Ha Long Bay

Bus left at 8 am, three and a half hours to cover 140 km. Roads neither good or bad, or a bit of both!! However, driving techniques leave Mikes fingernail imprints on seat.

Observation one: a lot of Vietnamese cannot wait to join their ancestors.

While the speeds are relatively low, the margins for cutting in before a full frontal are terrifying. Also there are still a high number of motor cyclists who do not wear helmets!!
However, we arrive at the port safely. It is raining, and has been for the whole journey.

Ha Long Bay (descending dragon bay) of a thousand limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes.
To quote Ho Chi Minh: "It is the wonder that one cannot impart to others".

Our boat is called 'Garden Bay'. We have a deluxe cabin for 2 nights.

The other passengers (14) are mainly French, 2 from Australia, and 2 French Canadian. The French stayed together as a group, which left Yvonne and Mike on a table with the two Aussies, and the Canadians.
Becomes a hoot as one of the Canadians turned out to be a very camp psychotherapist specialising in anxiety disorders. Taking the Micky out of his ' French cousins', and bursting out in a giggling laughter for no apparent reason.
We thought he and the woman he was with were partners, causing uncontrolled fits of laughter from them both. They were good fun. We were not sure if their plan was to create anxieties so they could then treat them!!

All but us are on a 1 day cruise.
We all visit a traditional floating fishing village. Yvonne and Mike use a kayak, as do the younger Australian couple, everyone else chooses to be rowed in bamboo boats, with their rain coats on!
Then visit one of the many limestone caves.

During the evening we try our hand at squid fishing. We guarantee that we do not catch anything because we take the hooks off, lol.

Leave you with some pictures. Yvonne having her first mohito of the trip; some karsts; on the deck.