Hi All,
Well I am currently in Hanoi, Vietnam and sweating like a pig. It is so humid here that it is unbelievable, but I am sure it will get worse before it gets better.
After leaving Beijing on what was the wettest day of the trip so far I ventured down to Hanoi on another 48hr train trip. It went pretty quickly, I finished my 5th book of the trip and I got to laugh at silly english girls that thought they would be able to get into vietnam even though their visa was not valid. Little did they realise that the chinese border guards are not currupt and they got escorted off the train.
Arriving in hanoi early in the morning and my hotel not being their to pick me up I eventually got a taxi to my place. Paying 6 pounds a night which is on the top end the place is lovely, and ever so helpful. They organised my cambodian visa (after I had to do an adjustment in my passport), a 3 day trip to ha long bay and my 10 pound bus trip from hanoi all the way to saigon.
In Hanoi after surviving the 2.5 million motorcycles, 5 million people and lots of just gernerall stuf (tuk tuks, rubbish, stalls and men offering their motor bike)I have been able to navigate this crazy city quite well and not get run over yet anyway. I also saw the famous water pupet show which was good and very colourful.
For a few days i venutred to Ha Long bay which was on the coast. After crusing the bay for a few hours we made it to cat ba island. After a cramped bus ride in a very dodgy bus and a quick change it was off to the beach. On the way I embarrassed myself by doing sign language that i am so use to know asking for the beach/swimming, i was a little red when these english tourists replied its over the hill.
Getting there and as quick as we could we were in. So nice to see the sand, feel it and then jump into warm water. Our joy lasted 5 min as they closed the beach and kicked us out 20min early. Bloody party poopers.
The next day we awoke to pouring rain and we were suppose to do a hike. We chickened out after our guide said that it will be a little dangerous. In the afternoon we againa ventured to the beach to swim with hundreds of vietnamese tourists (some grannys hadnt had a bath for a while so they decided to strip and take one, but they all had huge grins through their black teeth).
Then it was time to venture back to the boat. We were able to do a little canoeing (it was so nice and cant wait to get into mine when I get home). It was amazing to get upclose to all the little raft houses that they live in on the water. They are pretty self sufficient but if they did get bored they did have a bar to go to and party.
Returning to the boat we were off to our anchoring spot they it was time to jump. Ahh how it reminded me of sail croatia jumping from the top deck (and still swallowing so much water up my nose and loosing my bathing top) but thats half the fun.
Friday we returned after a morning crusie to Hanoi and that is where I am now. I am off to Hue tonight but this time on a big bus ride.
Hope all is well and catch you all soon.
Lisa xx
