It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Our plans for Tam Ky have gone so completely awry, that I'm not even sure where to begin. Do I begin with the situation now? Or what happened Thursday? Let's just say that anything that could go wrong has.

There were no sleepers on the afternoon train. So we had to take the train leaving at 10:30. We visited the Baby Orphanage, but didn't have enough clothes for the older kids and there was practically a fist fight over the kitchen toys. I got a terrible sunburn at Phu Ninh. We didn't manage to get to the market here. Finally remembered to go to the ATM and my card didn't work... no big deal, I'll go to my actual bank (Vietcombank). Oh no, that didn't work either.

So now we are stuck in Tam Ky with less than $10 to my name. I can't go to the bank until Monday, then we can catch the train that afternoon if that works (which is should, but who knows what "invalid card" means). So we should arrive back in Thanh Hoa on Tuesday evening. Oh. My.

For my students who read this... my apologies. I will be back as soon as possible.

And I've learned a valuable lesson. Never leave home trusting you can access the ATM anywhere else. -sigh-