Hello! I am back in the Hanoi bacpackers after a 3 day trip to Halong Bay, about a 3 hour drive away. It was an amazing sight, but typically it was SO overcast and cloudy it didn't do it any justice and when I finally get round to uploading photos i'm sure the reaction from most will be: "great?"!!!

We got on a boat that included all our meals. And yes, they were all seafood! the occasional chip and vegetables popped up though which was a relief. I am sick sick sick to death of rice already, rice and soy sauce! all i seem to be eating! but luckily there are these fabulous mini marts that i have got oreos from...yum! (i was informed by a friendly australiant that yum yum should definitely NOT be said out loud in Vietnam as it means 'me so horny' or words to that effect!!!)

We toured around the bay and eventually docked for a tour around a cave. It was a.m.a.z.i.n.g. It took 350 million years to develop, and you can make out lots of figures and shapes, including one they called "the canon" but, as the lonely planet guide more accurately calls it, "the big dick".

After trekking around this cave we then went kayaking! Yes, I was weary of my upper strength (anyone who's seen me attempt press ups will verify this..) but i got paired up with anthony the aussie who is a kayaking pro! score! only about 10 minutes into this hour trip his paddle broke!! Nooo! Needless to say, stiff arms the next day. We went into this cove and it was the most peaceful, silent place I have ever experienced. You could hear a pin drop it was incredible. Then some aussie boys came round the corner ruining it for everyone haha!

After that we had dinner on the boat (more bloody seafood!!) and joined up with another boat where we had a karaeoke machine and beeeeeer. 33p a can/bottle. Still tastes rank though.

The next day we went off to Cat Ba Island where we explored another cave after walking around the fish farms (!!) which was just as amazing as the last, but a little more eery. There was a gap of like, 30 cms we were asked to crawl through - only one attempted, with one fail!

We then made our way to our 2 star hotel which was ok, but like everywhere else i've stayed, it's very dank and the sheets are always damp! the sun doesnt seem to want to come out in hanoi or halong and i guess there are no dryers!

But now I am back in Hanoi preparing myself (mentally and food-ily) for a 12 hour sleeper bus to Hue with 4 girls I met in the dorm who happen to know a friend from school which is great, hopefully will travel all the way to Ho Chi Min with them, if they can stand me!

That's it for now, will update in Hue or Hoi An (where I am going to get a tailor made jacket!)

Lots of love xxxxxx