Hanoi - Redemption..Ha Long Bay and Sapa...

We took a lovely large Vietnamese airlines plane from Hue to Hanoi - a very short and comfortable flight. Already pre-warned of the scams that lie waiting for you as you disembark from the plane, we intended to catch and legitimate Vietnamese airlines shuttle bus into town. We were ushered almost immediately to a shuttle bus, that of course was masquerading as the real one but the price was the same (due to some haggling) so we got on end enjoyed the ride.

Aesthetically Hanoi is more French Colonial, than it is the set of Rush Hour. Hanoi was charming from the get go. Hanoi is also like lover who's afraid of commitment- offering you something you want to then taking it away. In our case it was the need for redemption, we wanted to love Hanoi.

It was a shaky start as we had decided to top off a good first day in town with dinner at a street vendor (they are cheaper than cheap, quote unquote, The Lonely (effing shit) Planet) …sitting on little plastic seats we enjoyed our shared BBQ with 2 bowls of rice, to then overhear the English speaking businessmen next to us start to question their bill. They asked for the manager, he didn’t exist, they protested, it didn’t help, they said they would report them but in the end they had no other choice but to pay. We knew we were in for a nasty surprise and low and behold we were charged overall more than 3.5 times the cost that locals pay (which we knew as we had already asked a couple of them eating there before we got the bill). The bill added up to more than a 5 course meal we ate cooked by a top chef back in Hoi An...

The locals eating there tried to help us but caved under the pressure and then disappointingly started to justify the cost. We expect to pay 2x as much at the locals, this is fair enough, but a blatant rip off is bad business and it‘s no way to look after tourism - unfortunately this sometimes seems to be the story of Hanoi’s attitude.

As lovely interlude - Jerry, Jez, Jezza (Dave's Dad) graced us with his presence the next day…and lucky for him we had already pre-booked him into the Ha Long Bay and Sapa tours were were planning to do in the 8 days that he was with us.

Ha Long Bay is scattered with 1690 limestone picturesque islands and aqua water, it is the UNESCO sight to be seen. We arrived to see the water full of Junks, the traditional wooden Chinese/Vietnamese boats and the islands shrouded with mist. But by the time we were out in the bay there were clear skies and warm air. Our junk called the Marguerite, was lovely, large and welcoming… especially with a sugar cane drink on arrival - yum! We were then fed a ridiculously large lunch, including a vegetarian version that was big enough for 4 people! Dave and Jez considered converting for the spoils.

That day as part of the tour we went to the Amazing cave (inside one of the islands) and Kayaking - which was Jez’s first time. He was surprisingly speedy, leaving us for dead as he headed around an island into oblivion. We returned for a ridiculously large dinner, Karaoke and squid fishing before retiring to our cabins for a sound sleep.

Dave getting some sun on the top deck of our Junk

Junks wandering around Ha Long Bay...

The view from Amazing cave

Jerry and Meals..

Jerry paddling off at top speed

Dave jumping from the top deck of the Junk

Brothers in arms...

Inside the cabins

Jerry enjoying the view from the Marguerite junk

Enjoying the view, again!

Jerry and our little friend on the tour

The next arvo we returned to Hanoi for about 24 hours before leaving on the 9 hour night train to Sapa, which is north of Hanoi and quite close to China. It is known for it’s temperate climate, numerous hill tribe villages and beauty.  Our train arrived at 6am, Jez and I quite weary from lack of sleep and Dave lovely and refreshed from heaps of sleep. We then trekked about 5kms through the minority villages with our guide 'Lillow' who was funny and a great host. We also had Phat (6 year old) and his Parents who were a freindly Vietnamese family that we spent the tour with. Phat would hold our hands and swap to who ever was the most interesting every 3 mins, a ball of energy and the main interpreter between us and his parents. The second day was an 8 km journey to 3 more minority villages, an absolutely stunning walk through rice paddies, mist and placid buffalo. 

 Amelia and Jez eating breakfast on our first morning

I was so happy to rug up and get a break from the hot weather!

hill tribe ladies...

Jerry and Phat

Jerry with some of the hilltribe kids

Dave's the favourite falang, handing out pop corn to the kids

Hmong kids with babies strapped to their backs

Sapa town

Starting out on our second day's trek

Phat wearing a traditional hilltribe hat

The rice fields Sapa is famous for..

Group shot!

 Jerry enjoying some tobacco from a rather large pipe

We returned that night to Hanoi via the 9 hour overnight train, Dave awoke refreshed, Jez tired and myself dusty from a night of the spews in a stinky unlockable toilet. It was exhausting enough spewing for 6 hours, but even more so when one arm was constantly  holding the door closed to prevent intruders, the other holding a rail to steady and my crouching legs so I could aim in the bowl…

The next day I spent entirely in bed while Jez and Dave had lunch with Phat and his family at a lovely restaurant to exchange photos. The morning after Jerry headed to Ho Chi Minh City and we flew into KL on route to Sumatra. It was sad to say goodbye to Jez and equally sad to bid farewell to Vietnam. But we are ready for a new country and new adventures, of course even more wiser to the scams…