Today I was at the driving range giving hubby some moral support, mad I know, in this weather, love has got to be strong.
This guy next to us was WOES; I was racking my brain to describe his actions in English to my husband, except for WOES. This was the only accurate word that depicted how off the charts this golfer was. There is no appropriate word in English to describe his full-on attack with every shot. Someone must have made him mad. He was clearly working through something.
Shame, I felt sorry for the poor white dimple balls sitting in his range bucket. He was so WOES his golf tees were flying in all directions, with no warning. I had one fly straight past the tip of my little button nose. For once, I was thankful my nose was so small. Otherwise, it would have done some major damage. I am still racking my brain for a good descriptive English word for WOES. I don’t think one exists.
The word WOES in Afrikaans tanslates to FRANTIC in Google translate
I thought I would share my understanding of the Vietnamese Tết Lunar New Year from when we lived in Hanoi.
This year, 2023, Vietnam will be celebrating the year of the Cat. Even though China celebrates the new year on the same day, they have different traditions, and, in some years, the zodiac animals may differ. This year they will honor the year of the Rabbit.
The weeks leading up to Tết is an exceedingly busy time for the families as they prepare for the big day. But, the last week of the year, the excitement levels kick into another gear. On the 23rd of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, I witnessed countless people carrying clear plastic bags packed full of paper gifts, leaving their homes, and heading to the communal furnace outside each apartment block and burning it up. Why?
I asked my friend, and he told me his version of the Vietnamese festivities of bringing in the new lunar new year, also known as Tết Nguyên Đán. Tết traditionally starts building up on 23/12/2022 of the lunar calendar, precisely one week before the Lunar New Year’s Eve.
The week starts with families buying three goldfish (golden carp), usually found on every street corner or the back of motorbikes, as vendors drive along the streets selling to passersby needing fish to offer. They also head to their local paper merchant to purchase unique paper gifts. We walked along the famous Hang Ma Street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Where the locals buy anything from paper cell phones to shoes, designer handbags to iPads, and even washing machines, cars, houses, motorbikes, baths, and money, anything you can imagine but in the paper. Whatever they choose to buy, it’s all to be used as an offering to the Kitchen King known as Ong Tao. The residents burn incense in their homes, say prayers, and then leave offerings on their in-house altar before heading out with their paper gifts to burn their offerings in their nearest furnace in the hopes they will have good luck and prosperity in the new year. After they have burnt their offering, they take their three fish and release them into the nearest pond or river for the Kitchen God.
The story I have been told is that the Kitchen God goes to heaven riding on the carp, but not an ordinary carp, a special golden carp that can turn into a dragon. He goes to heaven to discuss each family’s situation with the Jade Emperor – The King of Heaven.
I had always wondered why I saw an enormous number of goldfish swimming around the lakes and rivers. It always seemed odd seeing the pop of orange as I would expect to see the common dull camouflaged version. Now I know why.
Vietnamese families prepare their houses for the coming new year by spring cleaning and polishing silver removing all the bad luck from the current year and being ready for a fresh start. They decorate their homes with kumquat trees, peach blossoms, chrysanthemums, and red gladiolas. They hold family meetings to resolve family feuds, ensuring the new year starts peacefully.
The main New Year’s Eve celebration will take place this year on Saturday, 21.01.2023. The families will attend festivals and watch the lion dancers perform. The lion symbolizes the removal of negative energies, as the lion is believed to bring good luck, health, and prosperity. They gift children with beautifully decorated envelopes filled with money. It’s called Lucky money, “lì-xì,” meaning gifts for good luck in the coming year. The money is given on the eve of the new year and can only be opened on New Year’s day. Then they celebrate as a family and watch fireworks displays.
Everything shuts down in the city for more than a week. It’s odd to see the bustling city become a ghost town with limited shops and restaurants open. After our first year, I learned I needed to stock up our fridge and cupboards with at least two weeks of food and drinking water to ensure we were not left with only rice to eat. It takes suppliers time to get back to work and restock the shops and return to normal.
Signing off Chúc Mừng Năm Mới on the 22 January 2023 ( Happy New Year’s Day)
Lion danceLucky moneyGifts from our lovely NeighborsBánh chưng is a traditional Vietnamese food eaten over the New Year, made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients.Fish vendors
I finally received a referral from my current dentist to put my implant tooth back and screw it tight. The tooth had fallen out ten days before, and he eventually made a plan and referred me to a specialist in York. This was after I had the worst night, waking up at 2 am with my tooth floating around my mouth. Thank the lord, I didn’t swallow it. But I was extra stressed at the thought that I had broken it, and I could not go back to sleep.
