Typhoon!
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2009
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4
6
Trip End
Sep 13, 2009
Cát Bà, Hải Phòng, Vietnam
Saturday, September 12, 2009
I know it's been awhile since I last updated!
Well, a typhoon has come thru Halong Bay so I am not able to enjoy all it has to offer, but it is still beautiful here. We had a risk of getting stuck here on the island but it looks as if the storm is passing, although there are still strong winds and rain. Bummer! Hoping to still take my hovercraft ride later...
What else have I been up to since last time....went to Hue, the ancient imperial city, and that was ok. Not too busy around there but I did a motorbike tour for the morning/part of the afternoon and that was great! Our drivers took us around the surrounding villages, lunch at a monastery with nuns, and to a pagoda. Riding on the back of a motorbike is so fun, I loved it! That was definitely a highlight of this trip.
We then traveled via overnight train to Hanoi. YUCK, the overnight train was gross and dirty with bugs and trash all around our cabin! I was able to create a cocoon with my sleeping bag though so that made it bearable. We arrived in Hanoi at 4:30AM and couldn't check into our hotel, so we wandered around the old quarter and the lake. At that time of the morning, the path around the lake was basically a huge gym; people of all ages were doing aerobics, lifting weights, walking and running. They were in groups or alone. It was really amazing to watch and I even took part in some Tai Chi. Hanoi is very busy, people speeding around everywhere on motorbikes...can't tell you how many times I've almost been hit! Also saw a famous waterpuppet show. It was interesting to say the least..the stories were cute but some of the puppets were pretty funny! I guess it is quite a famous thing to see.
Now we are in Halong Bay, Cat Ba island. Tonight is the last group dinner, and then we end the trip in Hanoi...then I'm off to Japan Monday! Can't believe how fast everything went, esp. this trip.
More updates later...possibly from Japan...
Michelle
