How long to Halong

We have just returned from a few days sailing one of the wonders of the natural world. Halong Bay just east of Hanoi (well 4 hours of cramped bus drive actually.) The buses are made for Vietnamese bums and heights so Hugo and I had to fold ourselves into the seat and suck up the excess and hold it for 4 hours. Then of course they need to put 4 people in 3 seats (or even 5 if they can squeeze you a bit tighter... not possible for our row!!). My claustrohobic tendencies are undergoing a rapid desensitisation treatment:). However we will never be desensitised to their music. We have to keep reminding ourselves it's a cultural expereince but its so awful its almost torture. Hugo almost bought an Ipod in desperation!!

Halong Bay was absolutely stunning. We had perfect weather. Hot ofcourse, but no rain and clear skies and green flat seas. There are hundreds of islands which come straight out of the ocean and then they are covered with vegetation. It's so beautiful. We were the only locals on our boat because the backpackers and western tourists all stay at sea overnight. I could not stand it because those cabins are so small and stuffy and close. Then I saw a rat on the dock so the thought of spending a night with rodent stow aways and drinking backpackers... naaah... we opted for a day trip instead. We left our friendly backpackers to drink the night away (at mightily inflated prices) and let them try their hand at karaoke... can't be worse than the local singing... truly:) (There's a reason there are not too many "top ten" hits on the western top 40 from this neck of the woods.)

On the day boat we were mobbed by people wanting to know all the details of our lives and to have their photos taken with us. (they are mad I know) we had 3 of our family photos with us, so we showed them. Next thing they went flying around the boat with everyone 'ooing' and 'aaahing' about how tall the boys are. I think they thought we had photographed "Gulliver" when they saw the pics!! (sorry Brett and Jim). It was fun and created quite a comotion.

At night we went for a walk to find a nice little seafood place and enjoy some yummy fresh seafood. The meals are delicious and we have not been ill at all. (Hanoi is the cleanest of the large cities we have been in so far.) You can eat a lovely meal for around $3-6!! It was so nice to see all the locals enjoying family holidays where we were at Halong Bay. There are also many Chinese here as it's high season for locals to travel to Hanoi region (they must like it hot). It's a favourite holiday spot and they are all out shopping at the night market and just enjoying life. I find their extended family life quite enviable. They love to be together and just hang around chatting, snacking all day and night, playing cards and drinking together. They will have a game of chess or draughts or mah jong. It's easy to see why they would feel lonely in the west. They laugh and play with their children who seem to be awake all night!!

In the pool at the hotel I taught a little chinese boy to float and start to swim (his gran kept bowing and thanking me...) it was self-preservation actually, because he was floundering so much I could just see him drowning and needing to do CPR because gran was sure to nod off (as most locals seem to do that if they sit for more than 5 minutes). They have power napping down to an artform.

Tomorrow we are back on the plane and off to Danang and Hoi An. Enjoying it all lots :)

The scenery in Vietnam is more agricultural than Cambodia. Its so enjoyable to see them ploughing rice fields and tending crops and sellling their wares from the bus window that is wehn you can actually turn around to see becasue the locals love to close the curtains in the bus they have an aversion to sun. On the walk into the caves on one of the islands in Halong Bay the sea of umbrellas almost poked my eye out because I am just the right height to cop the points on all sides.