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Thursday: at sea. Peyton and I checked out the Belly flop competition.

P: My daddy’s going to do the belly flop competition. Me: You have just as much chance of seeing your daddy do it as I have of seeing my daddy do it. But we watched in the rain anyway. Then went into the pool ourselves.      

  

 There was lightning and thunder but it didn’t stop the competition. Spelling “fjord” at lunch when papa didn’t think she could.  She asked what it was.  He doesn’t realize it’s in the context of Frozen and spelled in the books. Cake decorating competition with Chris’ mess of a cake. Peyton said she didn’t want any part of tasting it.  Peyton had fun with Emma by the pool. Also met Ellie. Me: Do you want to come to breakfast with me? P: No just out the do not disturb sign on. Then she changed her mind. Brandon has no problem asking junior to let him in the room. Went shuffle boarding then she took off when I went to walk laps. 

   
     She went to my parents’ room while I did about two miles upstairs on deck. Dancing competition with the crew. Family Karaoke 

  
of course she’s just watching but loves it and then the show. She preferred to go to the real show over the amateur karaoke singers. 

Animal tonight: 

  Friday: Ho Chi Minh city. War memorial. Presidential palace. Walking through the market was still smelly for Peyton.  

Dave didn’t want to read the anti American propaganda. So he went out with Brandon to look at tanks.   
    

She was too hot to smile.  But we crossed two streets and that was our adventure for he day.  We lived to tell about it.      

We are at Pho 2000 where president Clinton ate while he was here. We went to massages once again, then back to the ship. They were a bit more sketchy massages.  We’ll just leave it at that. Dave Peyton and I went for a scavenger hunt while Brandon stayed in the room. We earned a gold medal and a caribeaner.  We also met a guy who had been on the ship when we were on our honeymoon.  He was tripping out that we were all onboard at the same time. He remembered where he was and also that we weren’t able to go to Morocco as a result of 9/11.  His name was “Grandpa” because he’d been around.  Most of the kids club staff were young.  But a degree is required so at least you know that they are all college graduates on staff.  For whatever that is worth.  I think it may have had to be in a child-related field.  Then it was time for dinner, the 4th of July celebration and then trivia. After trivia, five of us headed to the show. David Dimuzio, a supposed YouTube sensation, sang and juggled for us. It was really entertaining. Some jokes went over Peyton’s head (luckily) but others (more tame), she understood. We have a later morning tomorrow so we can sleep in for once. Our Driver thought p looked Vietnamese. Fourth of July.  

   
   

Sunday: Na Trang. Late tender meant sleeping in and taking in a leisurely breakfast. Peyton was running around the ship looking for her lost fan. It’s believed to be in the list and found. Hot and in search of the beach. Short day on land with the tender boats. Took public transportation to the center market. Kids too hot to shop. We found a mall and kids went to the beach while we wifi’ed and watched them from above. 

  
When they were done, they came back and ate some mangosteens before all of us walked out to the taxi area to get back to the ship. Dave ate noodles dockside while the kids complained about going back to the ship. Once aboard, we headed get a late lunch, then to the pool. Then it was time for dinner! There was an aerial show in the center of the ship spanning four or five decks. We watched from up high. After the aerial act, Peyton wanted to see the show. 

We saw “Grandpa” the attendant from the kids’ club helping people off the tender. He said a generic “Hi, Mom” to me but he shouted out to Peyton, “Hello, Peyton!” She was going incognito with her hat and sunglasses but he still recognized her. 

Monday: da nang. Hot again. And rainy. Peyton said, ” okay say cheese!” Then man behind her shouted out, “cheese!” She was so embarrassed. I told her she should’ve taken a selfie with him. He was cute!! Looked like Ryan Phillipe. Torrential rainfall on our way back with goats and cows in the way. Brandon had the driver cracking up with his own laughter. 

  More stateroom animals   
   

  She got comfy anywhere she could. 

Rode on a boat for half an hour, steered by an older woman.  

