I think I got up to Halong bay, so I will carry on from there! Sorry updates haven't been more frequent mum, just shows we are having a busy and fun filled time!

Halong bay-beautiful limestone rock/cliffs in the sea. It started with a massive trek through the not so picturesque hanoi, dodging motorbikes and traffic fumes. When we reached the coach we waited around for a good hour-the start of things to come! Arriving in Halong Bay we did some more waiting, and then we did some more waiting. Then our tour guide would yell at us to move quickly ect to another spot where we could do some more waiting. We were getting pretty hungry so when at last we made it on our boat and were served a delicious seafood lunch we forgot about the waiting. The cliffs were beautiful, like something from Lord of the rings. Unfortunately it's been completely over run by tourists and all the things that they bring with them. Litter, alcohol, kareoke. Our first stop was at some amazing caves set in one of the thousands of seemingly floating cliffs. They were huge, and completely full of people. We were happy to leave this popular destination and stopped at a floating village (complete with school) and took a row boat through a cave into a lagoon where we were free to swim and gaze up at the blue skies. This was one of the best parts of the trip :)

We then heading to Cat Ba island, where we were staying for the night. Several arguments with Vietnamese tour guides later we were set up in a hotel with two Dutch girls, enjoyed a local dinner, and breathed in the beautiful sights and sounds of the Cat Ba island red light district. I tried to earn a little extra cash but unfortunately no one there was willing to part with $5. I didn't let it dent my confidence, there's still Bangkok on the way home. In the morning we did a trek in the national park where we were left to rock climb (LITERALLY) in the pouring rain up a huge hill. Most of us were only wearing flip flops and me and josh ended up doing it in bare feet as it was so slippy. At the top there was a huge rusting metal tower with sloping steps and wobbly railings. But also the most beautiful views from the top. There were several times (the whole way up) that I thought I was going to die. I think if something similar existed in England people would be required to wear harnesses and be attatched to very strong wires. I will be writing to the embassy.

That night we stayed on the boat and got a chance to swim in the sea. Josh eventually managed to convince me to jump off the top of the boat and we both took on the kareake, lots of fears faced this day.

In the morning we did some canoeing and then headed back for Hanoi. A good dose of waiting later we set off, and by some miricle we made it onto the sleeper bus we had booked to take us out of hell and on to Hue........