Never assume, as Silence of the Lambs so eloquently states - it only makes an ASS out of U and ME!

We didn't actually make it to Vietnam. Remember all of those amazing things I said about being super organised and particularly impressive when it comes to sorting shit out? Well I was a little bit wrong on both counts. Let's just say, you need a real send-your-passport-away-to-Canberra type visa if you want to travel to Vietnam, not just one of those cards you fill out on the plane. Not the one I assumed I would fill out on the plane, like nearly every other country on the planet!!

Grr!!

I went through the Seven Stages of Grief pretty quickly, and may have even added a couple of steps myself - definitely had bargaining, rage, depression, tears, anger, rage at myself, acceptance, and then a whole lot of embarrassment!

Yup...

So we are now holidaying in Langkawi, an island in the north of Malaysia, which is wonderfully hot and filled with jungles and beaches and food. The Bean is only really consuming chocolate milk, ice creams, chicken Twisties and lollies. Although, today (yipeee!), he ate two pieces of toast with Vegemite (bought from home - the Vegemite, not the toast, ew!) and nearly a whole bowl of Chicken Spaghetti bolognese! Hunger got the better of him, but I'm so stoked there is something on the island he's willing to eat. I, however, have found very little on the island I'm not willing to eat, today I got my hands on a Shawarma which made my day, and my dinner, the first of which I've eaten since leaving the lovely shores of the UK. Oh my holy lord and/or lordess I'd forgotten how ace they are!

I hired a car and we went on and ADVENTURE today. This is our new word. This is the word I'm using in reaction to our current situation and also to questions about The Ett Man. Hard to tell a three year old that his mother can't read properly and has therefore left him without his dream holiday of boats with eyes on it, 'lotsa people' and mountains in the sea (Halong Bay). However, in saying that, I have discovered that there may have been a chance that he wouldn't have really like the busy-ness of the plans I had for Vietnam. He is struggling a little here, and here there is nothing to do but walk around and hang out. Which is actually really cool. He plays with his cars. I watch him. We talk about important things like jungles and chickens and the ocean and I eat and he doesn't.

:o)

So we are going to hang out in Malaysia for a couple of weeks. We aren't going to fly back until we were originally going to fly back. We're not even really sure where we'll be in the next few daqys. I'm liking this island. Might go to another one, Penang, although I'm told that's a bit busy and a bit touristy and a little like Phuket, which I didn't really like, so I don't know. I might just figure that one out tomorrow. Or the next day...

The Bean has been playing with his cars, his dinosaurs and his new pink sunglasses. He chose them. I have no issues with gender orientated colour coding, but I'm sure there will be some backlash once we return to the sunny shores of Oz. Although I'm told it's ridiculously cold at home at the moment, might just go for a swim while I can!

I'm really liking warm weather and relaxation and the beach and hanging with The Bean and floppy cotton clothes and driving in a region where 60km/h feels REALLY fast and Shawarmas and Islam and friendly people and roti for breakfast and the Call to Prayer at 5am accompanied by a few dozen roosters singing in harmony, one of which The Bean was convinced was actually a leopard in the jungle not a chicken at all.

I really think I needed it. Maybe we both did.

Things The Bean has said:

Me: Get your finger out of your nose.
TB: No.
Me: Excuse me?! Get it out of your nose.
TB: Why, Mama?
Me: 'Cause it's rude. Will you just take it out?!
TB: Mama, I'm just getting the bugs out.