Weather - said not to be very good for the bay, fingers are crossed, as this is one of the key sights to see on the trip – one of the wonders of the world.   We arrive to find we have been upgraded, to an amazing three level ship, the photos will have to help with the explanation of how beautiful the ship was. Balcony, large room and elegant bathroom perfect for the few days in the bay.Safety drill and lunch comes first, then we have an afternoon on a ba...

A relaxed morning, we joined our tour group (of 38), for a rickshaw cycle around Hanoi city for over an hour.   The configuration of driver and passenger seats vary across Asian countries, generally the driver sits in front of the passengers to pedal the rickshaw, however in Vietnam the driver sits behind the passenger seat and they are called cyclos.It was wonderful seeing all the different streets, come alive as the day started in the city centre. The build...

Dad is looking and feeling much better - so it's an early breakfast and then it's a full day of exploring Hanoi with a private guide Ne Nguyen.Around the corner from our hotel is the Hoa Lo Prison, a prison used by the French Colonists, in Vietnam for political prisoners and later by  North Vietnam for the US Prisoners of war during the Vietnam War.   During this later period it was sarcastically known to American POWs as the Hanoi Hilton. The prison...

Dad is so much better today, so glad.   We had a sleep in, late breakfast and then took a walk to where I ventured yesterday.   Dad still a little weak, we took the day slowly, we walked to the lake, across the Rising Sun Bridge, took a walk around Old Quarter where all the open air shops are.  We got Dad his jacket, a bargain, so he had one for the trip, a nice "NorthFace" jacket. It's got pockets everywhere, hood that stays on or comes off etc....

We are here, the airport is beautifully new (1 year old), very clean and welcoming.  Travelmarvel transfer waiting for us as we leave the baggage collection area.   Population of Hanoi, approx. 6 million, we can see Hanoi in the distance as we pass by outer country living, rice and vegetable fields.Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and in Vietnamese Hanoi is actually two words - “Ha” and “Noi”. Ha means 'river' and Noi means '...