long posts suck, but someone's gotta write 'em.
*yawns* Okay, I guess I'll go in order with everything and start from there.
Vietnam
- Try the sleeping pills out before you take them. I made that mistake. The first time that I took it was before getting on the plane to go there. I was up the whole damn time and fell asleep occasionally, but kept waking up. On my way back, I took it 30 minutes before getting on the plane again. Whoa. I don't know what happened this time, but during most of the 21 hours that I was traveling back, I would wake up every two hours or so and fall back asleep, but every time that I knocked out, I would go into these freaky dream sequences where like... I couldn't distinguish from what was reality and what was just me dreaming so the way back was all kinda like a blur. For instance, there was this older woman sitting next to me on the first flight and I kept thinking that she was rubbing her hand against my leg and pushing her arm into my side, but I don't know if that happened, but I kinda think it did. Ah! I don't know!
- LOL. My gender bending hurts the heads of the Vietnamese people. Yep, they're boggled by it. I got so many guy comments that I might as well have been a guy. Too bad. I'm sure if I dressed up more like a guy, my cousin would have let me stop to go talk to the prostitutes on the street, but he said that because I was a girl they would have told me to go away because they would think that I would be just kidding. RAWR! I want to see "chickens"! Hehe, we even went to a club and saw the men with the "honey faces" looking for prosties and lol, at the end of the night, they even ended up getting some. So sad!
- It's hot. So hot. Luckily, my cousin's room had, although crappy, airconditioning and we didn't have to sleep in all the heat, but we had to put covers on anyways because of all the mosquitos that were flying around. Gah, especially when we were in the mountains, bugs up the wazoo. They were scary.
- We have squinty eyes. All of us. You know why? Because the 'effin pollution is so bad, especially in Ho Chi Minh city, that when I rode motorbike, I had to keep squinting my eyes so that the dust wouldn't just pile up in there and I would go blind. People were wearing face masks, arm gloves, and the whole works, but I just kinda dealt with it because I was stubborn and learned my lesson.
- Whatever they sell you. It's NEVER the right price. NEVER. If they tell you it's 60,000, it's only worth 15,000. It's usually bootleg stuff anyway. I mean, I got two Von Dutch hats for like less than 4 dollars, lol. AND I got all seven seasons of Buffy for only 20 dollars. Getting stuff for cheap is awesome, but don't let yourself get ripped off.
- It's true. The best kind of food comes from the place that it originates at. Pho is the best there. Lol, I had to compete with Ericka on our pho record and I actually catched up with her because one time I had to end up taking out two bowls because I wanted to win so badly. Luckily, this time, I didn't get sick and had to stay in the house the whole time like the last time that I came there. Ah... my love for Lagoo never ends, though. It's the best!
- Europeans that we met = mostly hot. Lol, saw tons of British everywhere, some French while we were in Hue, several Germans and Spanish while in Ben Thanh market, and occasionally met Americans. We stood out pretty badly especially with Ericka, but they were just like sore thumbs. So cute, tho, when the lady on the train asked in a British accent if that was the stop for Da Nang. Ah!
- MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS EVERYWHERE. 8 billion people. 9 billion bikes. That's not including the cars that are around either. Traffic in the city is frightening. People honk at you if you're not tailgating. There's no automatic cars. The best and fastest transportation though not always the safest is on a motorbike. I drive a moped every single day and even I am overwhelmed at the traffic there. Laws are only enforced when there's cops around so usually the idea is to go with caution. Reverse directions are allowed, whoever gets to the light first goes, lights are generally for show, stopping is usually never a good idea, be prepared to get very comfortable with a crowd of people next to you. Don't run lights when cops are around and don't be on a 100 bike. If you do get caught, pay him off because the ticket is going to basically go into his pocket anyway.
- Lots of other stuff happened, but like I said, I'm lazy so... yeah, it was fun. I'm going again within the next two years, but I think this time I'm going to take off like two months and just go all around Asia to know what it's like. wo0t.
WARNING: Big pics! Beware!
The awesome monk on a moped.
Traffic from a distance.
The cool underside of a random bridge.
My cousin in law and I going up the mountains. Gah, thank goshies I cut my hair.
Me and a fan. Use your imagination.
Best sign ever.
My cousin's house. Yeah, running up and down the stone stairs like a bajillion times was annoying.
