We’re heading to Vietnam for a much needed trip! There’s so much to visit, photograph , video tape and EAT! Our itinerary is taking us to the Northern mountain areas of Vietnam to visit the beautiful jungles, wildlife and waterfalls. Of course, visiting family will be a priority too, as well as eating and cooking plenty of awesome meals. We’ll be heading South to visit the central regions and finally on down to the Southern tip of VietNam.
While we’re away, we’ll be twittering from the trip so stop by everyday for an update on our adventures everyone! Come join us on our travels!
If you want to respond to us, leave your comments here and we’ll be able to receive it with our global phone! If you’re blogging from Viet-Nam, leave us a note and let’s get together for a meal in Viet-Nam! Anyone? Or if you have any recommendations for us to visit, leave your comment here and we’ll try our best to visit it.
Oh, and what about the pups? There will be plenty of guests, house sitting for us (Diane’s FOUR brothers). So there will be lots of crotches to sniff and doggie play pals. They probably won’t even miss us!
UPDATE, Return from Viet-Nam: If you missed our twitters while we were in Viet-Nam, here are the archives. The twitter panel you see here are our most current twits. You are most welcome to follow and join us! follow White On Rice Couple at http://twitter.com
*My white man is sooo cute!! He’s practicing saying his Vietnamese numbers for the trip: one…two….three…seven….five…eight…ten!
*Packed 8 lbs of raisins 4 grandma and 10 deodorant sticks 4 stinky male cousins put us over weight limit. Can’t decide which 2 leave behind.
*Soeul, Korea airport is beautiful. Gorgeous, sunset glow over horizon. Wandering, searching for kim chi.
*Can’t decide which Hanoi, VietNam bar to go to tonite: “funky monkey” or “half man half noodle” ? Which sounds safer?
*Whoa! Found awesome, super chic, wine store in middle of Hanoi. Can get Gigondas + Chimay beer. Feels like home 4 us thirsty travelers.
*Feeling guilty bout eating huge brkfst, should not eaten xtra ndles. 95 lb cyclo rider hauling both our fat asses up hill. He gets BIG tip.
*Enjoying Hanoi sauna hot, evening street scene: ratdog on scooter, street vendors hustling tour books, postcards and pot. Declined the pot.
*LOVE VNese street food: fried corn kernals w/dried shrimp chilies, grilled pork, fried sticky rice cakes w/egg plant mam, COLD BEER, gelato
*Cave exploring and kayacking in Vinh Ha Long Bay left us sweaty and sticking to each other. We’re now “white on sticky rice”. Need COLD beer
*Eating on streets, but no diarrea yet. Yes! Now going 4 the SERIOUS test: brothy bowls of noodle soup. Little nervous, stomach help us now..
*Beautiful Hanoi morning: brisk stroll & exercise w/locals at Hoan Kiem lake, Pho brkfst & watched frogs skinned alive. Sign of good lunch.
*He read book & asks 2 Phuoc My tonite. I say “not now honey I’m tired”, then realize he’s talkin bout noodle house. Get ur accent right!
*Almost landing in Da Nang 2 be w/family, grandma. Whole clan will greet. Excited, anxious gotta pee, nervous, stomach churning anticipation.
*Tears wiped dry, now full days of joy. Celebrated w/ HUGE feast. Took tons of pics and vid. Can’t wait to finish my documentaries for TV !!
*How to bring back these 4 kilos of MOST AMAZING mangoes past US customs? Hide in shirt? Say it’s a boob job? Must be a way to sneak fruit.
*4 layers dirt+hiking sweat, expanding guts (ate tons banh beo, nam, bot loc) & dark flip flop tan lines R all signs of great vacation in VN!
*Visiting markets everywhere, never dull. Ate eel noodles (mi luong), very TASTY! Now off to hot grilled banana pudding w/fresh coco cream!
*Brkfst for 14 ppl 235,000 dong. Feeling rich & generous 2 say we spent over 700,000 d for 3 meals, so cool. Just won’t say it’s only $42 
*Who the?! 4 new faces showed up 2 com nieu (claypot rice) dinner. Maybe friends, friend of cousins sister? More the merrier! Headcount: 20.
*Left Ma+Pa in USA 4 good reason. Now Auntie in VietNam looked 4 us & cousins at billard hall, 2 go home. So embarassing, not kids no more!
