Climbing 421 steps to see the view of Halong Bay was well worth it and there was also a sense of achievement having done it in barefeet. Returning to the boat we jumped off the top deck (more than once) to find the water boiling, after a warning it would be freezing from our Vietmanese tour guide Hanh. After an early lunch we returned to the habour and then onto Hanoi, where I put my clothes into the laundry for the first time. We then met the remaining members o...

After a small trek in the morning lasting only 2 hours we left Mai Chau province and headed back to Hanoi, again stopping at Lac village for lunch. We arrived back in Hanoi, had a long awaited shower some of the group went to Goldenland Cafe. My meal consisted of a BLT, garlic bread, mars cheesecake and yoghurt with honey. Random and unhealthy but really delicious!

Arriving at Hanoi at 5 Am we made it to the Hang Ngoc hotel before 6. From there we walked round Hoam Kien lake to watch hundredspartake in tai-chi.After a lovely buffet breakfast we slept all morning, before I again walked round the lake soaking up the first signs of sun for a few days. Later that evening we met our tour guide and our group for the first 6 days, older than I thought but Charlie (Vic Reeves lookalike) is hilarious! So after dinner at Little Hanoi...

We left Cat Ba Island on the 12.20 ferry, paying over double what we should. The worst thing was I knew we were getting ripped off! The ferry arrived in Haiphong city over 3 hours later, grabbed something to eat beforte catching a minibus for the 2 and a half hour drive back to Hanoi. We arrived in Hanoi but unsure where, our taxi driver claimed we were 30 km away and asked for $100, we settled at $15 believing we had a bargain, but arrived at our hotel 10 minute...

We spent 5 hours in Singapore Airport very early morning. It was very clean and very state of the art a complete contrast to Delhi. Flying from Singapore to Hanoi took 3 and a half hours, we finally arrived at 2.30 local time. Jon and I went in search of a the Real Kangaroo cafe but got hopelessly lost, not knowing where our hotel was or even its name. We finally traced our steps, found the hotel and were soon on our way for food, we found the Real Kangaroo Cafe ...