em and ems adventure

Days 6-10

em_and_em — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:55:00 GMT

Day 6 - Today we ventured to HaLong Bay, where we went on a cruise. A large seafood style banquet was served and no one was very hungry after that! After lunch majority of us decided to jump off the back of the boat for a bit of a swim! It was freezing! After a long day we boarded the RATRACO TRAIN at 10pm to spend the next ten hours on the way to Lao Cai station, near Sa Pa.

Day 7 - We were all woken at 5:30am on the train so we had time to orgainse ourselves! After getting off the train we boarded two buses and headed for th local town known as Sa Pa. All were very tired so on arrival at the hotel we all slept.

Day 8 - Today we were all woken nice and early to catch the bus to the Muong Hao Vally. On arrival at the top of the valley we all jumped off the bus and began the descent down the terrace by foot to visit the Black Hmong minority! The scenery was spectacular, it was rice field after rice fieldand was all so lushious and green!

Day 9 - After an early breakfast we drove a short distance to another local village, Ta Phin which is home to the Red Dzao women. These women shave there heads and eyebrows and wear bright scarlet coloured turbans! They looked so beautiful and there way of ife is so different to ours! After our visit to the village we journeyed back to Sa Pa fro a late lunch and free time. At 9pm we hopped aboard the RATRAO TRAIN to head back to Hanoi.

Day 10 - Today was a day of travel! We arrived in sHanoi at 5:30am, yuck! and then headed straight to the airport where we flew to Saigon! By the time we reached the city we were all so tired! But we still managed to have a wonder around the shops!

Day 5

em_and_em — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:42:00 GMT

Day 5 - This morning we went and visited Ho Chi Minh himself! It was amazing to see the much loved and respected leader of Vietnam! We were all nervous about seeing the body but he merely looked asleep. After this we went and saw the house he lived in during the war and there was one thing we discovered, Ho Chi Minh lead a very modsest life, his house wasnt extravagant! Just before lunch we travelled to the 'Hanoi Hilton' which is Hanoi's former prison.Inside the prison we saw models of prisoners in cells and how they had there feet tied down. In the afternoon we went on a cyclo tour! This was so much fun! It is a really fascinating way to see the 'Old Quater' because your experiencing it the way the local people would! Following this we visited the Water Puppet Theatre which was very intriging!

day 1 to 4 briefly

em_and_em — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 23:42:00 GMT

hey all back in aus and others reading. sorry havent been able to get onlline till now. we have been so busy doing so many new different and exciting things. day 1- After an 8hr flight we landed in Hochimin City. it was very hot and muggy a bit of a shock as we are used to Australias weather. from there we got another plane to Cambodia. both flights were good but the landing of the second was very rough, had heaps of fun though. very tired at the end of the day even though we slept on the plane. our hotel had a lovely swimming pool and all was great :) Day 2- we toured three different temples today one of which features in Tomb Raider. the stone carvings were beautiful and were all hand carved so they would have taken a very long time. at night we went shopping whcih was both fun and scary. we got to ride the tuk tuks to dinner they were so much fun, absolutely loved them. Day 3- Today started at the land mine museum, this was very confronting but great to see. our tour guide (for the museum) was 19 and only had one leg. he lost the other along with his older brother and sistert in a land mine accident at the age of eight. after this we went to another temple which was beautiful inside and out and one of the buildings close by had bones of people killed in the polpot resigme which brought a tear to both Ems' eyes! Day 4-Last day in Cambodia! We visited Para's village but he wasnt home so Mr Gooding took us around! He showed us where they cremate people and he explained to us that when people are burned there muscles contracxt so they sit up and you can see them! GROSE! LOL! After this we visited the buddist temple again because it was really close to the orphanage! The children there were just gorgeous and were so happy! None of the children wanted us to leave! :( Without much warning PAra showed up! he is such a charming guy that was so glad to see us! He stayed with us for lunch and for the afternoon! Just seeing him smile made everyone around him so happy! He explained to us about him being a monk for ten days and then how when he finishes school he wants to go to uni and study so he can be a tour guide! We were all really sad to say goodbye to him and he will be greatly missed!