On the road, sea, train - Bye Halong Bay and Hanoi, hello Hue

Friday 11th April and Saturday 12th April

This morning we enjoyed another feast of brunch on the boat and some last of the sea gazing before having to say goodbye to our private junk.

Once we got back to Hanoi, we did some food shopping for our next journey and then packed our bags and checked out. We were on the road again. We were taking a night train to Hue! Having enjoyed the night train experience in Thailand, we were curious to see what the Vietnamese trains were like. The trains were two bunks per cabin and they were a bit more enclosed. This meant it was more private but less social. Anne and I were with Holly and Matt. We played Taboo and it got rather competitive! Matt was crowned worthy champion.

Before bedtime, we decided to explore the rest of the train. We were lucky enough to be in first class, but the rest of the train looked rather dreary and rather cramped. Some people were even on just simple bus style seats for the whole night! Suffice to say, we felt very grateful for our bunk cabins.

Morning had arrived after a bumpy night train and we were welcomed to Hue. There was a festival going on in Hue while we were there, so the station was very busy. The hotel we had was absolutely gorgeous and we felt spoilt rotten with luxurious breakfast. The tour has included a mixed range of accommodation styles, so we are always pleasantly surprised when we check in to a nicer hotel.

What an exciting day ahead- we would be given a tour of Hue on motorbike! I love the adrenaline and breezy ride of a motorbike so I was bursting with energy. However, some of the others were rather nervous though at the prospect of being a passenger on Vietnamese roads, so we tried to reassure them. I was paired with Huen, our tour guide.
Huen was a great driver! We had several stops on our tour. We were taken to some pagodas, an incense stick shop where we were shown how they are made. Also on the tour, we were taken to a Vietnamese hat shop, again we were shown how they were made. Lunch was at a nunnery/monastery. It was a pure vegan lunch and absolutely delicious. I really loved being able to eat everything rather than having my own separate vegetarian meal.

In the afternoon, we were shown the bunkers from the war and also an emperor's tomb. We also enjoyed a boat ride along the Perfume River. We were all exhausted from all the travelling over the last few days and the highs of the motorbike ride the whole day. I fell asleep on the boat ride as it was so peaceful!

After a rest, we strolled around Hue, taking in the beautiful sights. Then, while walking along, I spotted my German friend, Steffi, sitting at a cafe! She was on holiday in Vietnam and I'd planned to meet her the following day in Hoi An, but here she was! We caught up over a drink and excitedly made plans to meet again the next day.

Dinner was at a family home, where we were served a huge range of traditional Vietnamese dishes. It was fascinating and delicious.

Hello Hanoi: Capital of Vietnam - Wednesday 9th April

This morning we were taken to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This is the holiest of holy places for the Vietnamese. It is Ho Chi Minh's final resting place. We queued up in single file in silence to pay respect. He was well dressed and looked as fresh as he was just napping! It was fascinating to see how clean and well preserved he was. Next, our tour guide, Huyen, showed us around the palace where he lived. Ho Chi Minh was a simple man who did not like to make a display of his money, so his bedroom was rather basic. However, he had to keep up a grand image for the world and as such, the building exterior was stunning, as were the gardens.

After the Mausoleum, we went to the prison. This is where

Anne and I enjoyed going around the different art galleries in the old quarter. There were so many stunning pieces that we were blown away by the talent! Later that afternoon, the whole group went to see a water puppet show. This is an art form originating from northern Vietnam. It was so beautiful and creative! Lovely traditional music and puppets meant it was smiles all around.

It was the last night for four of our group buddies. Hailee and Peter and Chrissy and Jeff would be flying home to Australia tomorrow. For their farewell meal, we went to a fancy restaurant. It was a real treat! The head chef for this restaurant used to cook for Bill Clinton. We all enjoyed our meals and soaked up the company of the four leaving.

A wonderful day!

Last day in Laos- what an eye opener: Tuesday 8th April

This morning we had a couple of hours before we had to make our way to the airport. We would be flying to Vietnam today! We used the time to go to the COPE visitor centre. This is a rehabilitation centre where they help those that have been injured by bombs. There is a museum also which sets the scene and provides facts. Laos PDR is one of the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita in history. More than 580,000 bombing missions were conducted over Laos PDR during the Vietnamese war. However up to 30% failed to detonate and remained in Laos PDR after the war. This leaves approximately 80 million unexploded bombies throughout the country after the war. As such, everyday there are explosions and more killed and injured. We tried to absorb the facts and also watched a short documentary. It was rather upsetting and the general mood in group was of sadness. Additionally, we were all appalled that it was kept so much underwraps. It was a shame that we would be leaving Laos today but at least we had the opportunity to visit COPE and learn of the horrors. The best we can do is support and create awareness.

I didn't feel like I had my share of this beautiful country just yet. However, time waits for nobody and Vietnam was waiting! It was a very short but pleasant flight. On arriving in Hanoi, the capital city, we were hit by the humidity and the fast pace straightaway. There were motorbikes and cars everywhere and the general atmosphere was more city bustle, much unlike the ultra laid back Vang Vieng. All of us were gawping out of the windows on the bus to the hotel, fascinated by the madness on the roads, the skinny buildings and the big names we saw.

We were staying in Hanoi's old quarter. After checking in to the hotel, we absorbed the neighbouring streets and kicked back a bit before this evening's meal. Today was Peter's birthday and to celebrate, we went to a very traditional, family run restaurant. We enjoyed good local food and tried to learn some basic Vietnamese words. There was a beautiful surprise cake lit with candles for Peter after our meal. He looked delighted and it was great to all celebrate together. We ended the day by a walk by the riverside to digest our food and admire the night views.