When it rains, it pours.

Every day for the past two months the weather forecast has been the same here: scattered thunderstorms with 60% chance of rain. We have now been here five days (seems like weeks) and, in spite of this forecast, it has not rained a drop. One evening we did hear a couple distant peals of thunder, but that was it. And August is supposed to be the wettest month of the rainy season.

So today we met Phuong of Golden Ant Housing on the west side of town to look at a couple apartments. She and an associate arrived on scooters and invited us to hop on, which we did.

At that very moment there was an immense clap of thunder and a monsoonal deluge descended on us. We were fairly drenched before we could get off the bikes and run to the nearest building for shelter. Most the other bikers just pull over, put on rain slickers and continue.

After about 15 minutes, the rain lessened and we decided to chance it ourselves.

Seeking shelter from the storm.

In minutes the streets are inches deep in water.

We surfed down the slick streets, no one making much allowance for wet conditions. Phuong stopped and bought us blue plastic slickers so we wouldn't get completely soaked. The apartments were nice, but not what we were looking for, but you couldn't have asked for a more exciting introduction to riding a scooter in Hanoi traffic.

Job/Housing Update: We have had several excellent interviews. Tomorrow, we return to meet the director of one school and pick up some editing work that they have for us. Our first paying work! P. teaches a demo class at the same school on Saturday evening, and if that goes well they have assured us that they have plenty of work for us. A couple other schools claim to have classes for us, but these are more squishy. One wants O. to teach a demo class next week, so we'll see.

We found a lovely, big house that we made a low-ball offer on, but haven't heard a reply on yet. So we're getting close, but still not settled. You'll know more when we do.