About an hour after making our way out of Hanoi, fortunately against rush hour traffic, the van pulled over to the side of the highway with vans from other Halong Bay cruise companies. The drivers conversed, alternating with cell phone conversations. After ten minutes of this, our driver (who spoke no English) returned and we started up, soon turning onto a dirt road and traveling through a rice paddy. For about 45 minutes we drove through small villages on roads seemingly not fit for any type of motorized vehicle, but being traversed by everything from motorbikes to big trucks. We later learned there had been a major truck accident that blocked the highway - thus the detour through the rural countryside and arrival delay of one hour. We made the requisite tour bus stop for the WC at the center selling all sorts of art objects made by the disabled people. Stationed around this very large center filled with paintings, embroidery, clothing, "antiques," ceramics, and large stone sculpture were stations where several rows of young people (and who for the most part did not appear disabled) were doing amazing repetitive work to create similar products). Once arriving at the Indochina Junk center at Halong Bay, we boarded our boat, Dragon Pearl 3. The cruise party consisted of five South African couples who had been bicycle riding in the north and after the boat trip had three more days of bicycling in the Mekong Delta, an American couple from Houston (housewife and Korean Airlines pilot), and two younger couples from Australia, not travelling together.

We had the first of several wonderful meals as the boat departed and then arrived at our anchorage spot in Bai Tu Long Bay, adjacent to Halong Bay. This company has one of the few licenses to Bai Tu Long Bay, so our boat was alone (unlike the experiences of others in Halong Bay where up to 600 boats could be anchored). Weather was warm, but not hot and overcast. Although the more distant limestone island peaks were not clear, the setting was wonderful. We kayaked for about an hour as the sun was setting - what a magical experience. Once back on the boat, time for dinner with most of it from the sea, including grilled prawns, stir-fried clams and pineapple, oyster cakes, fried mackerel, chicken, Vietnamese spinach, and crab.

I chose to go to sleep after dinner as I was exhausted, others stayed up a bit, especially those who made good use of the well-stocked bar on board.