I Yearn To Return To Vietnam

[Tomahawk]

If you think Viet girls are all like what you see in those JC joints, you haven't been to Vietnam. You should really check out the nightlife in HCMC. Try Apocalypse Now. You'll see so many teens there. All crazy on their nights out... Really young and delicious...

[Tomahawk]

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Sigh... I spent so much time composing the next instalment yesterday afternoon and posted it, yet it didn't appear. Now I have even lost the draft that I saved somewhere. Sianz...
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[Tomahawk]

The girl that caught my eye looked young, very young. She was part of a bigger group, which included another local girl and a Caucasian guy, who seemed to be make a pair. Another case of an angmoh trying to pick up a local girl, I thought. There were probably more seated somewhere. Back to the girl. She was a xiao meimei, probably 18 years of age, beautiful, with long hair and a fair and smooth complexion to match. Dressed in a red and white stripped top, with one shoulder bared, she was a sight to behold. I watched as she danced energetically, glistening beads of perspiration forming on her forehead.

I looked elsewhere. To my right was a pair of more mature girls, perhaps in their mid-20s. They noticed me looking at them but continued with their own moves. Behind me was an aunty dressed with big boobs. She definitely looked out of place in such an environment, but tried hard to keep up with the music. I wondered what she could have been doing there. There was another younger girl behind me, but she didn't appear attractive enough to me for me to take a second glance. I trained my sights on my first target.

After a good 15 minutes of dance, I felt like having some booze. I got myself a Tiger (50,000 Dong), and then a Heineken (55,000 Dong). Soon I found myself walking to the dance floor again, the Heineken in my hand. The girl wasn't there, but soon enough she reappeared, along with her kakis. In no time she was back to her expert moves. At one point, she motioned to her friends with an agonised look, frantically fanning herself with her hands. Oh my, this poor girl was feeling hot, very hot. But what could I do? I didn't even know her, though I really wanted to. On another occassion, she danced such that her back was facing me. Her body came really close to me, and I recall touching her slightly, but that was about it. She wouldn't be mine, I told myself. I never have such luck.

Soon, it was time for her to take a break. She and her dancing companions joined their friends at a table, while I sat alone, nearby. I watched as she talked energetically, hands gesturing and all. She noticed me looking and I took the chance to flash her a smile. She reciprocated. I leaned forward and motioned her to come closer. She obliged.

Me: You dance very well!
She: Thank you!
Me: What is your name?
She: My name is Ah Lan.
Me: My name is John.
Lan: Hello John. Nice to meet you! *offered handshake* Where are you from?
Me: Singapore.
Lan: I like Singapore! *big smile*
Me: You have been to Singapore?
Lan: Yes! Singapore very nice! *turned and gestured to her group* My friends...

I moved forward, and said Hello to her friends. Lan introduced them to me one by one, though I definitely couldn't remember all their names then. I sat down and drank with my new-found friends. The older girl in the group, the one who was with the Caucasian, whom I now knew was called Alex, invited me to join them at her bar after we were done with this place. She was known as Kym and owned a bar not far away from where we were. I was hesitant, as I had to work the following day. But I obliged anyway. It was good to have made some local friends. "OK, I'll go, but I cannot stay for too long. Maybe just one hour, OK?" After a while, they decided it was time to return to the dance floor.

Lan: John, we go dancing...
Me: I can't dance... *looked amused, though inside me, I was happy that I was now part of their group*
Lan: No problem... Just dance!

With that, Lan grabbed my hand and ambled forward. I finished my last mouthful of beer as Lan pulled me along and abandoned the bottle. I was so happy that I was no longer alone that night. I was even happier that I had finally gotten to know this beautiful girl!

For the majority of the dance, I was with Lan. I held her hands and I held her waist. At times I pulled her close to my body, literally hugging her. Her breasts felt so soft! I felt like I had found myself a girlfriend. I wanted to be with her forever. Could I forsake the rest and just be with my girl? However, midway through the dance, the group formed a ring by holding hands and I obliged; I couldn't be a spoilsport. A surprise came when Alex, who hailed from Australia, kissed his girl Kym and I looked in envy. The other friends suggested that I plant a kiss on Lan's cheek myself. I did. Lan flashed a smile.

