On to Halong Bay

Halong Bay

We had a wonderful three days in Halong Bay and will not forget the fabulous scenery or people we met.

We were collected from our hotel at 8am in a limousine, well a luxury minibus really. Unfortunately Rod had woken up this morning and his back had gone phut! Don't know what caused that but he was hobbling around. So the bus had plenty of room for him.

Our travelling companions were an older couple from Queensland. Great travelling pair about 80. That's what I want to be like.  And a very striking couple, he was American and she from Singapore. The looked like they should be on the front cover of GQ magazine.

We had a four drive to Halong Bay and reached the port at 12 o'clock. All very smooth. Boarded our boat and set off to see the bay.

Isn't she lovely. Our cabin is on the middle floor, the one with the balcony.

Not bad! Also our bathroom had a spa bath. Alsoooo, sat down on the loo for the first time and the seat was heated... How decadent can you get! Wonderful.

As we set off to sail in Halong Bay, we sat down for our first lunch.  Five courses, beautifully presented. Okay only tiny courses thankfully but lovely.

There were twelve of us on the trip, only half full. But what a nice bunch.

After lunch we boarded the tender and sailed across to a floating village, we transferred to small bamboo boats and paddled around, ending up at an oyster Viengwhich harvested pearls.  Unfortunately Rod hadn't brought his wallet, how clever!

The village is called Vung Viene and has only about 100 people now in the area.  All the houses are now strapped to rafts and anchored in. A few people looked like they lived on the boats but not sure.

These people have lived without fresh water, electricity and schooling until a few years ago. The government are trying to move them off the water onto land, and many have done so. The children now go to school on the main land by school boat.

Back on board we spent the rest of the afternoon just sailing around the karsts, it was beautiful.

Rod had a long spa bath, and his back felt much better.

It's five o'clock and cookery class time. Fresh spring rolls tonight.

Head chef at work.  And we got to eat the. I was quite chuffed with mine. We then sat around talking, and in the background they showed Top Gear in Vietnam, well what more can you say. Plonkers.  Quite a few glasses of wine were drunk that night.

Paul and Chantall who live in Limoges. Paul originally from Middleborough has lived in France for 12 years, and Chantall now speaks English with a Geordie accent! Brilliant.

The guys from Moscow. Originally thought they might be a couple, but then found out one of them lives part time in New York with his wife, and the other in Spain. Great fun. Big drinkers. Beer for breakfast.

To our great shame we never learned their names. Great couple from Sydney.