Sofie, Hans and I jumped on a little bus this morning - 3.5 hours later arrived in Halong City. Not much in the city, but we went to the port and it was just full - I mean FULL - of boats! Little boats take you out to bigger boats called "junk boats" and they take you out to Halong Bay. I had heard way too much about how bautiful this place was to miss it. I bet there were 100 boats at this little port. Anyways, we jumped on one and booked a room for the night on the junk boat (two tiny beds for Sofie and I).
Cruised through Halong Bay -- probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen -- seriously. It was pretty cloudy or hazy or something ont he way out there so those pictures aren't the best. We stopped and got off the boat and went through a huge cave and took some great pictures of it.
Sofie and I rented kayaks and went sea kayaking in the evening. Went through a little cave and found a breathtaking little cove where no boats could fit..and watched the sunset. Beautiful and peaceful don't even begin to describe it. Too bad I didn't have my camera. I was afraid to take it for fear we would flip over - Sofie hadn't ever kayaked before and she wasn't too good at it! We made it back to our boat for dinner: more fish - imagine that.
So here's a random side note: people actually LIVE on their boats out here in the bay. And they sell everything imaginable from them. It's so weird - and hard to imagine actually living on the water! But I mean if you have to live on a boat, I'd say this is the place to do it - haha! It's just gorgeous here - unlike anything I've ever seen.
Back to it: After dinner we hung out on the deck and then decided it would be a good idea to jum OFF the top deck of the boat (3 levels) into the clear turquoise water lit up by all the lights from the boat. Really really really cool!
We tried to sleep on the top deck under the stars but got too windy and cold. Up this morning for breakfast at 7:30 on the boat (I've had nothing but seafood since I got here). We went our separate ways around 10am -- Sofie is going to stay another day in Halong Bay. I cruised back to Halong City and got some WAY better pictures on the cruise back!
I wandered around the port and the little town of Halong City and had lunch...walked around for awhile and then hopped on the bus back to Hanoi where I am now (back at the hostel). Going to grab some dinner alone somewhere off the street again (see pic below - yay!) and then head to the airport. I'm flying to Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon - in the south) late tonight.
All in all - it's been incredible so far. I LOVE it here and have felt so safe. I've met tons of great people -- all with awesome travel stories. Most of the locals have been very welcoming too. One young boy trying to sell me a book on the street kept hanging on to me and told me he loved me...haha...gotta love it! :)
That's all for now - I've got to get off the computer as there are people waiting. Not sure when I'll be able to write again. Miss you all but having a great time in Vietnam!!
-TK
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