And so the dance continued. We exchanged a few more pecks on the cheek, until once, I got bolder and tried to kiss her lips. All I wanted was to give a simple peck, but Lan gave me a French kiss! I was surprised but accepted it gratefully. For what seemed like an eternity, we kissed like lovers. This girl was wild! I could see the people around, me, including the pair or older girls I had noticed earlier, giving us that disapproving look. Was I too brazen, getting so close with this little girl in public? They must have been wondering how this guy managed to pick up this local girl. Yes, even I myself was surprised. Since eons ago, I had never had any luck in picking anybody up, until today, this last day of August 2007. I had succeeded in getting intimate with a young, pretty, local girl.

Me: How old are you, Lan?
Lan: 21!

Alex's girlfriend Kym, the bar owner, told me that Lan's birthday was coming. Also, Lan had never been to Singapore before. She had just been trying to polite when she said she liked Singapore. I like Lan... She was young, she was bubbly, she was pretty, and she was playful. She tried to carry me with her hands on my legs but obviously she couldn't. Still, she tried to flex her muscle, only to break out in girly laughter herself. I returned the favour, and effortlessly managed to raise her about a foot off the ground. Everybody laughed.

It must have been past 2am by the time the whole bunch of us left Apocalypse Now. We strolled out of the disco, heading for Part 2. As Alex held hands with Kym, so did I, holding the hand of my new-found girl.

[Tomahawk]

The whole lot of us adjourned to the bar. Needless to say, Lan was with me in the same cab, holding hands with me all the way. Alex was seated to my left. Making small talk with him, I found that he actually knew Kym some time back. I had been mistaken earlier, thinking that he was trying to pick her up at the disco. Anyhow, Alex and Kym had been together for a few months already, and he been to her bar more than once.

Owing to the lack of traffic, we arrived at our destination in no time. Bar Stop was a modest but cosy bar located on Bui Vien Street, a small road off Pham Ngu Lao Street. It was nothing like those bars at Boat Quay, nicely decorated and with huge screens for the sports fans. This was a small outlet, with a counter for perhaps 4 or 5 patrons, with a couple more standalone tables along the other wall. Kym explained that she had worked in Singapore previously, and through hard work and determination, had saved enough money to bring home to start this small business. Kym also told me that Lan had come from Hanoi. She arrived in Ho Chi Minh City about a month before and had no boyfriend. I was luckily to have met this beautiful girl, she continued. Yes, how lucky I was, I reminded myself.

As the other girls in the group settled themselves behind the counter, making themselves useful, Kym and Lan naturally attached themselves to their partners on the high stools. Their colleagues served the four of us. In between flirting with Lan, I got to know Alex a little better. He worked for the Australian government, and was involved in economic development projects with the developing countries in this region. While he was based in Bangkok, he frequently visited Hanoi and to a lesser extent, Ho Chi Minh City, among other cities. It was on one of his trips to this city when he got to know Kym. This evening, Alex was visiting, so Kym had closed to bar early so that all of them could go out to enjoy. In a way, you can say that it was thanks to Alex that I got the chance to know Lan.

By now, Lan and I were getting intimate with each other. In between sips of Saigon Beer, I was hugging her while seated on the high chair. I pulled her close to my body repeatedly, so that I could smooch with her, smell her hair and, most importantly, enjoy the nice sensation of her boobs pressing on my chest. French kissing was but the norm now. The one thing I had not yet done was to roam her body with my naughty hands. I motioned to Lan to sit on my lap. She climbed onto me, back facing me. But I wanted her to sit on my lap, with her front facing me. She was nervous, afraid that she would fall backwards, but she was game to try. Eventually, she lost her balance and fell. Good thing I managed to catch her before she fell flat on her back. Everybody laughed.

I was really smitten with Lan. I liked her, and I wanted her to be with me forever. We sipped our beer again. Next, we had Bailey's Irish Cream.

