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Ok.. So we're jumping around a teeny tiny bit! We've finally managed to find a situation where we can post some pictures and all I have is Halong Bay!
So this blog entry will jump to Halong Bay - and help explain the pictures!!
Phil and I decided (along with Chris and Fay) to book a 2 night/3 day cruise of Halong Bay and it's largest Island. Researching the trip was horrendous even though four heads are better than two. We stumbled across Kangaroo Cafe which was recommended in a few guide books and made all sorts of anti rip off claims - plus it was Aussie owned so we were in!
A lovely group travelled with us, made up of mostly, and predictably, Aussies! Including a couple from Melbourne and their young son Ari (6). Ari was straight off the bat quite a talker and we could all see we were going to have some fun!
Our first few of Halong Bay (after a 3 hour bus ride from Hanoi) was a little disapointing - quite a lot of cloud cover - but the rocks jutting out of the water were still magnificient. We were welcomed onto
the boat, shown our rooms and immediatly sat down to a lunch with a view!! As the day progressed the clouds rolled back to deliver some most amazing views. We also took in 'Amazing Cave' - I nicknamed it Fairy in the pictures - which is possibly the best cave I've been in. A friendship was already forming with Ari by this stage (Fay and I held his hands all the way up to the cave!)
After the caves the real fun began, swimming! Naturally Phil was first into the water, followed by a slightly more hesitant Chris. Before I'd even gotten into my bathers they had almost swum the 500m (possibly 750m) to the closest rocks (Phil was a tad too keen to climb them). We had some small issues with children's life jackets which resulted in Ari going into the water in a life raft (which immediatly began disintergrating). Fay isn't a confident swimmer so she took along a life ring. With that the rest of us (Fay, Ari, Ari's parents and myself set off to the rocks. After quite a long tiring swim (me), and push (Ari's parents), and kick (Fay in the life ring) we
Our Motley Crew
Part of the crew that went to find a giant crab - successfully captioned by the young Ari all made it to the rocks where we regretted stepping onto the ground. The barnacles weren't very kind! However Phil had found what looked like a turtle shell, which immediatly captured the imagination of young Ari (and secretly the rest of us!) The return journey was quite a sight (check out photo) as Fay was tied on to the life raft and people were taking turns pushing everything along. I felt like I'd been shipwrecked with a motley crew!!
There was much cleaning and examing of the 'turtle shell' and when one kind soul suggested it might be a hat we all got turns to wear the shell!! After a few goes the internal spikes were removed!! The main honour went to Ari who decided he should be called Captain Ari at all times when he was wearing the helmet. All the while the sun was getting lower and lower in the sky and we saw an amazing sunset from the top deck of the boat - us and the people on the 30 other boats moored in the 'safe' area. After a typhoon took out a bunch of boats a few years ago the government decided that everyone
had to be close together!
Day 2 of the trip involved a trip to another cave, and the solving of the shell mystery. We found some live king crabs at a local market - none as big as our shell though! We also survived a boat breakdown. Luckily that boat broke down 1.5 metres from shore!! Still took half an hour to remoor and then another hour waiting for the replacement boat though!
Monkey Island was a real treat as well. A beautiful beach but we were a little disapointed on arrival to not find any monkeys! They soon appeared however, even some teeny tiny baby ones! Phil and the boys walked up to the top of the Island while the girls had a relaxing time on the beach (not realising the paparazzi where taking pictures from up the top!) When it was time to leave we were all too heavy and the boat was stuck in the sand. Never fear though, Phil, Chris and Ari's Dad jumped out and rescued us by pushing us off the sand bar. Getting back on the boat was a tad more difficult though - Chris had to be hauled back up
by the armpits!
We continue back to Hanoi tomorrow and then have to say goodbye to Fay and Chris. It will be very sad as we've been travelling with them for over two weeks now! But we're off to China and they're back to Thailand. We'll be meeting again as we sent a package together from Hoi An - it cost 110 pounds!!
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Animal nerd
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"Giant Crab"
It's a Horseshoe crab shell. A really big one! They're a relic from dinosaur days, would've been cooler to see live ones!