I met Na last year in Irvine, California, USA – I decided to extend my stay in America for a week, chilled out in Rancho Cucamonga after staying in Burbank. It was Na’s birthday and we had been invited over for a wine-party, plenty of drinks, crackers, cured meats, beer pong, jerkin’ and an abundance of fun.

Ever since we have kept in touch, I logged on to Facebook to find that he had produced a sketch. Thanks Na, I appreciate the love. <3

http://www.facebook.com/I.HEART.NA

Ray Villafane is an American master sculptor and here is what was submitted to the sand sculpture show (2009′s theme was ‘Dante’s Inferno’) in Jesolo, Venice, Italy. So…who feels really crap about their sandcastles?

http://www.villafanestudios.com/

I love minimalistic things. Simple things which can deliver the same as a big hoo-ha. That’s why I think these movie posters found on Worth 1000 are seriously cool. Check ‘em out.

Not long ago I posted about the news of my grandmother and her being diagnosed for cancer and today she sat me down and we had a conversation.

The first thing she wanted me to do was to tell all my cousins that she was fine, that they no longer had to worry about her and that the treatment in Vietnam had worked. I couldn’t tell whether she was in denial or not but at that very moment my heart sank.

She told me that the Buddha had saved her and in her dreams, she saw herself ripping out her cancer and destroying it. Superstitions are normal in our culture and they are instilled within her. She told me that she used to see ghosts and they no longer haunt her. At this point I didn’t know whether she realised what she was saying, or maybe I should have more faith and believe these things.

After refusing surgery over in the UK, she seems like she is doing better here. Being at home, in her homeland is clearly better for her health. It seems that she is adamant on her decision of staying so I guess this will be the last time I see her until I can afford to go back again.

I just hope that the next time I return home, it will not primarily be for a funeral.

Today is my last full day here. It’s been a long six weeks out here but I have to say despite all the stressful times, this is home. My livelihood is in London but my roots remain firmly planted here.

The things I am going to miss the most are the pristine beaches and the coastal cities. I went to Vinpearl in Nha Trang which is a beautiful tourist hotspot. Their white sandy beaches are a requirement but no fancy island resort is going to beat the natural beauty of Dao Phu Quy. This is my birth place, overall it is only 16km squared, a tiny island but that is what I’d call living the life.

I never got to explore the North of Vietnam, but that will be something to do on my next visit here. I don’t have much to say, the photos I have taken on this trip can speak for themselves. They can be found on my photoblog here: www.ln89.com – resuming to packing the rest of my things. Thank you to all those who have tweeted me, emailed, sent their texts, bothered to call, IMs…come on now, there was really no excuse not to catch up with me really.

Love and Blessings.