Lan: Try this. Bailey's. This is nice.
Me: Yes, I have tried this before. It's like chocolate milk!
Lan: Yes, yes!

I got bolder.

Me: Lan, come... *motioned to her to sit on my lap again*

She sat on my lap, back facing me. This time, both of us were facing the counter, sort of looking straight into the mirror that formed the back of the wine racks. With Lan seated securely on me, I let my left hand roam freely on her body. I squeezed her boobs. I thought I heard her let out a soft giggle. She muttered something in Vietnamese to her boss, Kym.

Kym: 她说，不知道你是不是喜欢她。(Yes, Kym could speak Mandarin. She picked that up during her working stint in Singapore. In fact, this was the medium of conversation between us all night)
Me: 喜欢! 我喜欢她!

It was about 3:30am. Alex and Kym were preparing to leave. That's early, I thought. Back at Apocalypse Now, when they invited me to join them at Bar Stop, I was prepared to stay till about 5:00am, when I would head back for the hotel. I didn't know the night would end so early. Well, it was just as well. I had to reply some email and get ready for the long day ahead. This was my second night out in town, and once again I was out playing instead of resting in my hotel room. How was I ever going to endure the series of meetings and presentations coming my way?

The other couple was walking out the door. Lan and I left too, as the rest of the folks closed up the place. I promised Kym that I would return that evening, after my meetings ended. With that, Kym and Alex disappeared in a cab. I was alone with Lan, walking along the deserted street, hand in hand.

Me: We take a cab. I send you home, then I go back to my hotel. I will come back tonight, and we drink again, OK?
Lan: OK.

In the cab, things sort of changed, much to my surprise.

Lan: John, we go my hotel you.

I was confused. "My hotel you"? I was to learn later that through her broken English, she was trying to tell me that she wanted to come to my hotel.

Me: You mean, go to my hotel?

Lan nodded. For the next few seconds, I hesitated. I knew from my previous overseas trips that the big hotels always had security guards in the lobbies after dark. I saw that in Beijing, and I saw it again in Bangkok. Back in 2005, when I visited the Chinese capital, I almost had the chance to see Tingting, the China girl whom I got to know in Meiya when she worked there the year before. Then, I had wondered how I could "smuggle" her into my room given the heavy security. Eventually, she could not find a ticket for such a last-minute flight from Shenzhen, where she was based. This time, the problem surfaced again.

Lan noticed my hesitation. Immediately, she gave that exasperated look, head facing skyward, eyes as big as marbles. It was as if she was saying, "You mean we cannot go to your hotel? We were so intimate all night, you touched me everywhere, and now you're asking me to go home?"

I did not want to disappoint Lan. Of course, I was more than happy to stay longer with Lan. She was so dear to me. The one thing I wasn't quite sure of was if I could bring her to my room. I decided to take the gamble.

Me: OK, we go to my hotel. I'm staying at the Caravelle Hotel at Lam Son Square.
Lan: *turning to driver, speaking in Vietnamese* Caravelle Hotel, Lam Son Square.

I must have been lucky on this trip, I thought to myself.

[Tomahawk]

All these while, I realised that I was about to embark on an exciting journey. A little too exciting, perhaps, without any form of protection. What to do, I thought. This thing came so unexpectedly.

The taxi made a turn and I caught sight of a 24-hour convenience store across the junction. I immediately told Lan I wanted to drop by that outlet. Lan duly communicated to the driver. In a matter of seconds, she was waiting in the cab as I rushed in to get the pack of essentials. Though Lan would most probably have known my intention for visiting the store, I was feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, she did not say explicitly that she wanted to do it with me. I got ourselves a couple of canned drinks as a face-saver, before reaching for the Durex. By the way, Durex is cheap in Vietnam. A box of 3 costs just over 20,000 Dong, equivalent to $2+ in Singapore.

We resumed our journey. A few twists and turns later, we turned to Lam Son Square. I was back in familiar surroundings. I was back at the venue of my official event. My official accomodation was soon going to become my love nest. The driver was so busy looking ahead as he made the turn that he almost rammed into a metal structure by the side of the road. Lan gave a loud cry as we were about to hit it. Fortunately, the driver stopped his vehicle in time.