The top bunk that I had to sleep in in the train.
AWA
- Another kick ass year at AWA and we're growing every time. I love being in the registration staff and I think I'm going to keep doing it for a long time, lol. Wow, I can't believe it though. We really need to up our system like Dragon Con has it because something is always going wrong, especially in our department. Last year it was badges not being ready before opening day this year was that the online people didn't have their names on their badges. Oh well, got to see everyone that mainly came in and I feel bad for people with the last names A-M, lol. I was in the section with N-Z, mwahaha so I cleared out our line quickly while the A-Ms wrapped around the whole bottom floor.
- It sucks. AWA was right, and I mean RIGHT, after coming back from my trip and I didn't have any time to rest so when I would usually go out and party on Saturday, I was too tired and went right to bed. Gah, trying to get in touch with everyone was such a pain in the butt. I really need to get a cell phone. Not having one makes me feel so useless.
- Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re was awesome and so was Peelander Z, too bad my ear was about to explode so I had to go and sit down for some of it. I got to get a picture with them and their manager called me an 'otokoyaku' and I was so flattered, lol. I even giggled afterwards. woot!
- I so did not get my cosplay done in time because I had to give up that sewing time for my trip, lol. That's okay, I think for anime expo I'm going to work on another costume. Yeah... that's what I'll do. Hehe, I really want to be a stuffed animal for one year. Lol, I want to hug people and have people hug me... for a reason!
Decided not to post up any pics because everyone has some so there. Look around, hos! >D
Takarazuka
- So. Thanks to nuggi_verse I am totally blushing over Komu. Why? Why must you torture me so? Lol. Why is it... that when Japanese people have mullets... they're so darn sexy and we go ga ga over them, but when Americans have mullets, we run away in fear? *glomps the Takarazuka mullets* *.*!
- OMG, lol, I so showed my cousins in Vietnam a few clips of Takarazuka and they were all like, omgwtfbbq is that? Needless to say they didn't see why I was so obsessed with it, but I think that's the same thing that happened when I showed everyone the shoes video, lol.
- I want to work for them. In ANY way. Whether I can patch up some clothes or if I were lucky, work on their outfit team, I would be totally happy. Ah, but that's prolly never possible, but one can wish, right?
Vietnam
- Try the sleeping pills out before you take them. I made that mistake. The first time that I took it was before getting on the plane to go there. I was up the whole damn time and fell asleep occasionally, but kept waking up. On my way back, I took it 30 minutes before getting on the plane again. Whoa. I don't know what happened this time, but during most of the 21 hours that I was traveling back, I would wake up every two hours or so and fall back asleep, but every time that I knocked out, I would go into these freaky dream sequences where like... I couldn't distinguish from what was reality and what was just me dreaming so the way back was all kinda like a blur. For instance, there was this older woman sitting next to me on the first flight and I kept thinking that she was rubbing her hand against my leg and pushing her arm into my side, but I don't know if that happened, but I kinda think it did. Ah! I don't know!
- LOL. My gender bending hurts the heads of the Vietnamese people. Yep, they're boggled by it. I got so many guy comments that I might as well have been a guy. Too bad. I'm sure if I dressed up more like a guy, my cousin would have let me stop to go talk to the prostitutes on the street, but he said that because I was a girl they would have told me to go away because they would think that I would be just kidding. RAWR! I want to see "chickens"! Hehe, we even went to a club and saw the men with the "honey faces" looking for prosties and lol, at the end of the night, they even ended up getting some. So sad!
- It's hot. So hot. Luckily, my cousin's room had, although crappy, airconditioning and we didn't have to sleep in all the heat, but we had to put covers on anyways because of all the mosquitos that were flying around. Gah, especially when we were in the mountains, bugs up the wazoo. They were scary.
- We have squinty eyes. All of us. You know why? Because the 'effin pollution is so bad, especially in Ho Chi Minh city, that when I rode motorbike, I had to keep squinting my eyes so that the dust wouldn't just pile up in there and I would go blind. People were wearing face masks, arm gloves, and the whole works, but I just kinda dealt with it because I was stubborn and learned my lesson.
- Whatever they sell you. It's NEVER the right price. NEVER. If they tell you it's 60,000, it's only worth 15,000. It's usually bootleg stuff anyway. I mean, I got two Von Dutch hats for like less than 4 dollars, lol. AND I got all seven seasons of Buffy for only 20 dollars. Getting stuff for cheap is awesome, but don't let yourself get ripped off.
