The house Eddy built.

With regard to my arrival, my friend Eddy had organised everything and I mean everything. After touching down at Hanoi airport I was met by a taxi driver holding up a sign with my name on it. The man took me to a hotel about an hour's drive away from Hanoi’s old quarter, the hotel which was pre-booked and also paid for. Three doors down the street I found the travel agent where I could collect my ticket for the sleeper train to Lao Cai on the Chinese border. It was one of the most comfortable trains on the route. In Lao Cai station was met by another driver who took me to a waiting bus to take me to Sapa; at arrival he dropped me off in front of the Cat Cat hotel where Eddy was waiting for me with a smile a mile wide. He knew I would have arrived without breakfast and at around 10 AM wasted no time to go to up to the restaurant area and have breakfast on the veranda with a 15 km view along the valley and looking out over Fransipan mountain (Vietnam’s highest mountain)

Although my motorcycle was still parked at Eddy’s place I opted to rent a scooter and followed Eddy home.

The house.

Now before reading on I would like refer back to the day I was here late February and Eddy had started building his house- with a few things lacking; clear instructions and speed. To put the story on the rails read it if you wish or otherwise just look at the pictures. http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-e ntries/richard.wolters/3/1393777497/tpo d.html

Yesterday I revisited the house and... It was almost finished, but what’s more, Eddy had waited for me to arrive so the two of us would be the very first persons to sleep in it.

The building style is along Vietnamese design lines but with Eddy’s input who knows exactly what he wants. The house is absolutely beautiful and will be even more so when it completely finished, furnished and surrounded by vegetation. Last night we first sat inside to test the open fire and later outside in complete darkness to admire the millions of stars. ( and this would be the rating this house would receive)

This morning I woke up and looked from my bed at the view through the windows in disbelief. (who needs curtains?)

Just see if you agree.

And then for those who supported the effort to save little Tommie’s life last year. Tommie is now 17 months old and is doing very well.