And...we're back!

Ok, so it’s official. I have been VERY slack.

Rob asked me this evening whether I had abandoned my blog. In short ... NO! It has just been so long since I blogged that I keep thinking of all the potential backdated posts that I should do/or should have done ... blah, blah, blah! Yep, typical Libran-style procrastination!

Anyway, so here’s a text and pictorial summary of life in Vietnam since the last post almost three months ago!

The biggest news, and essentially the sticky circumstances that forced me to stop blogging for a short while, was our “elopement” to Malaysia in April.

We invited only a small group of friends to escape with us to Langkawi in Malaysia for a holiday to celebrate our "non-wedding" on 28 April.

Had I blogged in the lead up to April, when life seemed to revolve around the “nuptials”, I would surely have given the game away to the unsuspecting friends and family back home.

And afterwards…well, I guess I just felt a combination of guilt (for those that missed out on what was essentially a bloody good holiday) and lazy!

So, Team Somerville is now officially legal. I’ll do some follow up posts (promise!) on the legalities of marrying in Asia, specifically Malaysia vs Vietnam soon, but suffice to say it was all good fun (despite the fallout!)

A bubbly party in all senses of the word!

Woohoo, we're legal!

Other than a quick trip home to Oz for another wedding on Mother’s Day weekend (and of course to try to smooth the ruffled feathers of those back home not invited to our non-event!) it has been life as normal.

We had a mini break in May with a weekend trip to the beachside town of Mui Ne (5 hours north by train) so Rob could compete in a triathalon. Lots of AIS school families went for the weekend, so it was a lot of fun (especially for those of us not competing!). Train travel is fun (our second time to Mui Ne) but the toilets, regardless of the cabin class, are seriously gross!

We recently tested the skills of a local plastic surgeon (private clinic of course!) when Georgia had an accident at school. Ran into a pole and split her forehead open. A very brave little lady and the scar looks more like a scratch. A permanent reminder of our time in Saigon!

It’s our almost one-year anniversary in the south of Vietnam, and the girls and I still haven’t been back to Hanoi. We’re planning a trip back to the north during the July school holidays when Nanny Somerville comes for a visit. I’m also hoping to take them to Nha Trang (which we did when we were newbies back in April 2009) and to Quy Nhon - a non-touristy beach area further north of Nha Trang.

As for other travel plans, we’re off to Danang/Hoi An for a long weekend from this Friday with our mates The Moggys. Looking forward to a fun weekend away from the rain!

Georgia and Mackenzie in Mui Ne

Triathalon Bob!