Ha Long Bay - Mint

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No other way to describe it. Mint.

This is actually a touristy / tour thing that I've done which was absolutely fantastic. Ha Long Bay is just beautiful. Someone had described it as Guilin in China on water. Haven't gotten to Guilin / Yangshou yet but will take note.

Just great feeling kicking back on a roofdeck of a boat cruising through these beau islands with all very beau people.

Jumping off the boat from the roof was actually quite fun too (once I got my nerve and I'd seen some of the others do it - don't really enjoy being the sacrificial lamb).

We stayed on this private island for a day with our little beach bungalows too. This was quite mint. Familiar pattern huh? I'd talked to some ppl who had stayed on Cat Ba Island for a day and described it as trashy Gold Coast (no offence to those who like Gold Coast).

Kayaking was great, hadn't done it in ages (Linda - I sat in the front both times and didn't need to yell out to my kayaking partner Patrick / Alex to keep time =) I wasn't the military seargent ?sp). Was quite fun to kayak out n crack open a beer (which however was quite salty the first couple of sips).

Have discovered a new love for stone-skipping which I'm absolutely rubbish at. (I'm sounding more like a Brit every day but I have placed a bet that we will win the Ashes - hehe).

Beach volleyball was also quite fun. Esp when the resident german shepherd decided to sit on our court and I decided to move him. (I don't believe I got a rabies shot before I left Syd). I'm a little bit scared about heading up north in China towards Taiwan. Apparently the dogs there bite.

I did feel like I was leaving in a time of rationing though. The servings of food were tiny.

Aside from that, was just wonderful time and I did feel rather sad going in the opposite direction to the others on the group. I'm starting to feel like I'm now going in the "wrong" direction ie up to Beijing where it will be bloody freezing by Xmas time.

Yes - these blogs are getting briefer (and with less effort).

The 8 ball. I did love that the lovely Canucks (Danimal and K-Lo) brought this all the way from Edmonton. Happy Thanksgiving boys. I did just love asking it trivial questions and laughing to myself. I did ask it whether I was the hottest girl on the boat and it said no. I did then ask it whether it was full of s#@! or something along those lines to which it then said yes.

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Photos

More Dogs
At some grotto / cave with all these stalactites / stalacmites (?sp)

Wrestling Competition
Lisa and I (rather intoxicated)- a close draw with drunk cheering boys

K-Lo and Patrick
Beau boys, need I say more?

Comments

[Horace]

Scenes from "Tomorrow Never Dies"
Kat Just so you know -- someone is reading your blog! Did you feel like a super spy travelling between the islands? I think they filmed scenes from Tomorrow Never Dies around these islands. Horace