Here we are at our new homestay in Sapa! We have had an exhausting day walking a total of 12km in 5 hours, but with of course a break for lunch. However you couldn't really call it lunch at 3pm! We had a fabulous group of women from the Black Hmong tribe who led us around on the trek through the rice fields and made headbands, and little ornaments out of grass along the way for us. They were very sweet. I don't think I will ever forget the mind blowing view w...

Alarm was set for 5.45am ready for that early morning swim before we set sail away. Hmmmm...Emma and Jake saw 3 jelly enormous fishes...we decided against jumping in! Back on the top deck sun loungers to read and take in again the beauty of the bay. 7am..Pho ga, egg, toast and fresh pineapple juice for breakfast. 7.30am.. Onto our bamboo boat again (this is clipped onto the side of the boat) and we make our way to Vong Vieng fishing village. On arrival, 5 mi...

Back in wifi zone :-) Just arrived back in Hanoi again after an amazing 24 hours.. Now at Hotel swapping bags, packing clean clothes for our next leg further north to Sapa. All go! More later.... ---------------------------------------------- Posting yesterday's blog today. Day 17 and over half way through our big trip. Another earlyish start. After a hearty breakfast (no duck embryos today!) we were picked up in a mini van by Indochina Junk tours at 8.30...

5.20am alarm call! Anh, our walking tour guide was waiting for us in reception at 5.45. What a very different place Hanoi city is at that time in the morning! No cars, no motorbikes, just people setting up their hawker stalls for the day. It was sooo lovely to walk freely without fear of getting beeped at or risk of being run over! Anh took us down alleys, talked us through a typical routine of the daily life of a "normal" Vietnamese person. He explained how eac...

Ok! Picture the scene! Back in our hotel room after dinner, I ask Damian for his phone so that I can do today's afternoon/ evening blog. He fumbles in his trouser pocket...NO PHONE! I call his mobile using my phone...it rings ,BUT WE CAN'T HEAR IT! Even on silent we would be able to hear the vibrating noise...but no such luck ! "OMG, it must have slipped out of my pocket in the taxi on way back from the restaurant!" Sh*t, Sh*t and Sh*t say both adults in unis...