hot pineapple!

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Ok, this was going to be really long but I just got disconnected and forgot to save, so am not writing it all again!

Bascially, apologies for not writing sooner but our (admittedly free) internet connection was awful!

So, we arrived late in Hanoi, with no pick up...so got toally ripped off by our taxi. However, even though our hotel was a tad out of town it had a bath, mtv asia, free breakfast, free interent and a fridge (all luxuries to us) so it became out hanoi base!

The first day we spent largely trying out lonley planet recommendations and finding beer for 25p (it does worry me sometimes that we drink beer because it is the cheapest thing!)

Tuesday....I got up early to get the bus to the airport to pick Simon up (only 25p as opposed to the $10 taxi back!) Obviously a very happy moment for me. We got back to Hanoi and had the quite scary first-friend-to-meet-the-boyfriend-lunch which went quite well I think! (Deary? Simon?)

The next day we headed off to Halong Bay and Cat Ba island - all went well minus no leg room until we got on the boat! Their organsation was awful...noone knew what was going on .We were meant to sleep the first night on the boat and a night in the hotel but ended up staying both nights in the hotel! However, as i kept saying - its all part of the experience! And we met some very nice people!

During this trip we sailed aronud the caves and walked through them. Later that night we had the bottle of Veuve Cliquot Simon had bought (it was unbleieveable...I can't describe it thank you so so much!) The next day was great too - we did a trek through the national park, and saw some amazing views (a bit like rock climbing though at times - well done Simon for doing it in loafers!)

In the afternoon we went kyaking. We rowed out to monkey island.- it was amazing to row out to a random deserted white sand beach and find monkeys on it!

The next day was all about heading back to Hanoi and Georgi finally arrived having finally got her visa - it was fantastic to have both Simon and Georgi there together!

On saturday we went to tam loc (?) an old temple...then headed off for a river boat cruise (basically in a tin can) where it rained a bit but it was still an amazing experience...with stunning scenery!

sunday was sad...i hated having to say goodlbye to simon...but still it was na mazing few days (so thanks to hi for coimng and to deary for being so alright about it!) that night we strated our open bus ticket and went to ninh binh!

today has been great, we and an israeli girl we met hired a driver nad 4x4 to take us out to the national park. here we went round a primate conservation centre and then did a two hour trk around part of the park. it was like waling through the jungle! incredilble! oh, and we hugged a thousand year old tree!

best of all...after lunch on the way back we drove through a pineapple farm, we stopped to look at and take pics of the workers! they gave us a pineapple, and our guide cut it and opened it! it was still hot. it was unbelieveable to have a pineapple so fresh off the ground it was still hot!

anyway, tonight we are back on the bus overnight to hue. we're going to have to start moving fast though! i though we left vietnam on the 15th, i just found out we leave on the 13th! oh dear!

Ok, I was going through correcting the grammar for you Aunt T! But sadly am running out of time!

Uncle Stuart can you send me Nanna's email so you dont have to forward this to her

All parents - apologies for lack of contact but a) Daddy your on holiday
b) mummy you've had wills birthday and c) yes to that accomodation please!

Wills, Fran, Heather - HAPPY BIRTHDAY hope you had amazing days!

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