Me: Are you okay?
Lan: Yes, I'm okay. *smile*

I paid the fare and this new couple stepped into the hotel lobby. Inside me, my heart was pounding. Would I be able to go up to my room? Would I be stopped by some over-zealous bloke? I noticed a guy with some papers in his hand standing near the lift lobby. Lan and I skirted around a pillar, hoping to avoiding him and headed straight for the lobby.

Mr Security Guard caught up with us.

Him: Good morning. Can I help you?
Me: I'm staying here.
Him: OK, what is your room number?
Me: My room is on Level 12.
Him: Good. What is the room number then?
Me: 1260.

Mr Guard ran through his guest manifest for the evening. "Room 1260 is a single room, Sir. Please go to the Front Desk to book a room for your guest, Sir."

I led Lan away from the lobby. We had failed the test. The Caravelle Hotel isn't exactly Hotel 81. I didn't have the resources to pay for a new room. As we walked out of the glass door, I wondered to myself what I could do to save the situation. I didn't want to send Lan home, and I definitely wanted her to keep me company. We got into a cab. Lan gave instructions to the driver.

Lan: I bring us to my hotel me. (She meant that she was bringing us to "her hotel", or rather, a hotel she knew)
Jack: OK.

We came to a quiet road, and parked in front of a shophouse. It resembled a traditional shop you would find in Chinatown, where the gate is actually a set of sliding grilles. This didn't look like a hotel to me. Though the gate was locked, we could look inside. A group of people was sleeping. It must have been around 3:45am then. Lan woke them up with a combination of calling and knocking on the grilles. A man in his 40s let us in. As Lan led me in to a counter at the far end of the unit, I wondered if I knew what I was getting myself into. Would I get into trouble for having sex with an underaged girl in a communist country? Up till that moment, I didn't know the legal age for sex in Vietnam.

Lan informed the staff that we needed a room. She handed her IC over to them. I thought this was funny. I always thought the guy gets the room. This was the first time a girl asked me to bring her to a hotel AND used her own IC to get the room.

Me: How much is the room?
Lan: 300,000 Dong, overnight.

I made a mental calculation. 300,000 Dong meant S$30. That was about the amount you'd pay in Singapore, but in Vietnam, I expected prices to be lower, at least in a run-down place like this.

Lan: You okay?

I nodded. As the counter staff copied down Lan's particulars, I stole a glance at the IC. She was born on 3 September 1989. My god, she was only 17! She was just 2 days shy of turning 18. I was excited. Here I was, in a hotel with someone that young. And mind you, this wasn't a working lady I found at some KTV or brothel. Lan was a "real" girl I had picked up on my own. Next, I wondered about the date of her birthday. Earlier that night, at Bar Stop, Lan had told me her birthday was 1 September. Why did she lie to me?

I had no time to think. The hotel staff brought Lan and me through a flight of steps. This place definitely resembled one of those pre-war houses in Singapore. We must have climbed up to the 4th floor. The staff opened the door to reveal a simple room. It had two single beds, a dressing table, a small fridge and an attached bathroom with a bathtub.

[Tomahawk]

"Shower," Lan said as I closed the door behind us. She disappeared into the bathroom. I was expecting us to do some smooching and carressing before going straight into the action. I normally like to undress the girl slowly, but it seemed that this girl couldn't wait. Soon, Lan emerged from the bathroom, wrapped only in a towel. She hung her clothes and bra on the rack and went back to the bathroom, this time to brush her teeth. Trust her to be so hygenic, I thought. That's good.

She lay on the bed, seemingly exhausted from the night of partying. I was tempted to jump into bed to join her, but thought I would do Lan a favour by cleaning myself up first.

Me: I take a shower too okay? Wait for me...
Lan: OK.

