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Welcome to Vietnam! and welcome to the capital, Hanoi. This is my location for this part of the blog.
I guess i never completed my first blog to the date, so Id better fill you in with the missing parts including what i have been up to till today's date. Perhaps I shall get to the point faster though, because Ill be spending all my time writing blogs otherwise!
So my last blog filled you in about everything up until Saturday night the 2nd. Come Sunday morning I met Ingirid at 8am as planned, to make our way by ferry to Lantau Island to see the Big Budda.
We decided to make a day of it and walk the island to get to the Budda. On arrival onto the island some locals sold us there map and pointed us in the right direction. The direct sunshine and 32 degrees took its toll and we were dripping wet. We passed some beautiful waterfalls and enjoyed knowing few tourists would have attempted this adventure. As the day progressed we consulted our clock to find we were running out of time if we intended to make the Budda before sunset and before the monastery closed. Some locals warned us we needed to hurry up and i started getting anxious after all our effort that we would miss him!
Just as we rounded the last corner of the mountain, we saw in the distance Budda! It was such a surprise as we were convinced by the locals warnings, it was too small to see if it was closed. On arrival to the monastery our achievement rewarded us with the opportunity to catch budda 5 minutes before he closed. We were ecstatic with our accomplishment and ready to go home and rest.
Dinner at the same veggie restaurant was perfect and i packed for my departure the next day before getting some much needed sleep.
I spent Monday morning updating you all with my first blog and then i made my way to Hung Hom train station. Set for Guangzhou with a broken back pack (arm strap snapped my bag is so heavy!!!) i sat on the train and enjoyed watching the view whilst listening to my music. The deeper into china the more i saw standards drop but the development didnt. More and more cities with populations in the millions... i began to realise how busy this country is! As the train got into Guanzhou i met a swiss couple who i joined for my onwards journey. They too were on their way to Hanoi and fancied the train rather than a plane. Elly guided us through the busy underground, which didnt seem to be too difficult as all the signs are in english. We arrived a couple of hours early and we chilled outside for lunch.
As we caught our train we met another couple from Holland and we joined them in the restaurant carriage for dinner, games and some drinks. Everybody seemed friendly enough and we enjoyed the attention we got from the locals who can not have seen many western tourists. My bed bunk neighbours were friendly and were all in a hurry to tell me how beautiful there country was.
As we arrived into Nanning the following morning, little sleep affected our judgement and even with help from my bed bunk buddies, we ended up paying three times what we needed to for a bus to Hanoi. Lesson learnt, the bus journey took us through the country side of south china and across the border into Vietnam, an experience in itself! With a few stops for water and toilet breaks, we quickly learnt life was slower here. The people seem more friendly and less depressed, only now do we realise how pleased we are to be out of china.
After loosing the dutch couple in Hanoi we start looking for hotels, when out of no-where comes Patrick on the back of a scooter shouting for us! Pleasantly impressed we end up in a expensive hotel and find a bar. Dinner in a local bar is great and very cheap. Bed!
The air conditioning and lack of noise helps me get my first night of full sleep since i left the uk, and i awake more dizzy than before! We struggle to find a place to eat until we come across a western restaurant which serves us bacon, eggs and fruit salad! Not very adventurous but we are now recharged, and ready for the next couple of days of travel life.
Research for trips and hotels proves positive and i get a room for $7 and two trips for $90, to Ha Long bay and Sa Pa (in the mountains) for several days.
Now i have managed to find this internet cafe and a place to wash my clothes I am soon off to meet my friends for dinner. We leave for Ha Long bay tomorrow morning and i dont know when i get back from Sa Pa or whether ill find a computer there, so i guess this will be the last you here from me for another week or so!
Take care for now and please leave me feedback regards what you want to hear more of...
1 -travel details (what i have been up to)
2 - or impressions of places
p.s. Please forgive me for my spelling, grammar and punctuation, consider the difficulty of using foreign keyboards and spell checker, it is hard to type what i want to say, fast enough with this equipment :-)
- comments
Dad & Mum You're doing really well, meeting new friends easily, travelling around, I bet the food is bit of a challenge! Enjoyed the photo's, try to smile with your mouth closed ! :-) It was lovely getting your text, I passed on to siblings and Gardeners. Lots of love X X
Jo Hi Phil, sounds like you're having a fantastic time - I love all the photos!! Can't wait to red more xxx
sarah Tarrylea yay! a weary traveller having the time of his life. So happy that you have found it easy to hook up with other travellers. its so great to hear of your adventure...aren't the Buddahs wonderful! So huge! I would love to hear of all the yummy LOCAL food you are about to try out...and what about the local drink? You can save heaps by wining and dining the local way! i remember in Vietnam, one large bottle of Heineken cost the same amount as a double bed with a net and fan for the night....enjoy the beach ;) Go well adventurer lots of love Jonathan and Sarahx
sarah just had a look at the photos...getting a twitch of wanderlust! xxx
Suzi and Hossi Wow! It all reads like a real professional travel journal, accompanied by brilliant photos. You really take us with you. We`re enjoying the virtual journey and are looking forward to the next chapter. Take care and enjoy every minute!