Jun 6, 2012 - Halong Bay

Efter et par stille og rolige dage i Hanoi (Vietnams hovedstad), tog vi så på vores første tur. Denne gik til Ha Long bugten som er listet på UNESCOs liste over verdens smukkeste steder. På turen derud betvivlede vi dog om vi nogensinde ville få det at se, da vores chaufør lavede den ene sindssyge overhaling efter den anden. Vi kom dog helskinnet frem og hvilket fantastisk syn. Over to tusinde øer og kalkstens klipper - hvilket flot sceneri. Her stod det så bl.a. på to dages sejltur, grotte besøg, en times kajaktur mellem de smukke...

Mar 9, 2011 - HaLong Bay

March 9; Unfortunately the internet connection was sporadic so we only saw bits and pieces of the funeral. We did get to see the faces of everyone who spoke and some of the guests. Yvonne texted the highlights which was really nice. In the morning we got to chat with all our kids who were together at Melanie's. Have I mentioned how much I love skype??? We said goodbye to Rachel and Emer. We're going to miss them! Our group has grown to 15 and we have a bunch of new names to remember. We now have some from Denmark, Norway, South Africa an...

Nov 23, 2010 - Halong Bay

We loved Halong Bay! This is the first time that we completely relaxed on this trip. We stayed overnight on a junk boat and cruised around the bay. We stopped off at a cave and Ben went Kayaking. Ben saw lots of monkeys and also saw the head monkey running around with his big red bollocks swinging around in the breeze. We had sun loungers on the top deck which we made full use of and had an amazing sunset in the evening. This is one place that we would love to go back to again.

Nov 17, 2010 - From Hanoi to Halong !

Saturday night saw Henrik and I take the night train from Lao Cai back to Hanoi. Unfortunately, we were on the early train which meant we arrived in Hanoi at 4.00am ! Although we could leave our bags at the hotel, we couldn't check in till 9am so we were left to wander the streets until we could find somewhere open where we could sit down. It was an interesting experience seeing Hanoi completely devoid of traffic but I was battling to stay awake and was glad when I could finally sit down for a noodle breakfast at 5.30am. Things livened up...

Jun 20, 2008 - Sailors for a night!

Karolyn had PROMISED her friend Michele that she would go to Halong Bay while in Hanoi...so off we went for a three-day tour! The first night was spent on a really cool old-style wooden junk (boat) and the second night was on Cat Ba Island in the bay. It rained most of the first day...but it gave the bay a misty, magical feel. We visited some really cool caves (where people had hid during the Vietnam War. Which, incidentally, they call the American War) and even rowed kayaks into one cave! We had a lot of fun jumping off the second deck of...

Jun 16, 2008 - Ha Long Bay - One of the Most Beautiful Places on Earth!

Saturday was the most relaxing and beautiful day. We were picked up at the hotel by one of the UWL Vietnamese student's mom's. We drove for almost 2 1/2 hours up the coast of Vietnam towards China to Ha Long Bay. It was a long ride but it was interesting to see a little of the country side. When we arrived in Ha Long Bay, we found that we had a private boat to take us out on the tour. Ha Long Bay are a thousands of cliff-like island in the South China Sea. We could literally see China. They are absolutely amazing. Blue water and green...

May 8, 2008 - 2 days in Sapa, 2 days in Halong bay

well i just got back from my tour through sapa and halong bay. i caught the night train to sapa which was a spin out, i kept waking up in the middle of the night not knowing where i was. very trippy. the cabins on the train were pretty good, i was expecting a dingy little sweatbox with "mystery" stains all over the bunk mattresses. i was lucky, i shared my 4 bunk cabin with a dutch family, mother father and son, and got along well with them all. some australians i met up with in sapa weren't so lucky..... they were sharing a 6 berth cabin...

Apr 30, 2008 - Halong Bay

Me tome un tour a Halong Bay, que es Patrimonio Mundial de la UNESCO. Es una bahia llena de montanhas de caliza que salen del agua entre la niebla. En el barco te sientes cruzando el lago rumbo al infierno de la Divina Comedia. Fuimos a unas cuevas iluminadas con colores psicodelicos y despues estuvimos paseando por toda la bahia. Es un tour de 2 dias en un bote de madera de 3 pisos con cuartos; te quedas a dormir una noche en el bote. Estuvo muy divertido, el grupo muy simpatico, eran varios franceses, unos ingleses, un japones loco, y yo....

Apr 24, 2008 - Halong Bay

Hello everyone we are missing you all. Hope the holidays are going good for you all. What have you been up to Jayden have you been around to water the plants for me and to have a go on the computer to send me a message? We are having an awesome time Hanoi - an amazing place. Our hotel is on the edge of the old quarter and that is the most fascinating place. Last night we ¬went to the water puppet show and that was amazing, live small orchestra using Viet. instruments and 2 soloists plus the puppets that 10 people work on ¬the water. They...

Mar 12, 2008 - Halong Bay, Vietnam

The next stop is Halong Bay, a UNESCO world heritage site and probably the most known site in Vietnam. We boarded a boat (junk boat) for an evening cruise in the bay. Very beautiful and well worth the trip. We hiked through the caves for an amazing view of the bay, then Rob and some of our fellow travelers (Gus, Heron and Simon) decided to jump off the 3rd level of the boat into the freezing waters. We spent the night aboard the junk boat, then boarded the bus enroute to Hanoi for a few days...

Mar 3, 2008 - Victory at Sea/Culture Clash

"Victory" was commissioned in November, 2007. However, the junk looked like it had 20 years of service. It did have all the accoutrements of the best available: ¾ private bath in each cabin, full dining room, its own tender with Yamaha four stroke, and a smiling staff welcoming us on next to large floral bouquets. Our guide Nguyen Ngoc Long was crushed. The new policy of the Bai Tho Junk company was to only allow private guides for groups of 10 or more. "I think that I am going to cry," he said, trying to keep a smile on his face. Since the...

Mar 2, 2008 - Off to Halong Bay, Vietnam

More to come as I have to fly - but Halong Bay was another trip highlight.. the junk was amazing, the food was incredible... and the scenery was spectacular. A respite from the nuttiness of Hanoi. We would have loved to have spent some more time there but am glad we got to see it even if it was only overnight. We left Hanoi at 8am. It was a 3 hour drive to Halong Bay - past rice paddies, major factories and towns.. We had one stop at a souvenir store where disabled people were creating pictures out of silk threads. Some of the work was...