I took a quick bath. Back in my mind, I was hoping that while I was in the bathroom, she wouldn't scoot off with my belongings, not least my wallet. I had heard horror stories about China girls, and didn't need any of those. My things were left intact. Lan proved to be an honest girl, I remarked to myself. Before long, I joined Lan on the bed. I had my first, real, close look at her. She was a beauty. Still 17, this young, playful girl was a pretty sight. She had light makeup on, and sported some glittering gel around her eyes. She had small, Cup A breasts. I have always had the view that most pretty girls had small boobs. And those busty, Cup C or D girls were mostly ugly. Sure, there were some exceptions, but they were the minority. Time and again, I had been proven right. I was proven right again this evening. Back home, I hardly had the chance to know girls after marriage, let alone young girls. But here, in Saigon, a few hundred miles away from home, I managed to attract a young, fair and pretty lass. I was determined to devour her.

I kissed Lan gently. What started off as light touching on the lips developed into a ferocious French kiss. While adjusting her hair, I accidentally hit her near her eyes. She gave a yelp, to which I was astonished. I quickly uttered "Sorry, sorry", and sayang her on the area. The next I knew, she gave me a *bleah* and giggled. She was having me on! I pretended to get angry and stab her in the ribs. Such a playful girl she was!

Lan was so pretty, I wanted to keep some momentos of her. I asked if I could take some pictures of her. She said OK. I started with just some pictures of her face. Then I pushed my luck.

Me: Can I take photos of your body too?
Lan: OK. *smile*

I was surprised, but wasted no time in capturing what I wanted to capture. I was to regret this action of mine later.

"I'm beautiful huh?" Lan asked and giggled in her usual girly way, as she cupped her mouth with her hands. I gave her the compliments she was looking for. Girls all liked to be 哄. "Yes, you're very beautiful!" She smiled again.

I kissed Lan again, this time not just on the lips, but also on her breasts. She had light brown nipples, which I found a joy to suck. Lan closed her eyes, clearly enjoying herself. I like foreplay, and this evening, I made sure I spent lots of time on that. The last thing I wanted to do was to rush into sex. This, I realise, was also something I was to regret later.

It was time for Lan to service me. I lay down and motioned her to come onto me. She half-climbed onto me as she sucked my nipples. "Harder," I told her. As she used a little more force in the sucking, she started to touch my dick with her hand. I knew I would come very soon if I let her have her way, so I gently pushed her hand away. I stroked her hair and indulged in the fragrance of her perfumed body.

She knelt, legs apart, over my body so that her head was just before mine. I thought she had that CFM look in her eyes, and told her I wanted a picture. As I took my phone out, I realise that the camera couldn't focus on the subject, so I moved it back a little. Lan, too, retreated a little, but by now her pose had changed and she did not look as sexy as before. I snapped a picture anyway. In all, I snapped 8 pictures of Lan in the buff that night.

It was time for some real action. I got Lan to lie down. I asked if I could remove her panties before gently removing it. She had a little bush around her vagina (I got for myself photographic evidence of that too!). I knelt down before her and nibbled gently on her sensitive area. There was no unpleasant smell, only pleasant sweetness. Lan must have enjoyed herself, for she held my hand with her hands. I licked for a few minutes before I went back to my original position. Little did I expect that Lan would take the initiative to French kiss me again. "You don't mind? I just licked you down there!" I asked. Lan only smiled. And so we kissed like lovers, while I rubbed her vagina with my hand.

She was dry down there, which didn't bode well for what I was expecting to come next. I tried to rub her clitoris, but to no effect. I applied some of my saliva on the area, but she didn't respond. Jialat, I told myself. Was I going to go back tonight without achieving anything??? I was beginning to feel that I would be disappointed.

I held on to Lan as I attempted to stand up on the bed. I was trying to make things a little more interesting. As both naked individuals tried to balance themselves standing on the bed, I tried to finger her. Lan looked at me with a sweet smile but otherwise nothing much happened. Soon, we found that it was too much hassle to maintain our balance, and we both got down again. Lan got tired and closed her eyes, pulling the blanket over her. I did not want to force her, so I left her alone. After all, it was almost 5:00am and she must have been dead exhausted. "You sleep okay? Later I'll wake you up and I'll send you home." Lan nodded, her eyes closed, and I set the alarm to ring at 5:30am. I was due to report at the hotel's ballroom by 8:30am.