   

 It was soaked at the pier but still managed to shop. We showered up and then played another game at the kids club. Another scavenger hunt. After dinner, Peyton, my mom and I watched the “finish that lyric” before my mom went to bed. Peyton and I went to the show to find my aunt. We watched “Swing City”. Peyton sits at the edge of her seat and claps appropriately. She said her favorite part of the cruise was the nightly entertainment. Our entertainers:

  We tried to go to the rock climbing wall but it was closed again because it was wet. We ended up turning in to bed.  

 Tuesday: at sea. Peyton climbed three times today. Brandon only got half way up. We met the entertainers with some q& a. We sat in the front row but Peyton got cold feet and hid from the entertainers with her head buried in the chair.  

  Had a nice last dinner though Peyton went potty on the middle of dinner and didn’t come back for awhile. Enough that I got worried and went to find her. As I went back to the room, I saw she’d been there but she was nowhere to be found. Finally I went back to dinner and she was coming in with big tears in Her eyes. She’d gotten lost and someone had to help her find her way. She had kept it together until she saw me and then let loose. She wasn’t going to make that mistake again. She’d been really comfortable navigating her way on board but got too comfortable. After dinner, my aunt mom Brandon Dave Peyton and I went to the magic show. The magician, Ben Murphy,  asked Peyton if she wanted to be part of the show but she vehemently declined. Enough that the magician made a face to the audience and moved on. After the show I went to pick up my picture package while Peyton went to our room. By the time I arrived, she had changed and tucked herself into bed. We’d already brushed teeth before the show so she was all set for bed. Chris, the cruise director, sang a song about Australia, his home country, and Peyton was humming and singing it this morning to herself. She really enjoyed herself on this cruise making a pen pal in Ellie and playing with Emma, too. She made the most of her awake time.   

     

Wednesday: last day. Had breakfast as usual then waited to disembark. Took MTR to dland making three change overs in 30 minutes or so. We left my parents at the MTR station to head out their own way. Finally arrived at dland and checked into the hotel. Then proceeded into the park. The kids figured out to collect stickers from the cast members as they mostly all had them.  Peyton wasn’t shy.  

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Thursday: another day in the park. Ran to get frozen tickets. Like a race start but faster! Survival of the fittest running to the venue. Brandon and Dave got in line while Peyton and I brought up the rear. We played in the snow and then headed to see stitch in English. We ate there but Peyton wasn’t hungry so she just wanted a plate of greens. She’s been missing her veggies for sure! We did Winnie the Pooh to see what the hype was (none) and then headed into town. We ate in the mall and walked around before going back due to the typhoon level 8. When we got back to dland, it was closed! Everything was wrapped in plastic like their billboards. We hunkered down in the room and waited while the typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm. All hype! They closed our pool too so we couldn’t take advantage of the water slides. Good thing we didn’t pay for the tickets! We packed up our stuff for the long haul back late tomorrow.  

Friday we woke and went back to the park.  We rode RC car and since the kids chickened out, Dave and I rode alone together.  We asked the kids to stay out and wait for is.  They mostly listened. They went to ask for stickers in the store.  We had a glitch in the ride because Dave was filming with his camera and the ride was stopped to confiscate his phone.  Oops.  We were the only ones on the ride so the operators were probably upset with us for interrupting the ride. The kids waved from below at is.  In hindsight, we should have had the kids film us!! We headed into the city after checking out and stowing our bags in the city.       
I wanted to find the HK dim sum place.  And we did! Thanks to a free wifi spot and gps. It had free plugs to charge, too. 

                                       

After lunch, which I reminded the boys it was more of a snack than a way to get full, we headed over to the Peninsula.  My mom asked me if I was going to take Peyton there since we’d had afternoon tea there when I was with my mom back in 98.  I didn’t think she’d get into it because she was a bit young but she was game.  So Dave stood in line while I was shopping ( I didn’t know he was in line until i went to look for him).  Service started at 2 and it was 230 so we missed the first round.  We were a few groups back and after waiting an hour, it was our turn.  Brandon and Dave were going to give us an hour and then check back in. He did come back just after we were seated.  He was going to give us another hour.  But he came back a bit sooner which helped because he took pictures!!

