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Hanoi - Vietnam
So we arrived at Hanoi airport ok after flying with Lao Airlines (worst safety record in history) even though the landing was a little bumpy!! We had read and been told about the hassle you get in Vietnam - especailly at the airport so we were prepared for the worst but as it's low season here it wasn't too bad. We managed to get the minibus in to Hanoi for just 2 quid each - and it took us right to the address we gave them so that was a good start! But as soon as we got off the minibus to find the guest house the vultures decended...they will tell you anything to get you in to their hotel. There were about 4 young lads stood around us telling us that our guest house didn't exist and that it was full (go figure) and that we should go with them instead...then just as we were shrugging the last of them off a guy came up to us who knew our name and the hotel we were staying at so he kindly took us to our hotel and told the others to get lost - he was in fact the manager!
The guest house was ok; clean and no insects - a little ensuite and cable TV too! We also had a really good location slap bang in the middle of the old quarter. Hanoi is well known for the noise created by the beeping of the traffic horns and this is no exageration - it's completely constant! We ventured out the first night and had dinner at a nice place that was recommended by the hotel, and then we also stumbled upon somewhere called "Le Pub" and thought this was a good bet for a drink! Here we met an Englishman who lived in Oz, and an Ozzie who had just moved to Hanoi! They had a bit of local wisdom to tell us so we listened carefully - whilst drinking beer! We left to find that the whole city had shut up (it was midnight) and everywhere was pitch black! Luckily we weren't too far from the hotel so after a bit of confusion and having to ask a local for directions we managed to make it back to the hotel where we had to wake the nightporter to get in!!
We spent the next day exploring and generally getting lost in the tight back streets of the Old Quarter. The day after we went on a city tour to take in the sights; West Lake & pagoda, University and temple of literature, Hoem Kien Lake & pagoda, ceramics factory etc. It was a pleasant day and we soaked up the culture!
The next day we were due to go to Halong Bay on a 2-day boat trip - but it turns out that the hotel had messed up our booking and after telling us some porkies (which we were not impressed about) we finally agreed to go on the same trip the next day! The next day came and we did indeed manage to go on the trip this time to Halong Bay (see below).
Hanoi is a dirty, busy hot, smelly city! It is full of cultural differences - some of which we cannot quite get used to yet for example the hocking and spitting in the street; everywhere/anywhere and everyone! So right next to where you are eating there is somebody loudly hocking up a big greeny and spitting it on to the road, or emptying their nose on to the street - like a footballer on a pitch. Everywhere you go someone wants you to go in their shop or buy something from them - and when you don't they call you worse than s***! This is a city where as a tourist you need to check your bill, check your change, check your pockets and ignore everyone who talks to you - unless you instigated the conversation. It's full of culture shock factor which is great and the roads are lethal and chaotic - the pavements aren't too safe either! Everyother step there is someone burning a pile of fake dollars or other strange objects as a hopeful gesture that it will bring them good luck and fortune.
Halong Bay - Vietnam
So on the second day of trying we managed to actually go on our trip to Halong Bay! The bus arrived at 8am to take us to the port a couple of hours away at Halong City. Here we boarded a lovely wooden "junk boat" with only another 10 people plus us. We had a nice lunch on the boat and chatted to the other people who were all nice, before taking a position up on the top deck for a spot of sunbathing whilst the crew fixed the electricity generator! After a while we set sail and headed for the large caves in one of the islands which are home to some impressive staligmites - here we had a guided tour around the cave and were told Vietnamese fables about the caves. On the way out we all had to touch the staligmite aptly named "lucky breast" - this was supposed to bring us luck in having a family/family life! We re-boarded the boat and sailed around some of the 2000 islands which make up Halong Bay, here we saw the floating village which included a small school and we took a smaller boat in to one of the islands where there was another cave but this one was open.
More sailing around was followed by an hour kayaking. We were in a kayak for 2 (probably a good thing) and off we went in the direction of yet another open cave, going past some pretty large jellyfish as we went! The open cave was very beautiful and apparently a good hideout for spies during war. As we kayaked back to the boat the sun began to set and it was just beautiful kayaking in to the sunset with all of these small, lush green islands around us (see photos). Back to the boat just in time for a shower before dinner. Dinner was followed by a very relaxing evening of chatting on the top deck of the boat which lying in a deck chair looking at the stars - it was very peaceful and it was a clear night so shooting stars we did see!
The next morning we awoke in our cute little cabin - with it's own little bathroom - looking straight out from bed on to the sea. We were up at 7 as breakfast was a half past and then we spent the next few hours sailing back to Halong port. Here we were given lunch and back on the bus to Hanoi. When we arrived at the hotel in Hanoi we had just a couple of hours to freshen up and get changed before boarding the nightbus to Da Nang - a 17 hour journey with a 5 hour break in the middle!
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