat tour.  Whilst in BKK, they got hit with a storm that was worse than anything the city has seen in modern recorded history.  There were 11 deaths due to the rain and flooding, so that killed some of the adventures we had planned.  It’s a bummer, but it’s also a reason to come back.

I just spent 12 days with my best friend, my guy, a person that I’ve been through some battles with.  That’s something that I can’t say for my family.  That’s something I can only say about a very very very select few of my fiends, but B made the trip.  I will, soon, have some words for it, but for now, I can smile and remember what a good time it was, how much fun I had with B, and how I (hope) I was a good friend and host in showing him SE Asia and around the places I know.  

It was a great trip.  I was much fun.  I can’t wait to get back to J and Kiddo.  I can’t wait to kiss them and love them.  However, the last 2 weeks have renewed me.  Refreshed me.  Reminded me about what I love here and why I love the ladies.  Also, though, it reminds me of why I love B and why he and I are friends.  

It was amazing.  Full stop.  I couldn’t wish or want for more, other than a quick flight home and a good night’s sleep and a full 8 hours at that.

Let’s go, Kiddo… to the next adventure we will have, but Dada needed one of his own to show Uncle B the experience and (hopefully) motivate him to update the resume and look for jobs in the region.  If not, I know I’ve certainly convinced him to come back again and maybe next time it will be when you and Mumma are around and we can make it a family plus 1 adventure with B.  I love you and can’t wait to wake up to hear all about your adventures while I was on mine.  I’ll see you soon; I’m a short flight away and I’m boarding soon.