Desert Adventures I am TRYING to update this journal as I usually use facebook for all my travel tales! Wish me luck!

After pondering which of these topics I was going to explore, I came to the conclusion that my truly memorable travel experiences are an amalgamation of them all- so forgive me if I cross some lines in this story.
I will try to stick to giving back on the road. By this I don’t mean buying souvenirs or supporting the local economy, but the giving that can only come when you truly commit your heart and soul to making a positive change to a world other than your own. This brings me to my most recent adventure in Vietnam.
Saigon: a bustling epicentre of vendors, lights, floral displays and scooters piled with everything from children to buffalo all tooting their horns in anticipation of the Year of the Dragon. I had arrived in a group and our purpose was to head to a tiny village in the mountains and help out a local orphanage.
We reached our destination and it was not what I had expected. Instead of huts, jungle and farm animals, there were mobile phone shops, restaurants and tailors. Vietnam was a place where things were not turning out as they seemed.
The orphanage was run by Catholic nuns that provided food, shelter and comfort for young mothers throughout pregnancy and delivery. After birth, mothers leave and the nuns and other expecting girls become caretakers.
It was a lot nicer than expected. The children had a large, fenced in play area and clean, comfortable beds.
After wandering around for a while, I decided to use my initiative. I began to take washing down from clothes lines filled with tiny shirts, shorts and ao dai’s. As if on cue, the other members of my troupe joined in and we spent the next 5 hours cleaning, washing, feeding and gardening- not to mention the occasional nappy change and quick hug.
At the end of the day the sisters thanked us from their hearts; and as we got on the bus and waved goodbye, a sense of peace came over me. Today I had made someone else’s world easier, and perhaps, a little brighter. And you can’t give more than that.