The following day I sent a desperate email to the dentist with a picture of my escapee tooth. Thankfully he confirmed it wasn’t broken and would refer me to another practice to fix it back in place. (My implant was done in Vietnam, and only one dentist was willing to help) Ten days later, I finally had my appointment.
I headed to the city on Tuesday morning, but it was packed with school holiday traffic and people. I used my usual car park. New to the UK, I still not use to diving down these narrow roads and navigating the tiny car parks. I am terrified of scratching hubby’s beloved car. As I walk to the dentist, dodging strollers, tourists, cyclists and children. I received a call from work asking if I could cover the shop as the guy working was sick. I said yes, agreed to the afternoon shift and would be there as soon as I was done at the dentist. Of course, the dentist was late. Then he started umming and ahhing if he could reattach it or not. I started stressing, sweating and worrying he might change his mind. He eventually put the tooth back in and screwed it super tight. My jawbone is still sore and bruised, but I am not toothless anymore and happy to deal with the pain. I had to wait for him to write a disclaimer saying he takes no responsibility if the tooth breaks. Of course, I wouldn’t blame him. He was helping me as no one would. I was thankful.
I race back to the car and pay for parking. I then had to navigate and squeeze out of the car park as two vehicles blocked me on either side, trying to steal my parking spot. My stress levels increased, and I started sweating more as I was millimetres from scratching the parked cars as I passed them on my left and the other driver inched past me on my right. He wasn’t going to lose the parking spot. I was finished. I exited the parking lot. But what I failed to realise was I left my debit card in the parking card reader because it wasn’t a tap and go—stupid me. I raced to work. I was late, and I hated being late.
After work, I raced to shop and realised I had no card. Thankfully I had some cash from a marketplace sale. Then I started trying to figure out where was the last place I used my card. I was lucky no one used it, and I was able to block the card before someone could do some damage to my limited bank balance. I am now cardless. I can’t do anything. Hubby has his cards in London.. I dont know how to draw cash with no physical card. I’m told it’s possible. But I’m technologically behind with the contactless, cardless new-age lifestyle. We worked with cash notes in Vietnam, it was a culture shock arriving in the UK, and no one wanted to serve you. I had to open a bank account online and couldn’t apply directly at the branch. Regardless of being cashless, I now have the hassle of changing card details for all my payments which I can’t do until the new card arrives in the post. It will probably be delayed due to Royal Mail postal strikes. Pray to the almighty I dont miss payments; I dont need a black tick on my name.
I thought my week would get better, but it didn’t. I sold my washing machine, which was good. I had to sell it because I can’t take my washing machine as our new rental has one. I had arranged to do some washing at my friend’s house. I took a bag of clothes with my detergent. But my friend wanted me to try the Bold 3-in-1 pod. She said it smelled great. She wasn’t taking NO, so I obliged. Once done, I placed the wet washing and my detergent back in my bag to hang and dry at home. What I didn’t realise is the washing pod I brought with me was dissolving slowly whilst sitting in between wet clothes. I arrived home and found a handful of items that needed to be rewashed, rinsed and wrung out to dry.
I had to put that idea on hold, 1st I had to attend to my urgent nature call. My tummy was upset. I felt better after completing my business, ready to tackle the clothes. But to my shock, I seemed to have produced unflushable, undestroyable and unsinkable number 2. Ten flushes later, I was done. I’m checking the loo and analysing its flush. I concluded it was not blocked, and it was taking the toilet paper away. For some odd reason, it didn’t want anything to do with my load. I was baffled, trying to figure out the cause. I’m laughing, rolling, thinking about all the crap and that my crap won’t leave. Kids are floored as I tell them my problem. I decided I was going on the attack with a massive detergent blast. Finally, I sink the unsinkable. I am victorious! I am ready for my bed, the kids are still laughing and are nowhere close to sleeping, and I remember I still have to wash dishes and rinse my laundry. This will give the kids time to settle and forget my issue.
Of course, I forgot my washing machine was gone, and we didn’t turn the pipe connector upwards, and it was facing down. I start running the hot water to heat up, and a sea of water starts pouring out the sink cupboard. Then it finally dawned on me where it was coming from. I grab my last dry towel to try to mop up my F-UP. Turn the valve upwards, and my next problem is resolved. Dishes washed. I’m chuffed. I dont need a man to fix my issues. I’m ready for the last task before bed, rinsing the clothes. I make my way back to the toxic zone, gas mask required. Feeling invincible, thinking nothing more can go wrong? Sure, I rinse clothes by hand, strangle the water out of each item and hang them over the shower rail to drip dry. Shower rail crashes, clothes everywhere, the shower curtain races off the rails and me looking somewhat dumbfounded at the sight. Kids are hysterical at this stage. They have watched me tackle the unflushable, witness kitchen flooding and now the attack on the shower rail. There is no way they will sleep now. I re-attach the rail with elephant strength super glue and a “Boer maak a plan” attitude to find an alternative drip dry hanging space.
