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Dear Friends, We are very excited to announce the most-requested trip we've had over the last several years - to Vietnam and Cambodia next February, a "cooler" time to visit Southeast Asia. The trip will be from Friday, February 6, to Sunday, February 22, 2009. Last February (2008), we spent three weeks in Vietnam, preparing for next year's visit. It's a trip we know you'd love. The mangoes and dragon fruit were in season and flowers bloomed everywhere. The country is full of school kids wearing uniforms that change from county to county. They all yell "hello" as you pass by and then the girls cover their mouths and giggle at their boldness. The Vietnamese people are very warm and welcoming and reacted with smiles when we said we were Americans. They often say: "We like Americans!" No American in our generation escaped the influence of the Vietnam War. It shaped our generation and changed many of our lives. Vietnam seeks now to be known to us as a country instead of a war. For the first decade after the end of the war, the government was very authoritarian and focused on central planning, which led to famine and economic crises. Reforms began to kick in by the mid-1980s and within five years Vietnam was not only feeding its citizens, but also beginning to export rice and seafood. Now it is a world leader in these exports and, for the last decade, has been one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. We have designed an itinerary to Vietnam and Cambodia that combines history (ours and theirs) with some insights into their future, and visits to some of the most wonderful UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Halong Bay outside of Hanoi. We will spend a day on a private boat through the Mekong Delta and two nights in the Delta to enjoy the bustle of their floating markets and "river economy." In Saigon, we will visit the Reunification Palace (known as the Presidential Palace until Saigon fell in April 1975) and the tunnels at Cu Chi that were the major Viet Cong base of operations in the region. But Saigon is now the business city of Vietnam, so we will also visit the local markets and have briefings on the economy. In Central Vietnam, near the former demilitarized zone, we will visit the ancient capital of Hue and then travel on to Hoian, another UNESCO World Heritage site, which was a major trading port for centuries. Our visit to Hanoi, a beautiful city of lakes and trees, will be a highlight for all of us. We will visit the Old City, Ho Chi Minh's home and tomb, and meet Vietnamese doctors and diplomats who can talk about life in Vietnam today. After an overnight trip on a five star boat cruising Halong Bay, we will fly to Cambodia for visits to Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital city on the Mekong River. Our trip will conclude in Bangkok. We invite you to join us. As always we will offer five star food and accommodations. In Vietnam, we will stay in lovely renovated colonial hotels with high ceilings, crown molding, dark wood floors, and excellent service. Restaurants will be a of mix local specialties as we travel through all the regions of Vietnam with options for Western food in each city. The pricing for the trip will be $7,700 per person (based upon double occupancy and not including international airfare) for up to 12 persons. For each person above 12, we will drop the price by $100 for all registered. If we reach 22 travelers (the maximum) the price will be $6,700 per person, excluding international airfare. Please click here for a detailed itinerary, or visit our website: www.eglobaleducation.com. You will be a confirmed participant when you complete the enrollment form and send it to us with a deposit of $2,000 per person. To reserve your place on this trip, we will need to have your deposit by September 1, 2008. We look forward to hearing from you. Please call (303-841-5999) or email us (donaldstevens@mac.com or gailschoettler@msn.com) with any questions. Best regards, Don and Gail
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