Under the Weather- Vietnam behind me and China ahead

Hey all

I know you may be wondering why I haven't been updating since Vietnam like I usually would.

I've been pretty under the weather since the last day in 'Nam, and have spent most of my time in between it and China resting, hoping to recover. Tomorrow morning at 0800 we arrive in the amazing Hong Kong! and I'm so excited. Hopefully my immune system will start kicking ass and I will be able to enjoy it to its full extent. I'll be spending the first day in Hong Kong before leaving Day 2 for Beijing. There, I'll stay for 4 days in Tshingua University, one of the most famous and well-known universities in China. The Great Wall, forbidden city, golden palace, etc. etc. etc. will all be part of our fun for 4 days, before heading to meet the ship (which will have already left Hong Kong) in Shanghai on the east coast. I'll spend a day in Shanghai before leaving for Japan!


Vietnam was great. Instead of all the details, which I've only started to type up (sick), here's what I did in a more condense form.

Day 1: Cu Chi tunnels where Vietcongs had 200 miles of tunnels to fight the Americans. Met up with old friend Dan Schwartz, an AEPi brother from Syracuse and hung out late into the night at Vietnam's most recognizable club 'Apocalypse Now'
Day 2: Woke up and explored the city by motorcycle taxi (hop on the back!). Dan and I did lunch, shopped for entire seasons of american sitcoms for 5 bucks a piece (all ten seasons of friends plus all 7 seasons of scrubs for a whopping 9 dollars), went to the War Remnants museum, a very difficult visit about the American-Vietnam war.
Day 3-4: Took part in an independent trip I organized south to the Mekong Delta. We explored all over the Delta's many islands and even slept outside in cots under mosquito nets. It was an amazing experience
Day 5: Kinda sick, spent the day sightseeing around HCMC and exploring before hopping back on the ship.

Vietnam is a country, not a war... and it had never been more apparent to me until now. I will write much more later, but for now, that'll have to do.

Tomorrow, Hong Kong then into mainland CHINA!! I am SO EXCITED. Everybody cheer for my immune system and maybe I'll wake up happy.

Talk to you later in the week from Beijing!

Greg