A week into the big adventure...

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So its just over a week into the big adventure, we reached our destination of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) yesterday with an early flight from Bangkok. No upgrade this time but a helfy 7956 Baht fee for our extra bags ( I'll let you work that one out!) Serves us right for booking with a budget airline - thanks AirAsia! But aside from that we are now both millionaires: its 20,000 Vietnamese Dong (VD) to the pound!

We've had our first morning in the centreand I sat and wrote this at a very luxurious pool chilling in our lunch hour (11 - 2, beat that Paddy!) for the whole sum of 20,000 VD each!

We are now decked out in our CNCF t-shirts (Sophie is all about the uniform) and our facemasks; the government have stipulated our need to wear them because of swine flu. Which isn't too comfy in the 30 degree heat but the kids can always tell when we are smiling. Also mine was pulled off by a baby 30 secs into helping out in the creche!

We were first introduced to the babies; there were around 30, playing in a pen, others lined up in seats, some in their cots. They are brought in from the 300 some projects in the country becuase they need extra healthcare or are malnutritioned. Some are orphaned and will go back to the orphanges, few are picked up every weekend to go home.

Our roles basically are to play, cuddle and assist with the role of the full time vietnamese employed carers. We help feed, change (reuseable) nappies, brush teeth and put to sleep. There are a few characters emerging early on but we are under strict instructions not to become attached to just one child as when its time for us to leave it brings further disruption to their already hard lives.

We have been shown the middle floor where the children aged 2 - 4 stay. They have a lot of toys, the facilities are very clean and modern. It seems amazing that this was all created by one womean over 20 years ago (hope you've all had chance to read the books...)

Our volunteer co-ordinator Helene was astounded by the bags we brought. We are both glad that they made it to their final home in one piece. Each individual item is registered then delegated to the 300 projects to who need them most. We took out the essential party gear; baloons, bubbles, streamers etc as it is Sophie's and another volunteers birthday on Thursday! We are having a birthday party with the 3rd floor children; the kindergardeners, with games, food, the works - very excited and also it will be such a treat for the kids. It will be maybe the only oppertunity to take photos of the centre as that is prohibited unless its a special occasion. THis is ebcuase there are so many visitors it wouldn't be fair on the children.

That's what we've got to look forward to as well as the 3 hour lunch breaks by the pool! Hopefully I should be able to post photos up soon.

Thanks again everyone, we sill can't belive we are here!

Please visit http://www.cncf.org/ if you want to donate to the charity and also for Sarah's birthday she is donating all her birthday money to buying a bounce for the centre for the babies (to help strengthen their legs) her website is; http://www.justgiving.co.uk/buyabounce/