   
  

             

She didn’t finish her share and I was getting full so we saved food for Brandon.  Peyton didn’t like the tea she ordered.  She had mango and I had peach.  She didn’t like it with cream.  And she didn’t like it with sugar.  So I drank hers while I refilled her cup with hot water.  I was worried about her and regular tap water so I convinced her to drink hot. She didn’t care and enjoyed it!! 

We then headed out and to the mall to meet with Jennifer.  Peyton fell asleep while Dave carried her. I had walked her around the mall and shopped enough to tire her out. Brandon was hanging with Dave and coffee.  I’d had enough caffeine for a day and was feeling it.  We arrived at the restaurant at 6 ahead of our reservation at 630.  Jennifer had texted me but I didn’t get wifi in the restaurant. But she arrived as planned at 630. Peyton was up by then. We gave the kids our phones while we chatted with jennifer. Here’s the result of that:

   
We had 1.5 hours with the table reservation before our time was up. We walked out with jennifer before heading back to the hotel to gather our belongings.  

And more pictures:

   

  

  

  Met with Gary then got in plane to Seoul. Stayed in holding area for three hours sleeping on and off. Kids were out since too busy playing. Had congee for dinner. And then headed out for 3.5 tour to incheon. Didn’t want to risk going to Seoul for five hours. Went to heritage park then Street market. Ate at Paris baguette. Then went back to airport. Dave and Brandon took shower while Peyton and I watched flute performance. Then headed down for arts and crafts. Shopped a bit before going to gate. Met with Gary again. Didn’t want to go out on tour. As we were walking down to the gate, there was another flight next door to Singapore. Peyton said, “let’s go to Singapore and start the trip all over again” she got to sit with daddy again this flight. She was so happy! There were open seats one next to Brandon but I didn’t tell him to move over quickly enough before some other man swooped in and sat there. Dave, Gary and Peyton were on the right and Brandon and I were in the middle and aisle with one more aisle seat. Would have been great to have three seats for two of us. Kids didn’t sleep much during flight. Peyton more than Brandon. Got in at 11. Went through customs and then headed home. Kids slept on car ride. Brandon first then Peyton playing and suddenly quiet and out. I fell asleep too. Got home and showered. Both kids came out of two showers and picked the same shirt and saw each other in the hallway. Brandon went to bed. Peyton fought it by watching travel TV. She saw “tendering” and thought it was the Legend of the seas, our home for 10 days, then said “I’m going to sleep”. She even started to sign a parody of “Wake me up” called, “Don’t wake me up”. On Dave’s side of bed. Dave watching tv then came up to find Peyton in his bed. He scooted her over and it was snoring all around. I got four loads of laundry done while emptying all the bags. 
It’s already midnight!!

I laughed when I saw this at the HK airport.  A makeshift tent. 
  
But this was us in Korea:

   
 

   
              

And from earlier(she got paid in Vietnamese dong for this)

 
My dad said it was better than the massages he’d received this far.  But now she tells me she wants to be a masseuse.  We may have created a monster.  

 

Kids did better today.  Peyton up by 5 while Brandon slept until 7.  Then it was a swimming field trip today.  I quickly packed their gear as I checked the calendar as they were headed out the door with Dave. Initially I’d told them to nap at cdc.  But with the field trip, that probably wouldn’t be likely.   At pick up time neither had taken the swim test.  Or slept.  Both looked tired and went to bed by 730. Peyton was crazy tired like melting down all over. I hope they are on a regular schedule now.  None of us ate lunch. Dave and I had talked coming home and both of us just weren’t hungry.  I was surprised to hear the kids say the same thing.  Dave went to sleep right after the kids but I’ve been blogging since it had been down while we were away.  I’ll have to do videos tomorrow.  I’m beat now.  

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