Horrid hanoi

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so hello
its been a while, hope i havnt forgotten any news!
so since the last time i went to Ha Long Bay. wow. 1996 islands-or rather the vast majority were big humongus limestone rock islands with a bit of leafy green ness . so it was beautiful. we enjoyed a sail to the amazing cave were you go trought these gigantic caves the sea has worn an amazing pathway, all staligmites and tites, unusual jutting out bits which resemble some odd things-im too polite to describe but of course i have a pic! not sure ill get to attach but ull see. then another bit of a sail and fresh fish for lunch and sailing and pictures and more fish dinner and a night on the boat. which was lovely, drinking with this really nice german/french couple. was fun, and being plesantly rocked to seep on a cushdy bed. next day we went to Cat Ba Island. nice place, checked into out hotle and out for a two hour trek up a big hill. twas tough! jagged rocks mud and slippery edges, most people slipped and slided and prob gave themselves a wee fright but nothing bad, i can safely say youd never be allowed do it at home! great view at the top enven though twas overcast and rainy, i nice achievement. then after coming down off to lunch and then on the boat for some kyaking, another thing which i have never done much off. we kyaked around the islands and to a wee beach, tiny but no people, in between the jutting edges of the mountain of limestone and went for a swim in the lukwarmish green water! ahhh, was deadly and rfreshing. then back to the hotel for a hot shower- was bloody cold outside the water, and much drinking! for some hours! with the friendly folk we went with. twas funny, cris and i tried to leave but couldn't find home so we went back for more beer, to provide a better sense of direction, and people who mith have more of a clu where we lived, then marvelous cris had the logical idea to break in to hotel (they wouldnt answer door bell) imagine they couldn't hear her hiccups! (althoug she doesnt remember!)so off to bed, up a few hours later for breakfast, tired and tursty (tipsy in crises case) and off on teh boat again. we jst went back to the mainand, prob just as well as we wernt exactly able for much! ha long city seemed nice. then an uncomfortable bus journey on which some guy kinda scrapped the side of the bus, so there were guards, irrate vietnamese and a pit stop on the motorway, with many onlookers! all for a crack and a scrape. they had to impound both vehicles so we had a nice bus and a walk back to our hotel! back in Hanoi! we are finding the traffic and people, shall we say, rather like trying to dogde bullets from unfriendly fire! they drive over u and beep there way round the roads, i imagine the eye and ear people make a fortune here! and as for an infectious smile-non existant-they all puss or frown! what a depressing place. so glad to leave tonight. were off on a 20 hour bus journey to Laos , iv found a shop or rather an old man on the raod side who has mars bars. i thik ill take all his stock and have a suggary bus ride.
yesterday we attempted to shop for warm clothes because its pretty cold here like home in april i think. kinda damp cold to the bone. we twas awful. felt like i was in a home for the depressed and sleepy. we got a lift in a rickshaw-man wit a chair on his bike-who got too much money for bringing us the wroug route, got a female vietnamese hand in my thankfully empty pocket and nearly got into a taxi who was charging is an extortionate amount of arigead for a 5 minute walk, thanks to crises sense of direction and sense we managed our journey and vowed never again! we spent a couple of hours helping the people in the hotel with english-we needed to calm down. then out for a lovely meal, wine, chocolate mousse and all with a lovely girl we met in the guesthouse!
today we thought wed brave the streets to buy some warm cloths. but they were too expensive, the weather was warmer and the people in the shops were pretty rude. i keep tyring to give them another chance, a smile, a polite thank you, having normal manners and giving them room on the crazy road-risking my toes- and still, its a fruitless and thankless task. really its not a happy place and im glad to leave
so imm off
paul thanks for your comment-id like to see Hawaii , lookinforward to the USA -youll be helping me enought then-thanks in advance!
hi to the I.E.C. hope ye are surviving all the samples! girls-have a ball for paddys day in prague!
-prague is right yes?
thanks for everyones comments-tis lovely
all the best
toodles
gracie

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