A Story for My Two Youngest Blog Readers - June 26, 2008

I got close to this monkey but she did not get my hat!

This monkey was eating lots of pieces of carrot.

Here is a picture of "the enormous crocodile"

and here is a picture of an enormous snake. I am glad it was in a cage.

A Story for My Two Youngest Blog Readers - June 26, 2008

Hi Laura and Kate

I hear that you like to look at the pictures on my blog. Here are some pictures of some monkeys and crocodiles I met when I went to Monkey Island. This was a place that I visited when I was in Ho Chi Minh City. I went there on a motorbike. The monkeys were wandering around and were not in cages. They were begging for food from us when we visited. I had a banana in my bag for my lunch. It had got squashed so I gave it to the monkeys. The one that got it was very pleased. They were also eating carrots.

Mr Minh, my motorbike taxi driver said that it was important not to get too close to the monkeys because sometimes they grab people’s hats, cameras or backpacks and run off into the jungle. Do you think it would look funny to see a monkey running away with somebody’s hat?

While we were there I also went to look at the crocodiles. They were in a fenced area but they do also live in the swampy parts of the jungle. I do not think that I would like to go walking around in the places where there might be crocodiles.

When I was walking on a rickety pathway above the muddy pool where the crocodiles were swimming there was a sign that said “Lean against the handrail is not advisable”. It did make me wonder if walking on the pathway was advisable!

I also saw a very big snake while I was there. It was in a little cage that did not give it enough room to stretch out. I did feel a bit sorry for it. Being in a place where there were monkeys, crocodiles and snakes reminded me of the book that you both like, “The Enormous Crocodile”, but there were no elephants. There are elephants living in other parts of Viet Nam. I hope that I can go to see them one day.

There are two other animals that I need your help with. In my kitchen live two lizards. Usually they crawl around on the walls and if I leave any dirty dishes on the bench they come and lick them. It does make me good about doing my dishes at night. A funny thing happened the other day. When I came home I saw that I had not closed the fridge door properly. I looked inside and there were both of the lizards nibbling on my lettuce. We all got a fright and ran in different directions.

I call the lizards my pets. They are not very good pets because they run and hide when they see me but they are the best thing that I have for pets. The only other animals that live at my house (apart from all sorts of insects) are some big horrible rats. Fortunately the rats live outside but they are very very cheeky and come running up to me sometimes. Yuck!

Anyway – back to my pet lizards. I need you to help me think up names for them. What do you think would be good lizard names? I have tried to take photographs of them to show you but they always get away too quickly.

Well my darlings I think of you every day and wish that I could give you lots of big hugs and kisses. When I come back home next year you will come to stay with me and I will hug you for days and days until you are squirming to get away. We will also read lots of books and play games.

I love you both very very much. I hope that you write to me again soon Laura. Perhaps Kate could paint me a picture at Playcentre and Mummy or Daddy could send me a photograph of it. Please ask them to take some photos of you both and send them too. I want to see if you look any bigger.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

lots and lots and lots of love from Nana