I have decided I should not tackle any more tasks tonight and get my weary butt in bed and hope for a better day tomorrow. I am not sure if I will have a good night’s sleep. I am still traumatised by the unflushable product I produced.
Who knows what crap tomorrow may bring, but I know I can overcome any hurdle thrown my way and laugh about it afterwards. If you don’t laugh, you will cry. Laughter is better for the soul.
Who would have thought moving tiny little animals would be so complicated?
When I agreed to let our children have guinea pigs as pets, nowhere did it cross my mind that relocating with them would be virtually impossible!
In October 2021, we made a huge family decision to relocate to the UK. It was all hush, as we had a million things to do before it could be a reality. We had to apply for UK Spouse and dependant visas. Navigate complicated and costly visa applications. We were worried if we met all the UK’s strict criteria. On top of it all, I had to find a way to relocate Lil Rascal’s beloved #furbabies.
I phoned, messaged and emailed numerous cargo companies, vets and airlines throughout Vietnam, and everyone had the same reply. Impossible – they can’t get the documents signed off by the governing body. The airlines refused to fly them, not as cargo, neither cargo hold and certainly not on board with me, the passenger. I was physically drained hearing no! Ready to give up, finally, #Sigon Pet Veterinary Hospital assured me as soon as our visas were approved, I could contact them, and they would ensure our #cavies would be departing Vietnam with us. Relief, I finally had a good night’s sleep and focused on the Visa applications, document sourcing and collecting, and arranging a shipping company for our personal belongings.
On the 16th of February 2022, we celebrated. We had a YES! We had the visas stamped in the passports, and everything steamrolled into the next gear. I contacted #SigonPetVeterinaryHospital to start planning the #guineapigsmove, but to my surprise and disbelief, they refused to reply. I called, emailed and sent a ton of messages on Facebook messenger. I messaged them on WhatsApp and Zalo and sent text messages to any contact number I could find. Deathly silence befell me, not one reply, weeks and days until I finally had to come to terms with their unwillingness to help.
I refused to give up and continued my search to contact every vet in Hanoi until I finally had a YES. It’s possible. IVet Tay-Ho, Hanoi, was willing to try. Dr Nghia Nguyen left no stone unturned. She contacted every airline, she pleaded on my behalf, and she fought tooth and nail to find a solution. The paperwork everyone said would never be signed was simple, with no issues, but the flight out of Vietnam proved impossible.
Leaping off the rooftops, we had another YES! #Vietnamairlines were willing to let them fly on board with me. I was so excited I raced down to Vietnam airline’s sales office only to be rudely informed NO! not possible. Unwilling to listen to Dr Nguyen, I had to leave in tears, an utter wreck. How would I explain to the Lil Rascals that I hadn’t booked the tickets?
Two weeks later, Vietnam airlines agreed to fly the guinea pigs as Cargo. Dr Nguyen kindly went to the office to book our tickets. Again, they changed their minds about no Cargo flight for them, but they were willing to fly them as my excess baggage in the Cargo hold. Tickets booked, excess baggage booked and paid for, along with a few more extra wrinkles and grey hair, I could finally focus on our move arranging a rental in the UK, travel insurance, and confirming a moving date with the shipping company. I booked the cleaners to ensure we handed our apartment back in tip-top condition. The list was endless. While I was crossing off the list, Dr Nguyen completed the guinea pigs’ health checks and paperwork. Five days to go before our flight, and #Vietnamairlines did the most despicable thing and cancelled the flights. They retracted and point-blank refused to fly the animals. The move had now become my worse nightmare. How was I going to leave without our #furbabies?
I turned my attention to Thailand, being a more animal-friendly country. They seemed to be our only solution. I found #Dynamicaircargo #thailandpetmovers experts in animal export and import in Thailand. They were our saving grace. Dr Nguyen offered to get our animals to Thailand as we had run out of time and had to be in the UK and couldn’t figure out the next move. With heavy hearts, we dropped our beloved pets off at the IVet Hanoi and trusted we would be reunited. Dr Nguyen did a sterling job. She cared for them like her own until we had all our ducks in a row to move them by road in air-conditioned transport to Bangkok, ready for Dynamic Pet movers to get them on board a Lufthansa Cargo flight. Dr Nyguen stayed with them in Thailand till all the paperwork was ready and correct and verified that it was 100% good to travel to Germany.
