We try to camp a lot because it saves money, is fun, and we usually end up meeting some interesting characters. There's something about removing economics from relationships that makes even strangers open their hearts and homes with complete trust and compassion.
The same day that Minseong had his minor bike accident, we stopped in small village outside of Bac Yen, and ran into Dat (front row, second from the left, Justin Bieber t-shirt). Dat's a local electrician and repair man, and he's the one who showed us where the medical clinic was and where to camp for the night. But then he invited us to dinner at his house, and we had a great evening with Dat, his family, and his neighbors, sitting around eating home-cooked food, playing with his baby, smoking the Vietnamese water pipe, drinking moonshine, and trying to bridge the language barrier. The next morning, Dat even had his wife prepare breakfast (and more moonshine) for us before sending us on our way. Thanks Dat!
