A little sketchy

The details for my arrival in Vietnam are a little vague but I have contact information as required. I was told by the WorldBank that I will need to give customs people in Hong Kong a visa number so they will let me proceed to Hanoi. I am to call a woman named Tuyet from Hong Kong if I have any problems. I just managed to decipher the email signature in one of her latest correspondences and spoke with her for a few minutes.

I learned a lot from my trip to Ethiopia for eight months. I am taking a lot less stuff 'cause there were clothes I took to Addis that stayed in the closet all that time. People keep asking me if I am taking my guitar ... not this time. Bakes thinks I will buy one over there ... he knows me better that I do. When I arrived in Addis on August 7 last year, the mechanics of getting into the country were fine, but I never did hook up with Dr. Paul. I ended up in a taxi and we called one of his drivers and met outside what turned out to be Deker Inn where I stayed. A few words about the "climate" at MoF in Hanoi (courtesy of Bruce Pollock):

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For day-to-day work, business dress without tie or jacket, always carry a tie for meetings and have a jacket (doesn't need to be a suit) for meetings with vice Minister etc. Visits to other ministries is usually tie and I often also take a jacket but it will be hot and locals usually forgo even a tie in this weather.

Power usually have a variety of plugs but the Gov people have adapters. You can usually get a multi-country adapter on international flights or airports and there are more and more multi-plugs on powerpoints or power boards. Hotels can usually lend adapters. Because of the weird plugs in Australia, I have to use adapters everywhere and don't recall what they use in Addis. To be safe, get a multi-country adapter on the way over.

Do you know where you will be staying? I'm at the Hilton Opera and will get there Sunday evening about 8pm. We have a meeting at the Bank office at about 8.30am and the first formal meeting is 10am, I think. I'd advice taking a jacket to the first meeting, just for the all-important 'impression'.