Mai Chau

(PICTURE: Huyen and me in Mai Chau on our first honeymoon.)

As I'm typing this, I'm lying on the floor of a stilt house in Mai Chau. Huyen and I just finished our eleventh day of this trip and couldn't be happier to be here.

We went for a walk this afternoon through the rice fields and were reminiscing about the amazing time we had four months ago with all of our visiting wedding guests. I've got to say that I feel a little emotional here as I've had many memorable experiences in these stilt houses. I first came here on a motorcycle trip with my cousin Justin about two and a half years ago. Next I came here with my good friends Long and Nicky -- both now departed from Hanoi -- during our Tet Trip when we got detained close to the Lao border. Then almost exactly a year ago I came here with Huyen for my birthday. Right before coming here I had bought our engagement ring and then proposed the following week. Then the last time I came here was with twenty four friends and family who came out for our wedding. When we arrived here we had been married for less than 48 hours. And now, we're here because we're saying goodbye to Vietnam in this very special way.

Mai Chau will always have a special place in my heart.