Our group of ten set off at 5 a.m., and throughout the day we welcomed more friends along the way—Ezra, Tina (my niece), our good Bakersfield friends at LAX, and others in Hanoi. The journey was long and uneventful. The flight to Tokyo was a grueling 12 hours, and the biggest surprise came with the subsequent six-hour flight to Hanoi. Although Tokyo and Hanoi appear close together on a map, the distance between them is greater than one might expect—farther than flying coast-to-coast in the USA.
After a 28-hour journey, we were utterly exhausted and had to wait at the airport for our friends arriving from Massachusetts before heading to the hotel. That two-hour period, spent simply standing around, was challenging for me. Nevertheless, I found comfort in listening to the local language, observing the people, and forming my first impressions. I was surprised when the woman from whom I bought tea didn’t understand the word for “milk”—neither in English nor in French.
It’s fun to see my good friends from my former and current life getting to know and enjoy each other. We have three doctors, two physical therapists, a nurse and several other medical professionals, so there’s a commonality there. Also, many in this group have serious musical interests, so that’s fun.
Marsh Travels 
And we’re off. Oh boy, oh boy.
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