*Female fishmongers at AMAZING, FRESH fish market busted out their best English to Todd, “Yo! Hey! Buy!”, with smiles and giggles. Flirts!!
*Cousin Oanh’s famous Bo Kho (viet beef stew) w/ baguettes put us at limit. Yes, it’s possible: Can’t. Eat. Anymore. Food. Not. One. Bite.
*2 person trip 2 jungle in Bac Ma mtns grown to 8 cousins. They bring flipflops+hat+H20. We bring shoes+pack+gear. All have anti-leech meds.
*Gawd, crowded car ride w/erratic driver, loud 70′s folk music gonna make us hurl our banh cuon+rambutan brkfst out window. Twittering bad 2.
*Carpenters+ Air Supply +Carly Simon music+heat+humidity+car karaoke+BO+cig smoke+rough road DON’T MIX. Queezy! Desperately need COLD BEER.
*STUPID driver turns right when sign says left, so fast on mtn road our car crashed in ditch. That’s why he got bitten by leeches, bleeding.
*Cousin #5 is 2nd victim of leech attack (ha ha). Bach Ma Natl Pk jungle AMAZING waterfalls tropical scenery. Ate best banh bot loc in Hue.
*Banh mi (35cents)+viet cafe(20cents) best brkfst deal EVER. Gonna write book and lots posts about street food, our favorite. Street food!!
*Merchants brought us most AMAZING viet cinnamon, best quality. Flavor is fantastic! Buying TONS to bring back, leaving rest of gifts behind
*Made big batch of passion fruit cooler. So refreshing with fish cha ram(fried rolls) and banh xeo(crispy crepes). Beats kool-aid any day.
*Oh no!, Auntie made 4 kilos braised fish 2 bring home in plastic. US customs dogs gonna sniff us out, arrest for smuggling in stinky goods.
*Fresh springroll lunch of pork belly, braised smelt fish (so fresh!), lots of fresh greens/herbs. Ate double digit rolls. Now, must run 5K.
*Sipping fresh coconut juice on pretty VN beach, watching cousins thrown on sand as Todd shows Aikido moves. They’re scared of “Big Man”. …
*Fruit eating frenzy before we leave. Paying cents 4 tropical fruit too good 2 pass up. Still thinking about sneaking across fruit in bra…
*Kinda sore from big waterfall hike in beautiful jungle, but cousins down from the big tromp: can’t walk. Fun 2 watch them hobble,wobble.
*Packing bags 2 leave brings such somber-silence-sadness 2 family. Never, EVER easy 2 see loved ones so overcome w/emotion. Distance is pain.
*Happiness = giving Dad some Tre from VN: Pork belly, skin, raw galangal, ginger, garlic all wrapped in guava+banana lvs. So tasty with beer!
*Exploring sights, food & great people of Soeul, South Korea! Wanna stay here for another week! Need 2 find Korean bloggers 2 learn more.
*Downtown Seoul is a fabulous place! Beautiful blend between ancient & modern. Korean street dessert is great!! Any bloggers from Seoul?
*Craving cheese, wine, garden, dog ear rubs. Wonder if they miss us? We left them with TONS of new toys and a bone for everyday, spoiled!!
*Feels so good 2 be back & away from 24 hours sweating! LA’s 75 degree weather is actually a bit chilly! Miss VN already, will return in Dec.
*Just got out of shower & it’s flipping FREEZING ! Still used to sweltering heat/humidity. Going thru WEATHER-lag instead of JET-lag. Brrr…
*No more play, heading back 2 work. Will have 1st VietNam post up by late tonight,so much to share! Thnx 2 all who joined us w/your twitters!
*Helped cousins in VN have email. Communication easier, cheaper, tax free, w/out communist government interference. Now just need diacritics.
*Went thru STICKER SHOCK on today lunch: pho $6, bun cha hanoi $7. Miss VN prices: each about 14,OOO dong ($0.90) total: $1.80. Time 2 cook!
*Learning so much about real vs. fake Viet cinnamon. Heard fake stuff sold 2 many tourists. SO GLAD we got REAL stuff, from reliable sources.
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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey, Guys,
Have a GREAT trip. You deserve it. I will be following your adventures.
Have fun and come back safe!!
Yay! Have a great time you guys! Oh, I need to write you an e-mail!
Have fun guys…I’m jealous, but happy for u guys too of course
If u get a chance to, def visit Hue (for the quaint, serene atmosphere and awesome local food) and Nha Trang the Beach City….oh and Mui Ne too!
