Hey Peeps,

Going to try make this shorter for you so you dont all get bored really quickly. Once we had finished in Yangshou we travelled down to Hong kong, we got a night bus, which unfortunately got us into Guangzhou for 3am-ouch. Nowhere was open so we went into McDonalds, had a burger and slept in there for 3 hours, very funny.

Hong Kong is very busy, tiny hotel rooms, Pete literally put his arms out to the side and he could touch both walls, its no good being as messy as we are and having no space. We ended up our usual day of exploring and getting lost. Found a market and went to sort our Vietnam visa out as we forgot we would need them. We also found a shop called w***o and a place called Mongkok-tehe. We went out in the evening to head to the ladies market (very sexist I know!) and I heard this guy shouting, I thought he was calling a taxi, but no he was shouting 'Dadsy', seriously cant take Pete anywhere without him bumping into someone, it was a rugby mate, Tin and Cindy had just arrived that evening, so we had to celebrate this crazy coincidence and have a few beers, or many, I found cider and salt and vinegar crisps-so happy!!

The next day we dragged Tin and Cinfy with us and we visited the I love you Peak on a tram, we went up the bank of China and went on the observation deck. We went to an art museum and convention centre and then we went down the avenue of stars, which was inevitably pointless as we only knew 2 and I think you can guess who those Chinese stars might be! It started to rain, which is a sign that its beer'o'clock. We had a massive night out heading to Lan Kwai Fong, an area with millions of bars. We stayed up until 5 drinking. You can imagine what states we were in the following day. Me and Pete literally went for some food, then went back to bed. Hong Kong is also very expensive especially for alcohol-budget blown, oops.

We flew to Hanoi in Vietnam, got in about 130am, so tired and ready for bed. When we got to the hotel, we were expecting massive things but had picked one with good reviews. Well when we got there we were so shocked by how amazing it was, it seemed unreal. We got free water and a free bottle of red wine, fancy pants!!The room was massive as well, free internet in room and huge shower, we had to pay straight away as we thought it might be a scam, it wasnt luckily. The staff were amazing, free breakfast, which was whatever you wanted to pick off the menu, they tried to encourage you to have more and more. This is not good for my waistline!

Our first day in Hanoi, so we wondered and found our bearings (got lost). We visited the temple of literature, the army museum, the ho chi minh mausoleum, Hoan Kiem Lake and one pillar pagoda. Hanoi is absolutely bonkers, bikes flying in every direction, the rule in Vietnam when crossing the road is move slowly and then the bikes will go around you. It works, but its quite scary, the same doesnt apply to buses as Pete found out. We booked on the Halong bay boat trip, 3 days and 2 nights. We went to the boat and met lots of nice people. We did some kayaking around the floating villages and the caves. We had amazing food on the boat and our room was really nice, with a balcony looking out onto the water (obviously). We met a brilliant couple who we had many a beer with. Pete tried to encourage the lad to jump in the water after a few beers and swim to another boat, but he was scared of what his misses might say, Pete trying to lead people a stray, ha. The second night we stayed on monkey island, which was basically a secluded beach with only about 10 bungalows on it, we had a BBQ and made a bonfire, which Pete was in charge of, who else? At night the plankton sparkle in the water, so we dipped our legs in the water and it glows up really bright, its magical. Pete jumped in with his boxers and another guy followed. They were like mermen-was brill.

After Halong bay we went back to Hanoi and then got the bus to Ninh Binh, which only took 1 1/2hours but we waited on the bus for 2 hours, so hot!!We eventually made it there and went out for some street food, which only cost 2 pounds for a meal, fruit and drinks-amazing. Next day we hired a moped and Pete took us to Tam coc and around Nihn Binh, we travelled along way and saw another pagoda and some local villages.

Next day we hired another moped and went to Cuc Phuong Nature reserve, we stayed in the reserve at mac lake. We changed rooms as we wanted to be close to lake. Whilst preparing to go out Pete went in bathroom to put his contact lenses in, he tilted the mirror only for a massive tarantula to drop down onto the sink, I have never heard Pete make those noises before, I knew something bad must be in the bathroom for him to come running out. I looked in the bathroom and was so shocked, Pete attempted to get the tarantula out by the old classic glass over it, the glass was tiny, he tried anyway and it jumped at him and into the actual basin, Pete gave in and went for the cleaner, who was tiny. She picked up with a cloth and threw it outside, Pete was so gutted, it was huge though. Knowing that was outside made me put the mosquito net up straight away over our bed and tucked it in so tight.

We went on our travels, we went to the endangered primate centre and the tortoise centre, we wondered around the park listening to the monkeys sink. We drove to a bat cave and a thousand year old tree. On the way we played chicken with a 4 by 4, I think you can imagine which one won, we went flying into the bushes. Both fine, thank god. We had dinner around the lake, but as it was Saturday there was a massive Vietnamese party, so Karoke and rice wine for them all night, we played out for a little bit but retreated to bed. Whilst reading we could see these lizards emerging from nowhere all on the wall, so pleased I had my Mosquito net.

Anyway will leave you with that for now. Back soon for more tales.

Keep me in touch of your stuff as well through facebook n emails

Love H xxx