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Summer in London is far different than the gritty grime of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Where we are west of the city, there are trees and flowers and the River Thames flowing by.

Despite the hayfever, I still feel healthier than I ever did in the almost two year we spent in Vietnam. No longer cooped up all day in an air conditioned box, we take daily walks to and from school.

In the morning, the air is fresh especially after a morning rain shower. In the mid-day, it grows warmer but the breeze continues to stir things up (including the pollen). Temps of 30 degrees Celsius and above (86 degrees F) in London feel nothing like the way it would in humid Singapore or even the dry brown hills of Northern California.

Summer in London is a unique experience. Maybe life here isn’t so bad after all.