It sounds like a great itinerary! Hope you both have a wonderful time! I’ll be keeping tabs on you from Twitter.
Hope you guys have fun! I can’t wait to see the photos, I’ve always wanted to go to Vietnam.
Have a safe trip!
Oh my goodness! How fun for the two of you! How long do you get to explore? Can’t wait to see what you discover and document. Have a safe and fantastic time.
Ooh, I’d love to go to Vietnam! Sounds like a great trip, have fun!
Wow! Have a great time and stay cool! Enjoy your cold beers!
Brooke
Whoa, just saw your twitter…are u guys already there? Have fun!!
Long time reader – first time commentor…found you through Wandering Chopsticks.
When you guys are in Hanoi – try to find bun rieu lady on 31 Ha`ng Lu*o*.c. And Xoi Yen on Nguyen Huu Huan (sweet rice heaven).
Take good notes and photos!
Have so much fun! I have only been to Northern Vietnam but I absolutely loved it. ARe you heading to Sapa? Ahh, the food is so glorious. If only I had recorded the names of the places we ate.
There you go — leaving without me! You guys know how I am — a trip? Oh yeah! To say “have fun” is kind of like telling a crow to be black. I KNOW you will!! Not to mention you’ll be eating some of the best food on the planet!
can’t wait to see pictures of the food you eat. I am craving pho and fresh rice noodles just reading this.
Wow! Wow wow wow! Have a great time! Shoot everything! Then eat it!
What a great adventure! Have fun… and I look forward to hearing about it all upon your return
I would love to take a trip there some day. Great blog!! I will follow it regularly!
Hope you guys have a great trip and you bring back lots of photos! And lol@ the twitter “phouc my” comment
Also laughing at the Twitter comment.
Have a great time guys. Can’t wait to hear about the authentic food!!
hey u guys have a gr8 time ! cant wait to see your pic n read about your adventures !
Hi guys! Bring back lots of pics cause I am going to live vicariously thru you both!
Can’t wait to see all the new and exciting food Vietnam has to offer. Hugs to you both!
ah! It feels like it’s been forever! Have a fun trip guys!
you can always try and bring back pits to grow in your own garden? That’s allowed, right?
haha mango boob job!!!
too funny. I’m glad to hear you are guys eating your way through Vietnam – stay safe and EAT LOTS MORE!!!!
XOXOXOXO jaden
Super! Have a great trip. I’ll be following your adventures.
I’m looking forward to hearing about your visit. Viet Nam is a place I look forward to visiting one day.
wow… i’m looking forward to your vietnam finds… have a safe trip…
Love reading your twitters! Makes me feel like I am there with you guys – NOT!!! I still like it tho!! lol
Pace yourselves!!
Wow – what a fab-sounding trip! Have fun… Looking forward to reading all about it…
Hope that you two are having a great time in Vietnam! Must be a fabulous trip- can’t wait to see the photos, and read all about the food
Missing you at the dojo, Todd. Can’t wait to hear all about the trip when you return. Safe travels!
I wish I had known you were going. I could have carried your bags, washed your clothes, made your beds – anything! Wish I was there, have a great time. Will follow your adventures with twitter.
Hi you guys! Stopped by for a visit to see what you were up to and was not disappointed! Fantastic cinnamon huh? I’ve only gotten ahold of some once and it was nirvana, been looking for it every since. Have a safe and fantastic time!
Your food slave
Dana Zia
http://danazia.wordpress.com/
have a great trip you guysssss! damnnn i always wanted to visit the land of kimchi and now you’re there! envy envy envy
So did you sneak those melons out? LOL. Followed you on Twitter every day. But glad you’re back. America isn’t the same without you two.
xoxox
Dani
Have a wonderful holiday and looking forward to your holiday post. Am sure lots of great food!
Have a great and safe trip. My last trip there was some 5 years ago. If you have a chance go to Hoi An. One of my favorite places in VN.
Cheers.
have fun, eat delicious, authentic eats, come back and tell us about it. can’t wait.
I wish you a safe and fun trip! My hubby leaves for Vietnam next month – I wish I was going but I’d rather eat my Thanksgiving dinner at home! Maybe next trip I’ll go with him – he travels there about 3 times a year and I’ve never been! I’m going to be reading every thing you write about your trip – I want all the details so I’ll know where to go and dine when I do go! Be safe! Nan