The carts and oxen were ready to load.

Bottom line, we’ve had difficulty uploading many photos based on the poor WiFi signal we have at this point on the journey on the Mekong River. We aren’t certain as to when this will improve, but in the interim we’re doing the best we can.

Using Enrico’s laptop while sitting at his desk, I managed to upload a few photos for the post dated July 16, 2016. Please check that post to see the photos.

The oxen hung around ready to get to work.

If this continues to be the scenario over the next several days, once we arrive at the hotel in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) on Wednesday where we’ll stay for two nights, we’ll attempt to get caught up with the photos we have waiting to be posted. We apologize to our readers. 

The workers started preparing the carts.

Many of you have written expressing your interest in these photos, only to find we have hundreds backed up we’re unable to upload. Time will alleviate this situation. Even, if we’re unable to get fully up to date, we can easily continue posting the Vietnam/Cambodia photos once we’re settled in Phuket.

Early morning photo of the oxen awaiting their cart hookup.

We’re really enjoying the cruise otherwise, having met so many interesting and well traveled passenger, many who’ve expressed an interest in this peculiar life we live while others are shocked we’ve been willing and able to travel the world as we do. 

As our regular readers are aware, we love seeing any type of creature.

Of course, we’re equally fascinated by their lives, whether they travel a lot or not. We often wonder what our retirement would have been like had we stayed in one place, only traveling on occasion, as is the case for most retirees.

The oxen are gentle animals.

The cruise itself continues to provide the utmost in customer service, entertainment and food, all of which are most important to cruise passengers. Feed me well, fulfill my expectations of great service and offer me an array of options to keep me entertained and a cruise becomes a highly worthwhile means of taking that holiday/vacation most long to experience.

Viking Cruises leaves no stone un-turned, in ensuring each passenger’s experience is as impeccable and meaningful as possible. If we ask for anything, they’ll do everything in their power to accommodate the request. 

Then again, we don’t ask for much other than ice for our cold tea, modifications for my meals and if possible a working WiFi connection which, if isn’t possible, we don’t complain or ask for a service they cannot provide based on location.

As for the meal modifications, last night we were served a traditional family style Cambodia meal.  Had  I been able I’d have tried some of each beautifully presented dishes. After speaking with the chef there wasn’t a single item on the menu that would be suitable for my way of eating. 

To make it easy for the kitchen staff when so busy making the varied dishes for the special meal for the guests, I suggested I have a dish they presented at lunch, which sent me over the moon, grilled eggplant and minced pork, seasoned to perfection. It was delicious. 

The oxen seemed gentle and used to being around humans.

Unfortunately, they had little left to reheat for me after the lunch so they make me a quick tenderloin stir fry with veggies along with the small portion of the eggplant dish, and a Caesar salad minus the croutons. It was a perfect meal I fully appreciated, expressing considerable praise for their efforts to the efforts since the cruise began last Wednesday, July 13th. 

Its hard to imagine we’ve only been on this cruise for four days when we had so much activity, even with my lingering spinal condition impeding many activities. We’ve taken hundreds of photos, only a small portion of which we’ve been able to post.

Please stay tuned as we continue to make every effort to stay as current as possible with our daily posts and photos.

Have a lovely day and we’ll be back soon!

Photo from one year ago today, July 17, 2015:

Australian M113A1 Fire Support Vehicle (Saladin Turret). Tom especially enjoyed the visit to Australia’s Armour Artillery Museum near Cairns.  For more photos, please click here.