Vietnam -2 (and a Mennonite Bank's trust)


1. My adventure will begin on Saturday 26th at 12:30 pm., when my friend Diego Cabral will drive me to Tampa Airport for my flight to Los Angeles via Houston.

2. I’ll stay overnight in L.A. with my pal Derrick Jones before taking flights from L.A. via Tokyo to Bangkok, and thence to Hanoi.

3. I’ll arrive in Hanoi on Monday 28th and begin the tour the next day.

4. I am becoming impressed with the services of the Vietnamese Tour Company. Yesterday they sent me an up-dated itinerary which included details of where and when they would meet me at the Hanoi Airport, and when they would take me to Saigon’s Airport (on my way home). They also included the paper work I will need for an internal flight in Vietnam from Da Nang to Ho Chi Min City (Saigon).

5. This Tour Company specializes in environmentally sound tours, and also in the tours which bring U.S.A. Vietnam War veterans back to Vietnam for the work of post-war reconciliation.

6. I am brewing a cold.  Oh no.  Yes, I am brewing a cold. “This too shall pass” (I hope) before I arrive in Vietnam.

7. I went to my Savings Bank “Everence Federal Credit Union” in order to withdraw $2400 in cash.: - $1400 of this is to pay the Vietnamese Tours Company on arrival in Hanoi (I paid a $700 deposit by pay pal, and they ask for the balance in greenbacks when I arrive).

 8. The rest ($1,000) is for spending money in Vietnam (and en-route).

 9. Everence Federal Credit Union’s computers were “down”. Nonetheless they allowed me to withdraw $2,400 on  the basis of my word  that I had more than that in my account.

Who could believe that such trust endures? Maybe it’s because Everence is a Mennonite based Credit Union (it used to be called “Mennonite Financial Services”). 

 Yippee for small and local business.  As I left the bank I thanked the teller for a bank which is based on trust and truth.

10. This hat was made in China and exported to the U.K. It was purchased in Bristol, England by/for my brother Martyn. He brought it to the U.S.A. last September, and left it in my home.  I will wear it in Vietnam (and leave it there!)


That hat, that hat, where did you get that hat?

Location: Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota, FL, USA

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