The travel began in Philadelphia, taking a bus to JFK airport at 8:30 am Thursday morning. We flew to Osaka Japan, then to Taipei Taiwan where we spent the evening. Sadly we did not get a chance to see any sights in Taipei, but we plan on trying that on our return itinerary. We then flew from Taipei to Saigon. As you can imagine, showing up at customs with 14 (50 lb) bags of medication, we were bound to get questioned. Upon questioning, we provided a signed letter from the Vietnamese government, permitting our entry. After a thorough inventory, we were able to meet some of our hosts and transfer the medication. Immediately, we then boarded a domestic flight to the city of Da Nang. First order of business, visit a local Nha Thuoc, where we met a very lovely Pharmacist who was more than willing to educate us on the culture of pharmacy in Vietnam. Interestingly, her daughter is a current Pharmacy student at Purdue University. Being Saturday, we decided a little rest and relaxation was warranted. After some planning, we ate a light Vietnamese lunch on the beach in Da Nang and enjoyed swimming in the East Sea. As if the sights and sounds of this beautiful beach were not enough, as we started to depart, I noticed an orange glow to our east over the sea. Knowing full well I just saw the sun set over the mountains, AND that I was looking eastward, I still initially thought I was seeing a sunrise. To our amazement, we witnessed one of the most magnificent "moon" rise out of the sea. Its bright, hot, glowing orange color encompassed its fullness. As we drove away, I couldn't help think that in a few hours, our family, friends and loved ones will be seeing the same moon, 10,000 miles away. It was encouraging to know that even half way around the globe, we are still brought together by natures wonders!
