Hanoi-Halong bay-Hoi an

OK well I'm in Hoi an now, finally getting to some beach time, although it's almost one and i'm just getting up, hehe. A little bit of a late party night, but that's ok, gotta do it once and a while. Ok so i got quite a bit to talk about, and again there are no photos as this computer that i'm using doesn't even have usb ports, hehe. oh well, at some point i'll just do pics. So that night in hanoi was interesting. We went out for some dinner at the Legends pub, which looked out onto this really busy intersection and so it was just interesting watching the traffic try to negotiate itself. Then after dinner, we went to the top floor where there was a bar for a few more drinks, met up with the 2 other irish guys from the tour and picked up this aussie guy who had just gotten here and was by himself. We also met Jon and his girlfriend, who were old friends with Keith from home and living and working in Hanoi. After a few here, we got taken to their local joint, a nice little place with a sweet upstairs lounge and a pool table downstairs, a nice feel to it. We talked up all kinds of people here, mostly who were living and working in Hanoi. Good group of people for sure. Then when this bar was losing it's energy, we went to the late night place just outside of the old quarter. It was really good that we had an insider to tell us all these things. The doorman was either a policeman or had a policeman uniform, hehe which was interesting. The bottom floor had a bar and large dancefloor that was packed already with farangs and vietnamese farang friends. there was pool tables as well. the second floor was more of a lounge with another bar, and there was even a top dark flooor, ooohh. There was also a nice large terrace that overlooked the river. Nice place, and i think open till whenver, maybe 6am? hehe. Well i did some dancing but soon i was hitting the lounge hard, getting tired of drinking and just content to hang out and talk to whoever came and sat down with me. The irish boys wre going quite hard, hehe. Eventually, i think it was prolly around 3:30-4am, Matty(the aussie) and i decide that it's time to walk home. Well we know the direction kinda but once you get into the old quarter, things can become very confusing fast. We eventually came to this open bright area that was packed with all kinds of people sorting through ginger, garlic, limes, fruits etc..., getting ready for the next days market i assume. It was quit the crazy sight to see at 4am, hehe. Eventually found my way and after banging on the door a bit got someone to let me in.

So 2 hours of sleep later, i'm up and ready to get on the bus for the Halong bay trip. And who of course are across the street, having just got in and are now having breakfast? Keith and Frank, still hammered, especially Keith. When they left the cafe, they headed in the complete opposite direction, even though the hotel was right across the street, hehe. So i went and got the back but Keith refuesd to go to bed until he got some chips, and it only cost him 1.5 hours of wandering around lost and got no chips... shoudl have jsut gone to bed. Well the 3 hour bus ride to Halong bay city was a bit rough but once i got on the boat, things were a lot better. The Boat was beautiful, no backparcker boat, hehe. They served us lunch and we started relaxing. There were a kiwi couple, a aussie couple, a belgian family of 5 who were living in bangkok, and a family of 4 from Denmark, visiting their daughter who was living in Hanoi. The scenery is absolutely amazing. Beautiful shear cliffs, little islands everywhere, enormous caves that we visited and also a lookout point with an amizing 360 degree view. A place where the pictures truly don't do justice. When we got to the place where we were going to stay for the night, Marie(Danish girl living in Hanoi) and I went for a little kayak trip and you could go under this cavern into an enclosed bay which was quite spectacular and so peaceful.

That night we had dinner and stayed up as long as i could talking with the kiwis and aussies but only lated until about 11:30 when i had to crash. The next morning after breakfast, Marie and i went kayaking again and this time i had my own boat as the tour guide came with us. It was relaly nice, the sun came out, gave me a bit of a burn but oh well. I was trying to find some cliffs to jump off of but didn't bring my sandals, didn't even think that i would need them but the rocks are freaking ridiculously sharp, like needles right into your foot so i could never get to places that i had spotted. There were so many good spots though, overhanging rocks and such, with really deep water. Well after this we cruised back to the bay, had lunch at a restaurant in Halong bay city and rode the bus back into town.

That night i caught up with Keith and frank, who had done little but party and sleep since i left and we caught the 11pm train to Da Nang. 14 hours later, that actually went by a lot faster than i thought it would. Took a taxi from Da Nang to Hoi an and now am staying in this really nice hotel, $14 a night but it's luxury and i don't get the chance to "splurge" like this most other places. We went out for some food and drinks in the afternoon, then rented some motorbikes and drove out to the beach for some late afternoon, sun setting beach time. The day had been really slow on the beach so we were soon surrounded by people and eventually we were drinking beer, eating peanuts and getting foot massages. You can only say no for so long. After driving back we went out to try and find some place for some drinks and such but there wasn't much available and we learned that the full moon bar 7kms out of town is the late night place to go. There are always a few, you just have to find them. So we went there to find an interesting place with fully graffitied walls, a pool table and a bar, simple yet effective. There were a whole whack of people from all over, we chatted up many, partied and went home around 2am, i think. all i know is i woke up today at 12, air con is so sweet sometimes and now it's almost 2 and i need to get going on the day. Gonna hit the beach i think, that's prolly a good idea, hehe. Need some food though. Sorry that this one is so long but it''s so much tougher to find internet places in vietnam, especially after thailand and laos. oh well i'll try to keep up better. Take care everyone.