Where were we.... we have travelled from Ho Chi Minh (#1) to Hue.
Hue: There is not much to say about this little stop off on our way to Hanoi, then again we didnt spend much time there other than checking out the demilitirized zone, just to add to our war knowledge. We saw part of the Ho Chi Minh trail (#2) supply line, we saw the Khe Sahn combat base - cue a little mood music. We saw tanks on the side of the road, graves in the middle of rice fields, makes you wonder where your rice comes from but most impressive were the Vin Moc tunnels. Different from Cu Chi as they were civilian, homes and much more accomodating to our heights. Down deep below the earth there were rooms, operating theaters, fresh water wells and guard posts. We started in the hills and after some winding we popped out at the beach. After Hue we heading straight for Hanoi.
15 hours later and after another awful night on a "sleeping" bus (still not convinced that much sleeping gets done) we had reached our last stop - Hanoi. First thoughts of Hanoi is just a smaller version of the busier, dramatic Ho Chi Minh (#3). We booked a 3 day tour of Halong Bay - technically a booze cruise, which entirely lived up to its name!
The first day was a 4 hour bus ride to Halong Bay to board our boat and head out into the dramatic region that is the bay. It was as beautiful as the pictures illustrated and more! We floated by while enjoying our lunch and getting to know everyone on the boat. Then it was time to cool off, Ray yet again impressed everyone with his dive off the roof of the boat, but everyone got out quick when the jellyfish arrived. 2 black eyes for our fellow boatmates later and we all decided to head in for some beers. So relaxing! The night was followed with some drinking games and the morning woke to rain! We changed boats, floated straight into a storm and headed for our private island.
The island contained small huts - well just a roof essentially, with mattresses and mosquito nets, this was our home for the night. We dived in for a dip finding ourselves amongst a heap of rubbish from the nearby floating communities! Not pleasant. Then as night fell we waited for the gong to signal that food was ready and onto yet more drinking games. Great way to socialise! Many drinks and a terrible sand paper sleep later we were woken at 7:00am to board yet another boat heading back to Hanoi. The 3 days felt like forever! We made a lot of friends and continued on with the gang from the boat when we returned to Hanoi.
So here we sit at the last leg of our SE Asian journey waiting till our plane comes later tonight. There is plenty to do here but since someone (that someone being me) didnt read the opening times correct we missed all the meusums and Ho Chi Minh's (#4) masouleum! So now it is back to the waiting game.
To Europe and all our newly made friends....
HERE WE COME!!!!
L&R
