Hanoi & Ha Long Bay

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"Good Morning Vietnam"

After a "character building" 3 bus and 1 train journey we arrived in the Vietnamise capitol of Hanoi. We arrived a 4am so just found the nearest / cheapest / open gusethouse and layed our heads for the night. When I woke the following morning and went for a walk to get to grips with my new sourroundings. I was taken aback by how busy this place was. I was exhausted just standing in the doorway of the guesthouse looking at the carnage happen outside.

I went for a short walk, got lost because it all looks the same and then found some breakfast and my way home after about 90 minutes. I needed another lie down. After the initial shock of the city I eventually got used to it.

We booked to go on a 2 day, 1 night boat trip in Ha Long Bay, 3 hours to the east of Hanoi, turns out a typhoon struck the day we were meant to go and the day after that. During our down time in Hanoi I celebrated turning 25 years old, the only way I know how, dancing the night away in a nightclub, telling everyone it was my Birthday. So after another hangover, and 3 days of hanging around, shopping and eatings some of the best food I've sampled in the Capitol we got to go to Ha Long Bay.

The boat itself was very impressive, it was like something out of a James Bond meets Pirates of the Carribian. Without doubt the nicest room we have had so far, they tried to get us to pay extra for the air con, but we managed to hotwire it, which made for a small victory.

It was not an expensive trip but some of the views were fantastic, it combinded the impressive limestone structures of Laos with the still clear waters of Thailand. Probably, the most visually impressive place I have visited so far.

We had some actitivies arranged, we went swimming in some of the smaller caves, where I swear I was being sized up and headbutted by the snout of a larger than average fish. We went kyacking around the bay, and got trapped in a cave with a massive jellyfish. Then to round off the day we were given permission to jump of the sun deck (3 stories high) of the boat into the clear waters of the bay.

All in all a great trip, one that will live long in the memory.

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Photos

Hustle & Busle
This picture does not do it justise

Floating Fishing Village
The had some 1m long sharks held here that they pulled out the same bay we were swimming in

Me and the Bay 2
Enjoying a beer and the view after a swim

My Watch
I was on first watch for pirates after dark