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Halong Bay
The many boats that visit everyday, all looking like pirate ships Hello all!
well we are finally in Laos and out of Vietnam..................
Since the last time i wrote we were in sapa, we trekked the next morning to 2 hill tribe villages. We were followed by the same people selling things for 4hrs of the walk......unbelievable they follow you so that you buy something from them it is so funny you see a group of tourists with a following of tribe people like they are famous or something! At the start we told them we were not going to buy but still they followed on bless them. We walked for about three hours firstly along normal roads then onto very rough at the edges pathways, it was raining a bit so it was very slippy it was a red soil path with rocks and quite steep and we managed not to slip.....very good of us ha ha ha! we trekked through small local villages saw some houses which really make you realise how lucky you are......they live in houses of bamboo and have chickens and ducks in the house with them with a huge wok in the room that the cook for the five thousand that are there family! it
Halong bay
Bex and stevo aboard HMS Halong Bay was great to see the locals living like that in the middle of no where.........in a valley so peaceful! the views were even more spectacular from there we were walking right along the rice fields alongside buffaloes bathing in the cool muddy water to cool themselves down a bit! By far our favourite place so far. we stopped for lunch that the guy had carried on his back all the way......we had french bread with boiled eggs and tomato my kinda lunch but not very Asian ha ha ha! After lunch we trekked to another village where we visited a school, Ste played football with the children for a while and i tried at jumping elastics like we used to at primary school it was so funny! We headed back to the road along another unsafe bridge then into a jeep..........along the roads that run alongside the side of the cliff hmmmmmm very dicey in points! Upon entering Sapa town the jeep broke down oh dear, dad and Michael where were u?!!!!!
A night train back to Hanoi then onto Ha long bay the next morning.............................
The boat was a lovely wooden boat with three levels the bottom
Hanoi
on a 'quiet street' level had sleeping cabins and the kitchen the the middle was the dining room and a couple of sleeping cabins, which we had one of! then the top deck with sun loungers and strangely plants! We got on and had a fresh seafood lunch, there was a huge choice of dishes they brought out all freshly cooked....we munched on that then were given our room keys, how exciting! The rooms were alot nicer than we thought they would be small but cozy with a tiny bathroom but fab views through two large windows! We sailed to the largest cave where we got off the boat and went inside....it was all very proper and had steps that led you inside. It was huge amazing to think how something like that is created like that! Our guide was pointing out various things rocks that apparently looked like buddhas, animals, people the list was endless........we of course could not see any of these objects and in the end just agreed that we could it was so funny! Then it was back on the boat and off to do some kayaking.....only four of us did it, me Ste and two french Canadian guys then
Halong bay
Our view of the moon and the stars from our deck the guides! we boarded our vessel and set off to see some more caves. We stopped at a cave that we could tie our vessels up too and got out and went for a climb.......we did not put any shoes on so was a bit tough, the cave was full of bats at a safe distance! it was fab to see them in the wild and hear them all squeaking at each other. We then cruised around.....first of all having a few communication problems but then we were a great team! The french Canadian guys ended up breaking a paddle then decided to get out in the middle of the water and get it, obviously he fell off along with his friend and the remaining paddle which sank! like a comedy moment on tele.........they were unable to get back in as it was too full of water so the guides had to pull them in.......mean while we had headed back and nearly parked in the wrong car park and got run over by a huge boat with Vietnamese kids shouting at us!
Apologies for the rather long story..................................
Back on the boat we sailed for a bit then
Halong bay
Blaine our american friend taking over the wheel put the anchor down for the night, the water was so still like a lake. A few people went swimming including Ste! Then yet another fab meal then drinks on the top deck watching the moon and stars.........i almost sound posh! ha ha ha. It was so pretty to wake up to that view and have breakfast a mist it all! It was all over so fast we could have spent a week on that boat just sailing around visiting islands!
We arrived back in Hanoi to find that our dutch friends were staying in our guesthouse!!! we were so chuffed as we didn't think that we would see them again, so we went out for tea last night with them then a few drinks to say bye until we get back home! Then as soon as we knew it we are on a Lao airlines flight to Vientiane which is where i am writing from! The flight was bizarre no life jackets just a sign on the back of the seat saying use seats as flotation think it was worse for us knowing our history with job and all!
First impressions of Lao are very good the
Halong Bay
The view off the boat early morning, the water was so still people are so friendly which makes such a difference as we have discovered in Vietnam! we are here for one night then onto a place three hours by bus called Vang Vieng to do some real outdoor things so will keep you updated as and when we can........................
Hope you are still awake there and we will speak soon xxxxxxxxxxxx
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