Breakfast with our group at a place called KOTO's a Jamie Oliver '15' style gaff that trains disadvantaged kids to work in the catering industry, only this place has been going since 1999!

Off to Halong Bay. Four hour coach journey... broke down a couple of times and experienced our first monsoon downpour, but reached the tourist Wharf in the end.

Wow! Cruised off into Halong Bay in a beautiful wooden motorised 'junk'. Sailed out to the distinctive limestone Karsts (Hump shape outcrops). There's thousands of these rock formations that go all the way past the Chinese coast. What a peaceful place. Sailed past floating villages where the Vietnamese boat people were put when they were repatriated. There's even a floating school. Stopped off at Hang Sung Sot's cave; amazing undergrond caverns. Saw a funny phallus shaped rock. Awesome!

Back on the boat got ready to go kayaking . Tho took us to a lagoon in the middle of a karst reached through a low tunnel. Then 2km paddle to another karst with a beach. Trekked up to it's look out tower for a 360degree view of Halong Bay. Back on board we watched a beautiful sunset and sunk a few beers under a starry sky. What a great day, we could have stayed here for days! The next morning was an early start back to Hanoi!

On the way back I noticed a sign at an eatery for 'Thit Cho' ..this is dog! But not just any old dog, It's a sandy haired dog- these are a delicacy and considered to be the tastiest! Not something I'd ever want to try thanks!

Back in Hanoi we dined on something more palatable at a small local eatery. Pho, nettle salad and sping rolls (nem), for about a pound.

Off to the Old quarter to get lost in the labyrinthe of streets. Where you can buy anything from kites to coffins. Each street sells just about the same thing. Eg lock street, selling locks and all manner of ironmongery. Or welding street where every shop basically welds stuff on the pavements. Erm...no health and safety here!!! The Old quarter was a hectic and humid experience!! Trying to walk down the narrow pavements with people living and working on them was trying but interesting!

At 10.30pm we all boarded the Re-Unification Express for our overnight train journey down the coast to Hue (pro. whey) . It was a cosy stay in a four berth cabin. Slept ok considering the noisey deisel engine and all the jolting and braking!

Woke up passing through a countryside full of bright green paddy fields, with the mountains of Laos in the distance. Also passed through the DMZ (demilitartised zone). This area marked the border during the Vietnam war 1954-1975. Although it was sprayed with Agent Orange(defolient) it seems to look fairly green again now. Hard to believe this place saw so many casualties. It seems so peaceful now!

Arrived in the more sedate Hue at the Gold 2 Hotel.....Wahey!!!!...