Kieran & Emmy:

Ahoy from Hanoi! We arrived back today after a wonderful week or so! We spent last weekend here seeing the city sights and wandering round. Our first stop was the zoo- unfortunately we unwittingly became the most interesting exhibits for the locals, little girls laughing and pointing at Emma, and little boys (and grown men) jumping up and tapping Kieran on the head as they walked past us! Sadly the animals were not held in good conditions, but we did get to feed monkeys crisps for half an hour. Seriously, there are no controls in this country! We also visited the prison museum (yawn), survived the huge market and met a waiter who reckoned he had an English girlfriend called Tit!

We then embarked on a 3-day boat trip around Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island. The setting was stunning, and we had a great time seeing amazing caves, squid fishing at night (not productive, but that's not the point) and kayaking (Kieran's favourite!). Kieran also jumped off the top deck a number of times, showing off. We befriended a Danish family on board and were united with them in our dislike of the most arrogant German Father-Son combo the world has ever seen! Phillipines this, Phillipines that- go back there then!

It is a shame that the area seems to be getting over-run with 'junk' boats, polluting the sea around the harbour. It is a UNESCO site though so hopefully they will do something to help preserve it.

When we got back from Ha Long we were straight on a night train to Sapa. It wasn't as bad as the night bus but was still a bit traumatic. One positive was that, sharing our trauma (and our cabin), was an English couple, Matt and Gemma, who we then spent the next 3 days with in Sapa.

Sapa is high up in the mountains, and has the most beautiful scenery we've ever seen. On the first day we trekked to the nearby Cat Cat village, visited the waterfall and waded a little way into the jungle until we realised we had no idea where we were going and turned back. Emma and Gemma ended the trek by buying flowers from some little girls. Unfortunately they had failed to notice the sign at the entrance to the village stating- DO NOT PICK FLOWERS, and underneath this- DO NOT GIVE MONEY TO THE CHILDREN! Needless to say we dumped the pansies and scarpered pronto!

The next day we met a local street seller lady who offered to take us on a guided trek for a pittance of a price, and it was probably the best thing we have done on our trip so far. We were led over some wonderful countryside to her own H'Mong village deep down in the valley, Lao Chai. We visited her house, played with her children and then had lunch with her entire family. Well, not the entire family, the Grandma was laid in the corner smoking a massive pipe/bong: this was for her 'illness' apparently. but she didn't look ill to us- just stoned! After lunch our lady and her husband made us do shots of horrible rice wine until we were all a bit tipsy!

We then trekked to a couple of more villages (belonging to the Dzay and Dzao people), passing the local crazy man's hut in between- this is a man who has been banished by the villagers to live in a field on his own, apparently he spends all day shrieking like a monkey!

The next day we hired a jeep that the Russians left behind from the war and visited the 100m high Silver Waterfall and the highest road in Vietnam, the Tram Ton Pass. Unfortunately the cloud meant that the view, the only reason for going up there, was naff.

We are now back in Hanoi ahead of an early flight tomorrow to Bangkok, where we stay for one night before heading for a proper, well-earned beach holiday on some Thai islands. Woo!

Hope you are still enjoying hot weather at home! Bye for now xxxxxxx