Backpacker tour in Halong Bay

Hanoi is the other big city in Vietnam besides Ho Chi Minh City. Immediately this feels so much better and more laid-back. Can’t really put a finger on why though, it’s just as chaotic if not even more, but it’s prettier with more older buildings dating from the French occupation. Also, the salesmen (half the population it seems) are less pushy. Here when you tell them ‘No, I don’t need a cap/sunglasses/lighter/taxi/motorbike/massage/cigarettes/banana/t-shirt/painting/or-anything-else’, they react like ‘OK, whatever’. Instead of like in HCMC where a ‘No’ is received like you just called their mother something horrible.

Group of elderly folks doing Tai Chi at 7am in the park in the ‘Old Quarter’, Hanoi.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
History Museum *which is closed on Sundays, for all of you planning to visit Hanoi. This being cultural is not really agreeing with me*

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interesting restaurants (please lookup in the dictionary if you’re not familiar with the meaning)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
You are not allowed to leave Vietnam without visiting Halong Bay, a World Heritage site of 2000 limestone islands rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tunkin.
I join a Halong Bay trip which was recommended by a Canadian guy I spoke to in Hue a few days ago. It is a low budget trip organized by a backpacker hostel called the Hanoi Backpacker Hostel, what else.
We first spend a day and a night on a boat (the Jolly Roger… doesn’t sound much promising I know) where we meet the new surroundings.

Halong Bay islands

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
What do you do after a day of swimming, canoeing and socializing with a group of 35 Western backpackers with an average age of 25? Correctemundo, you get hammered! And worse, bizarre drinking games are introduced to speed up the process. In these games you pick up a card in turns and then have to drink constantly for some sort of reason. You also make a fool out of yourself or out of somebody else on occasions and we all have incredible fun beyond imagination.
Around 12 O’clock a line from the film Lethal Weapon pops up in my head…: ‘I’m too old for this shit’. And I retire to bed.

A boat heading to a deserted island with a herd of hung-over backpackers *pfff went to bed 5am,pfff I’m still drunk, excellent pfff*, looks something like this.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The island is gorgeous. The beach bay is only leased by this hostel, and therefore is ours alone. Facilities are very basic, we sleep with 6 persons in an open air bungalow, there are 3 tiny cold water showers and crappy toilets, but really, it’s all you need.
That is besides the 150-horsepower-speedboat for the wakeboarding of course.

Halong bay island, home for 2 nights

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reading, canoeing to caves in the rocks, wakeboarding and talking nonsense are daily duties.
I try wakeboarding for the first time in my life, and honestly this seems the first water-sport I master in no time. I guess it is because it is similar to kite surfing, but still the guy from the boat seems rather amazed and on the second day I even manage some airtime (a jump from the wave).
Also, to be speeding on a surfboard right between high limestone rocks, a world heritage for jibe sake, gives me a high-on-life sort of experience

Yeeehaaa.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is also a deaf couple from the USA and Colombia. They are an inspiration. They seem so happy and so in love with each other. She is also the only other person doing water sports and enjoying it soooo much, smiling and laughing throughout her waterski ride. Funny detail is that he can by lip-reading nearly even catch my accent, because I speak more from the throat instead of in front of my mouth like Americans. How bizarre is that?
But anyway, imagine never hearing a word, or not ever hearing music or the sound of the ocean or your kids or anything. And still they genuinely seemed the most happy and grateful people of the whole group…. What does that teach us? Indeed dear reader: Stop Moaning!!!!

Life coaches

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
At sunset I chill on this rock with this fantastic hat. I swear I wasn’t posing…. Really

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
This ends Vietnam for now. After Halong Bay I go back to Bangkok, Thailand, to be reunited with my love Immy for a month of Holiday with my partner. God, I can’t wait!!!