Dear Prep,
As you know, we are now in Nha Trang and leave for Hanoi this afternoon. Yesterday was spent on a boat visiting the various islands that decorate the South China Sea. Almost everyone went snorkeling, some for the first time, on a coral reef that was the home to many tropical fish. We walked around some of the villages and rode in a canoe-type vessel that resembled a very large coconut. It was right out of an episode from "Gilligan's Island." There are many small fishing communities around here, and sea food seems to be the staple of most diets (served with rice, of course). The city of Nha Trang is a bit more cosmopolitan than Phan Thiet, so we have seen quite a few European backpackers walking the streets. However, keep in mind how city life here equates to a small-town setting in the States.
As with my first e-mail, I have only about five minutes to write an essay to go along with the pictures before our group heads outs, so I must race down to the business center to get this out as soon as possible. We are all anxiously awaitng to see Hanoi since few Americans travel there. We will visit the "Hanoi Hilton" and pay our respects to the U.S. airmen who spent their time in Viet Nam far differently than we do now. See you soon, Prep.
Christopher J. Burns