Good-byes are never easy. We hoped and prayed it wasn’t foreverThe vet’s cat was interested in these funny-looking potatoes with fur and short legs.Transit to Thailand
The flight was a success. The guinea pigs had an unfortunate delay and an unexpected layover in Munich. Despite these hiccups, our #furbabies arrived in Frankfurt in excellent healthy condition. No complications. Due to their late arrival, they stayed one night in Frankfurt’s luxury pet lounge, Ready for our friends to collect them the following morning after the import agents #petair.de successfully cleared them.
Final boarding at Thailand Dynamic Pet Movers Ready for their flight from Bangkok, Thailand’s international airportTransported in individualised compartment crate, ensuring they meet EU health and safety requirementsTheir new home for four months
An important note to be aware of when importing a rabbit or guinea pig is that the UK has a strict policy on animal imports from outside an EU country. If the #guineapigs flew to the UK, direct from Vietnam/ Thailand, our #furbabies would have been quarantined for 4-months. The cost would have been astronomical for three guinea pigs, not to mention the stress of being held in their facility and hearing all the other animals around them.
We planned to avoid costly quarantine and more unnecessary stress. Our generous friends offered to care for the piggies at their home for four months. Their house is a loving and quiet home, a perfect place for them to settle, relax and enjoy stress-free life for a 4-month duration. Then we will road-travel them for their final journey into the UK and satisfy UK animal import authorities. I’m happy to report our #furbabies are safe, loved and cared for by our dear friend. They are so spoilt and enjoying life. We miss them terribly and can’t wait to be reunited again.
I’m sure you are questioning if this was necessary. May you ask me? Should we have rehomed the guinea pigs? All the questions I kept asking myself. My family can say confidently YES, it was. The guinea pigs’ health and well-being have always been a top priority. The gaps between each move gave them time to settle into their new environment. They had excellent care in each stage, ensuring they were always healthy. This move was not for the faint-hearted. It added to unnecessary extra stress and sleeps deprivation. But I could not justify giving them away. They have been part of our family for over two years. This will be their last ordeal moving from Germany to the UK. We are counting the days till we see them again
It is possible to move small pets. It takes perseverance and persistence, and trust that it will all work itself out. They made the flight and will be the 1st guinea pigs to travel to Vietnam, Thailand, Germany and the UK by road, air and ferry. More than most people.
The resort is deceiving. It offers holidaymakers a beautiful setting and beautiful craftmanship with their restaurant and bungalows structures etc., but unfortunately, that’s where it ends. We had horrible service, terrible food, and 100% unwelcoming to foreigners. I have never hated a vacation as much as I did this one, and I couldn’t wait to leave. One month on, and I am still unable to find something good about it.
The 4th Lockdown in Vietnam seemed never-ending. They started social distancing and restrictions on a few activities from the end of April. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop there. The government placed more restrictions on the people as the numbers increased rapidly. By Mid July, they had no other choice but to restrict everyone’s movement, no travel across municipal or provincial lines unless authorised to do so.
Finally, the government lifted restrictions on the 15th of October and granted free travel between green zones. Relief at the idea we could escape, and I immediately took to google to find a getaway on the outskirts of Hanoi. We had to Escape our bubble. We were becoming stir crazy looking at the same scenery day in day out.
I found a quirky little retreat situated on the banks of Đồng Đò lake, a mere 1-hour drive from the city. The well-appointed container home featured all the self-catering facilities with a bonus of a sandwich shop and bar situated on the roof terrace. Offering us all the amenities we would need to enjoy a peaceful getaway.
The weather was perfect, sunny, NO HUMIDITY with a cool breeze. It felt like the ideal South African weather I love and certainly miss, giving it the extra home-away-away-home feeling. A bit nostalgic, lazing next to the dam, enjoying the peace, tranquillity in a beautiful setting, chilling with the family.
Wherever we go, we always miss our country and people, so whenever we get the opportunity to light a braai, we pounce on it, rain or shine, we will braai! This holiday was no exception. Good meat, Salad and toasty garlic bread hit the spot! It was fantastic to hear the Little Rascals reminiscing and laughing about all our funny moments and adventures we have had, bonding around the fire, memorable moments we will always cherish together.
As much as the scenery and bonding were fabulous, our fishing was not. The giant finned slippery creatures still elude us in Vietnam. I believe the scale suckers know we are not Vietnamese and laugh at our lines, taunting us all the way. Regardless of the fishless fishing, everything was perfect, exactly what we needed.
If you are looking for a quirky, peaceful and relaxing getaway, you will love Gisy Lake House. The hosts are friendly and accommodating and offer a unique eco-friendly experience in a beautiful setting. Look them up when you need some fresh air and tranquillity.
Lil Rascals Travel Adventures 