So since I last updated, I have got all the way through Vietnam and I am now in Cambodia!
18/2
Went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, went in and came out thinking the same thing. It was really weird. You file in, no talking, no hands in pockets, no shorts, no vests etc, you eventually come to him in his glass cabinet and he is proped up a bit so that you can see him and he is lit up orange-strange colour for a dead guy! He looked really waxy. We came out and were discussing whether we think he was actually real as there is talk that as Madame Tussords (can't remember how to spell that) do the embalming of him yearly that maybe he is just a wax work, but who knows we can only speculate! On the way back we saw this little old guy who looked the spitting image of Uncle Ho. It was very funny, he hada walking stick and then he got on a scooter, what a dude!
19/2
Went to Halong Bay today. It was very hazy so that kind of spoilt the view but it was still cool. Got the boat over and then we went kayaking for about 2.5 hours. That was tiring bt fun. We saw wild monkeys feeding. They then had a fight, felt a bit vulnerable as I was the closest to the island so if one of them wanted to jump to a kayak I was first in line...!!! Got to sleep on the boat, even if it was only for 3 hours.
20/2
Today we went trekking on Cat Ba Island. It was really hot and steep. Got to the top and it was really hazy so kind of took the edge of but made it a bit errie so that was cool. Then got taken to our hotel, yes hotel not hostel (3 stars). Best place we had stayed so far. Had an awesome afternoon, rented a scooter and boomed round the island. Was clinging on for dear life at the beginning and by the end I wasn't holding on at all- oh yeah!! Wicked scenery. Tried snake wine and rice wine in the evening, the snake wine was ok but the rice wine was nasty. Barged our way into a club on the way back to the hotel, Adrian said to the lady at the door, look how many people I bring with me and promptly pushed us all in. Went back to the hotel and played poker til the small hours.
21/2
Went back to Hanoi, rubbish weather on the way back. Didn't do much else all day as really tired from only about 9 hours sleep in the last 2 nights.
22/2
Went to the Military Museum today. Got to see things from the wars with the French, Americans and Laos. They had lots of things out that said how many people were killed by it. I think the worst example was a French helmet with a lot of bullet holes in that said this is an example of the failings of the French. Hung around the hostel for a bit and waited for the bus to Hue. Met Ash and Dan on the mini-bus. What an experience on the night bus, I was top bunk and I swear to god I took off a couple of times!!
23/2
Arrived in Hue and spent 6 hours there and then had another 4 hours on the bus to Hoi An. Arrived in the evening, went swimming for 20 mins and when we came back, Ell, Ash and Dan had been robbed. They had cameras, ipods, money and phones taken. It was taken by the staff at the hotel as well we are so so sure. Staff said they wouldn't help and asked us to leave as they don't welcome our kind...??? Found somewhere else to stay and she gave us a discount as we told her we were robbed. Thank god I was in a different room otherwise all our pics would have been gone.
24/2
Wandered around the shops and market and eventually bumped into Phil and he took us to his hotel where we found Sarah. What a relief we found each other again. (we met Phil in Nanning and Sarah on the first night in Hanoi). Bumped into Rafa and Alysson (2 Brazilians) and then spent the afternoon at Bia Hoi- really cheap beer 4000 dong about 15p oh yeah, but this time the beer was ok unlike the stuff we tried in Hanoi.
25/2
Hired a bike and rode down to the beach (pics on Facebook of me on the bike). Really nice beach, bobbed along in the South China Sea for a bit and then played a game of touch rugby. Was a laugh until I managed to step on something and make my toe bleed. Lots of sand in it, quick bit of first aid with Sarah's help and a baby wipe. Left Hoi An for Nha Trang on the night bus.
26/2
Another overnight bus meant we arrived in Nha Trang at 6.30am so we found a hotel and then slept until 12. All of us stayed in the same place, Ash, Dan, Sarah, Phil, Ell and me. Once we were all up, we rented some scooters, lots of fun and drove around for a bit. We then headed to a spa and had a communal mud bath, hot mineral showers and pools and a nice waterfall to stand under. Really nice and relaxing and all for only 4 quid-awesome! Had a really nice curry in the evening at a restaurant along the beach front. Played pool at the Sailing Club (la de da!) and spent most of the time trying to put the guys off and vice versa. Really really good night, best one so far.
27/2
Phil didn't make it for the mud bath yesterday so we took one for the team and all headed back again. Came out feeling nice and smooth although everyone's sun burn stung in the really hot bath again.
28/2
Tried to plan some more of the trip today, kind of made some progress... booked scuba diving and then went to Louisane Brew House for a sneaky beer and chilled by the pool. Found the others again and we went back to Louisane for dinner and managed a bill of over 1 million (dong) we were all so pleased that we had a bill for a million. Sounded so cool to us. Phil left us today.
1/3
Went on Mama Lins Boat Trip today. A lot of fuss over nothing. Everyone had said to do it its great. It was ok. Went snokelling, had to pay for that and later on there was a floating bar. Found out that I am sea sick, how lovely. Managed not to spew but I thought I was going to. Really choppy sea. Found the Carling Cup Final on in a bar but was so tired that we only managed to stay up for the first half.
Continued in a new story so that it doesn't time out!