I couldn't sleep. In my mind, I was replaying the events of the night to myself, and found it amazing that I had gotten so far without actually doing anything. 5:30am came. I shook Lan gently from her slumber. Immediately, she got out of the bed and into the washroom. While she emptied her bladder, I took the opportunity to scruntinise her bra, still hanging on the rack.The label showed the figure 70. That meant 34", a reasonable figure for her. The cup size wasn't stated, but I knew it was A. I was curious about the brand. Was she wearing a Triumph, or Wacoal, or something else? Some local brand, maybe? All I saw was Da Tang, some brand from Taiwanese. I wondered if this was a popular brand among young Vietnamese girls.

Lan was out of the bathroom. In a minute she was back in her red-and-white top and white pants. The very same attire I had seen her in when I first met her. Deep inside, I felt so sad that I wasn't able to bed her. Well, I blamed this on the bad timing. Perhaps I spent too much time taking her pictures and engaging in foreplay. Lan sat prettily on the bed as she waited for me to get dressed up. By the time I emerged from the bathroom, she was still sitting there. I made sure I took a picture of her, fully clothed, before I left. It turned out a little dark and for a while, contemplated doing another shoot with flash. Lan didn't say anything, but I could see that she was tired, so I let her go.

"Come, let's go," I said, as I held her hand, leading her to the door. We walked down the steps and at the counter, I caught a second glance of her IC as it was returned to her. We hopped into a cab as we woke the driver up. Lan gave him the instructions to her home, before continuing, "Please also send this gentleman to Caravelle Hotel, Lam Son Square."

Throughout the 5-minute journey, Lan was quiet. But she held my hand and rested her head on my shoulder. We arrived at her home. Lan brought my hand to her mouth and gave it a kiss. "See you tonight at Bar Stop, Lan," I said as we parted. "See you." As Lan left the cab, I noticed that she went straight up the stairs to her apartment, which was above a shop. She did not turn back to wave goodbye.

The taxi was stationary outside Lan's shophouse-apartment for a good while as the traffic light was not in our favour. I took the opportunity to scan the shop's signboard. "138 Hai Ba Trung," it read. I quickly saved this into my phone's memory, in case it came in useful later. I was to realise later much later that Hai Ba Trung, as with many of the streets in Saigon, were named after national heroes.

The light turned green, and I was transported in no time back to my hotel. As I walked briskly to the lift lobby, I looked out for the over-zealous security guard. He was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he was sleeping on his job. I quickly got back into my room and settled in my comfortable bed for an hour of much-needed rest before the start of the day. What a night.

[Tomahawk]

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Funny... Each time I put up a new post, the thread doesn't get to the front of this "Adult Discussions About Sex" folder. In fact, each time I submit a post, the page doesn't get refreshed and show this new post. Instead, I get a blank screen. The post does get sent in, but the thread index isn't updated.

Any idea what is happening?
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[Tomahawk]

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Given the lack of comments, I'm not sure if I should continue my story. Perhaps it's my writing style... very detailed, and very cheong hei. But I used the same style when I wrote about Tingting and got a warm reception. This time it's a little disappointing.

Anyway, I started out writing my story partly because I needed advice from fellow brothers. I now have the answer I need, so perhaps I should stop?
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[Spud_Boy]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

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Given the lack of comments, I'm not sure if I should continue my story. Perhaps it's my writing style... very detailed, and very cheong hei. But I used the same style when I wrote about Tingting and got a warm reception. This time it's a little disappointing.

Anyway, I started out writing my story partly because I needed advice from fellow brothers. I now have the answer I need, so perhaps I should stop?
---

continue bro.. still reading ur story.. v detailed indeed.. now i wondering if u kept notes along the way..

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by Spud_Boy

continue bro.. still reading ur story.. v detailed indeed.. now i wondering if u kept notes along the way..

No, I don't. But I tend to have a good memory, especially if the events are memorable.

