Bye Bye North Vietnam

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So we left Halong Bay (really spectacular scenery) after a few more days of chilling out at Cat Ba Island and visiting the National Park, we left to go back to Hanoi to get a train down the South of Vietnam. Well, that was the plan and after a 8 hr journey that was supposed to take 5hrs; (time management is not the Vietnamese’s strongest skill but who cares we are not in a rush!) arriving back in Hanoi at 5pm on a Friday evening was manic. We finally arrived at the train station after another hour, only to be told that there were no more tickets available for that night. Pissed off, tired, hungry and after a few arguments, we headed back to the hotel we had stayed in previously. The owner was so glad to see us but not as glad as we were to get there! That night we just chilled out and we decided we would have 2 nights in Hanoi before heading off down South.

We saw more around Hanoi on Saturday and ate at a street café which was lovely and then realized Scottish Mike (who we met on the trans-siberian) was in Hanoi too so we went out for tea, he said he was sharing with a Norwegian girl who would come for a few drinks with us after tea. When we went to meet her I recognized her instantly as one half of the couple we had helped when they were getting attacked with flip flops in Cat Ba - small world. Except, she had not been an Ozzy like we original thought and the guy she was with was just a friend, who she had ended up sharing rooms with for longer than she had anticipated! We had a few vodkas and she was a lovely girl, we got offered some spliff that we didn’t take (smelt a bit too strong for us two paranoid freaks!) instead I smoked a smoke free cigarette that was filled with water ROCK N ROLL!!!

The next day we headed South…

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Photos

Groovy helmets...
we rented this bike and drove to the national park

A spot of caving anyone?
we saw a cafe at the side of the road and there was a sign saying cave this way and this was it.

sweaty Dim
Dim decided to roll his trousers up and he got 15 bites - muppet!

Dodgy tower
Dim was going to climb this until he saw all the rust allover it!

Another panoramic view
Dim is getting very handy with his camera - this was spectacular scenery.

Bun Chaoe
Back in Hanoi enjoying some street food this cost just over one pound fifty to feed us both and was lovely - BARGAIN!

Electrics eeek
Safety is not on the Vietnamese list of priorities and in a way we kind of like that as the UK is H & S mad..

Comments

[Clare]

Brilliant
Love it all looks absolutely brilliant. Enjoy. the rope swing looks fab xx

[lizzy]

Just shown ben the picture of you and the dog...he jumped straight up on my lap I think he actually recognised you! Me and Ben are proper Jealous!!!! Love to you both x x x x