- It's true. The best kind of food comes from the place that it originates at. Pho is the best there. Lol, I had to compete with Ericka on our pho record and I actually catched up with her because one time I had to end up taking out two bowls because I wanted to win so badly. Luckily, this time, I didn't get sick and had to stay in the house the whole time like the last time that I came there. Ah... my love for Lagoo never ends, though. It's the best!
- Europeans that we met = mostly hot. Lol, saw tons of British everywhere, some French while we were in Hue, several Germans and Spanish while in Ben Thanh market, and occasionally met Americans. We stood out pretty badly especially with Ericka, but they were just like sore thumbs. So cute, tho, when the lady on the train asked in a British accent if that was the stop for Da Nang. Ah!
- MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS EVERYWHERE. 8 billion people. 9 billion bikes. That's not including the cars that are around either. Traffic in the city is frightening. People honk at you if you're not tailgating. There's no automatic cars. The best and fastest transportation though not always the safest is on a motorbike. I drive a moped every single day and even I am overwhelmed at the traffic there. Laws are only enforced when there's cops around so usually the idea is to go with caution. Reverse directions are allowed, whoever gets to the light first goes, lights are generally for show, stopping is usually never a good idea, be prepared to get very comfortable with a crowd of people next to you. Don't run lights when cops are around and don't be on a 100 bike. If you do get caught, pay him off because the ticket is going to basically go into his pocket anyway.
- Lots of other stuff happened, but like I said, I'm lazy so... yeah, it was fun. I'm going again within the next two years, but I think this time I'm going to take off like two months and just go all around Asia to know what it's like. wo0t.
WARNING: Big pics! Beware!
The awesome monk on a moped.
Traffic from a distance.
The cool underside of a random bridge.
My cousin in law and I going up the mountains. Gah, thank goshies I cut my hair.
Me and a fan. Use your imagination.
Best sign ever.
My cousin's house. Yeah, running up and down the stone stairs like a bajillion times was annoying.
The top bunk that I had to sleep in in the train.
AWA
- Another kick ass year at AWA and we're growing every time. I love being in the registration staff and I think I'm going to keep doing it for a long time, lol. Wow, I can't believe it though. We really need to up our system like Dragon Con has it because something is always going wrong, especially in our department. Last year it was badges not being ready before opening day this year was that the online people didn't have their names on their badges. Oh well, got to see everyone that mainly came in and I feel bad for people with the last names A-M, lol. I was in the section with N-Z, mwahaha so I cleared out our line quickly while the A-Ms wrapped around the whole bottom floor.
- It sucks. AWA was right, and I mean RIGHT, after coming back from my trip and I didn't have any time to rest so when I would usually go out and party on Saturday, I was too tired and went right to bed. Gah, trying to get in touch with everyone was such a pain in the butt. I really need to get a cell phone. Not having one makes me feel so useless.
- Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re was awesome and so was Peelander Z, too bad my ear was about to explode so I had to go and sit down for some of it. I got to get a picture with them and their manager called me an 'otokoyaku' and I was so flattered, lol. I even giggled afterwards. woot!
- I so did not get my cosplay done in time because I had to give up that sewing time for my trip, lol. That's okay, I think for anime expo I'm going to work on another costume. Yeah... that's what I'll do. Hehe, I really want to be a stuffed animal for one year. Lol, I want to hug people and have people hug me... for a reason!
Decided not to post up any pics because everyone has some so there. Look around, hos! >D
Takarazuka
- So. Thanks to nuggi_verse I am totally blushing over Komu. Why? Why must you torture me so? Lol. Why is it... that when Japanese people have mullets... they're so darn sexy and we go ga ga over them, but when Americans have mullets, we run away in fear? *glomps the Takarazuka mullets* *.*!
- OMG, lol, I so showed my cousins in Vietnam a few clips of Takarazuka and they were all like, omgwtfbbq is that? Needless to say they didn't see why I was so obsessed with it, but I think that's the same thing that happened when I showed everyone the shoes video, lol.
- I want to work for them. In ANY way. Whether I can patch up some clothes or if I were lucky, work on their outfit team, I would be totally happy. Ah, but that's prolly never possible, but one can wish, right?