Thanks for your kind words, Spud_Boy. I will carry on for the time being.

[faithevans]

I don't post much here in sammyboy...but I do follow your story closely.

very intriguing....please carry on...

nice one....

[jimijamison]

Please do continue...one of the best and most detailed encounters

[Tomahawk]

Friday came and went. Officially the conference ended around 5:00pm, but during a 2-hour break in the afternoon I managed to check out of the hotel and transfer my luggage to the place where I would be spending my final night in this city. It wasn't that far away from the Caravelle. Mondial (Hoan Cau) Hotel was a decent, 2-star hotel in the immediate vicinity. I still had about an hour and a half of free time before I was due to appear at the Caravelle again. I called Lan.

Lan: Hello... *amidst the noise of road traffic*
Me: Hey Lan, this is John. How are you?
Lan: OK... I woke up at 8 o'clock.
Me: I see... So we are meeting tonight yah? I'll see you at Bar Stop at 8pm.
Lan: Yes, see you tonight.
Me: Bye Lan. I miss you.
Lan: Bye... I miss you too.

I lay on my bed to catch up on lost sleep. But I couldn't. My mind was filled with excitement. After the few hours of being with Lan earlier in the day, I yearned to see her again. This was especially true considering that I didn't manage to bed her -- Okay, technically I did get her onto a bed... You know what I mean. I wanted to make sure that I would achieve something tonight.

5:00pm. It was the end of the event. Finally, I had time for myself, and Lan. Following the customary handshakes and good-byes, the whole lot of us descended on the lobby. It was time for the rest to head for the airport. I walked over to the Mondial. It was still early, and it was raining cats and dogs anyway, so I spent some time watching Vietnamese TV. Not that I could understand anything... But I was caught by surprise when I saw an old Mediacorp show, complete with familiar faces like Zhu Houren and Li Jinmei, among others. The original Mandarin conversations weren't taken off, but formed the background while a Vietnamese voice took centrestage. Interestingly and funnily, the same voice was used for every character, male or female. Those folks at the TV station had to brush up their dubbing skills.

By 7:00pm the rain had lessened into a drizzle. I had a quick shower and made my way down to the lobby. I asked the good Front Desk staff where I could get flowers. Were there any florists nearby, I asked. Back in Bar Stop the night before, Kym had advised me to get some flowers on Saturday, Lan's alledged birthday. The whole lot of them would be celebrating in her honour at the bar. I decided to present some to her this evening, as a surprise. "You'll find some florists near the Ben Thanh Market," the Front Desk chap said helpfully. He gave me the directions and I was on my way.

Walking down Le Thanh Ton Street, I came across Parkson, a department store. No florists within, but the inside looked very Singaporean. The top level was occupied by a food court which offered local dishes at prices you'd normally pay at a Singapore food court. Not very interesting, is it, I thought. I would be better off sampling something more authentic at the market. I walked on, and eventually found myself standing before not one, but three flower shops. I picked one, and spent some time poring over their catalogue. I decided against buying a huge bouquet, preferring to save that for Saturday. Instead I got a set of 3 red roses. They cost me just 9,000 Dong, equivalent to S$0.90. Omigod... I was beginning to love Vietnam!

I hopped into a cab and made my way to Bui Vien Street. A big jam was waiting for me. In a developing country like Vietnam, you don't expect a lot of order on the roads. Taxis and motorbikes zig-zagged their way around one another, with little care for the cars and pedestrians around them. I wasted a lot of time waiting in the cab. Eventually, we turned into Bui Vien Street. Good. The fare was still 15,000 Dong. But, good heavens. This street was flooded! The water must have been almost knee-deep. For the first time during my stay here, I saw what we normally saw on TV news back in Singapore: Cars and motorcycles moving slowly across the pond, people wading with half their bodies submerged in dirty water. I wasn't sure if this was what I wanted on my second date.

