So, another early (ish) start today (it's amazing how easy early starts have been whilst we've been away- that's what happens when you are having an early start for an adventure and not work!!!) up and ready for the much anticipated trip to Halong Bay. We awoke to find that the heavens had opened over night and it was pouring with rain…. Whilst standing on the front steps of the hostel contemplating if we could be bothered to head out into the rain to find some...

So after the beautiful sleepy village of Hoi An we were gearing up for the city life again in Hanoi! Not before another 24 hour bus journey.... the joys of cheap travel. We got picked up from the bus station and sat aboard the 'Luxery VIP' bus with the other passengers, we had a five hour bus journey to Hue, stopped for a few hours, (nothing much really to report from Hue, but to be fair we may not be giving it justice as we were limited on time) and then we boar...

Another early start on Friday, this time to embark on a whole new exprience, a "sleeper bus". We'd booked our ticket in Ho Chi Minh to take us all of the way to Hanoi - for a grand total of about 20 pounds each (look at the map and you'll see just what kind of distance that is for the money!!). The first stage of our journey was a 24 hour trip to Hoi An, on the coast of Vietnam. We arrived at the travel agent (there are literally hundreds upon hundreds of travel ...

So, the VIP luxury bus was picking us up from the hostel in Siem Reap at 6.30, right? WRONG! Luckily for us we set the alarm for 5.30am and at 5.45 there was a knock at the door, our bus had a arrived. A scramble to get our things together and we were on the bus. I mentioned VIP didnt I, with AC etc, well if AC is the door open with the floods water spraying us as we went down the back streets picking up locals and other bemused westerners, then I guess thats VIP...