The driver indicated that he would let me off somewhere near the bar and I would make my way ashore. He couldn't see the kerb, he explained. But I managed to convince him to go as near the shops as possible. Eventually, through a combination of balance and skill, I managed to climb out from the cab and land on the corridor before an adjacent restaurant. I was still dry! It was 8:05pm, the bar was closed, and Lan was nowhere to be seen. I perched myself against a wall, the roses in my hand. By 8:15pm I was getting worried. I called Lan.

Me: Hello Lan, are you coming? I'm already at Bar Stop.
Lan: Yes, yes. I am leaving my home. 10 minutes okay?

And so I waited. 10 minutes later Lan had not appeared. Another 10 minutes later I was getting impatient, and tired from standing. A waitress from the restaurant next door took pity on me and offered me a chair. Whom was it I was waiting for, she enquired. "Lan," I replied with a smile. She didn't quite know this person, but advised that the bar wouldn't be open for that evening. The owner and staff had gone to the temple, she explained. Thanking her for her kind advice, I sat down. I looked at the rain and flood around me and I told myself this was such a romantic way to be meeting my date. I had never experienced anything like this before. I also imagined seeing Lan appearing across the road and imagined myself playing the prince on a white horse as I ferried her across to this side on my back.

I watched as the shops all around us conducted their businesses. It was business as usual. Apparently, a small flood like this was common. I saw the people in the rice distributor across the road chatting, perhaps bemoaning the lousy weather. Diagonally to my left, people on scooters stopped by a provision shop to pick up some stuff. And diagonally on the right, a nicely-decorated Indian restaurant was open, though woefully it was more than half-empty. A mother-and-daughter team walked past me as they went to buy whatever the wanted to buy. Moments later they returned in the opposite direction. That was how long I waited. Inside me, I was hoping that Lan wasn't playing me out.

8:50pm. It was still drizzling but the water had mostly subsided. The water was by now probably only ankle-deep. I watched as one man arrived on a motorbike and with the help of some metal structures, rode his way from the road into the shop next door in one step. I called Lan again.

Me: Hello Lan, where are you? I'm still at Bar Stop.
Lan: Sorry... Coming, coming! 5 minutes, okay?

I sat back down with mixed feelings... Confusion, disarray, disappointment, apprehension, you name it. The waitress next door poked her head out, concerned that I was still waiting. I got up and made small talk. Just then, someone appeared.

Lan had just made her way onto the pavement. She looked so ravishing that night. A pretty face with a proportionate body, clad in a black T-shirt, whole body protected by a light green raincoat. She gave me a wide, girly grin.

Me: Lan! You're here!

I almost hugged her there and then, until I realised she was in a wet raincoat. She removed that offending shield.

Me: I have been waiting since 8, you know? One hour...
Lan: I know, I know... Sorry!
Me: This lady next door saw me standing for so long, and offered this chair *gesturing to the waitress*

Lan wanted to say something, but I put my finger on her lips. Then I whipped out the roses which I had hidden well behind me. "For you," I said sweetly. Lan was taken aback, and smiled a smile so sweet it would have made any man's heart melt.

Lan: Today, bar not open. Kym and the rest go temple.
Me: I see. And you didn't know about it till now?
Lan: No. Kym called me afternoon, talk me bar not open. But I know you waiting, so I come.
Me: Oh... You already knew that the bar wouldn't be open, but you still came all the way here, just to meet me?

Lan nodded. I was so touched. Never before did I love this girl so much. Lan said the rest would be going to Apocalypse Now, and suggested that we join them. Well, I would love to revisit that disco where I got to know Lan, but I had more important things in mind.

Me: Maybe we go to my hotel? Then we join them later if they're still at Apocalypse?
Lan: OK!

We hailed a cab. Just as we were about to hop in, Lan turned around and wedged her wet raincoat between Bar Stop's metal grilles. Yes, no point carrying that thing around, I thought. "Mondial Hotel, Dong Khoi Street," Lan instructed the driver. We were on our way to our love nest.

[dirk_diggler]

Hey bro have been following your story and I must say its quite tastefully written...well done...Do continue as I am a ardent supporter of your story. All the way man!

[yanz]

very intresting account of your vietnam trip,pls cont. has up u.