Today we're in Halong Bay. The trip is coming to an end - it seems to have flown by over the last ten days.

We had travelled by train from Hue to Hanoi, which took about 12 hours, then transferred from Hanoi to Halong Bay, where we arrived at the hotel early this morning. I don't think I could get used to travelling by train in this country as it is pot luck as to what it's going to be like. This is the third overnight train we've taken in "first" class, and they've got progressively worse each time. This one could only be described as disgusting. Good job I was sleeping in my silk liner!

Halong Bay is recognised as a world heritage site. There are approximately 2000 outcrops coming out of the sea 1-2 miles from the shore. Although the weather was overcast, the scerenery was spectacular. we took a private boat, on which we were served a seafood lunch freshly cooked on board.

We then travelled in and around the islands and to a landing spot where we entered one of the outcrops which opened up into spectacular limestone caves. When I eventually get my photos uploaded, you'll see just how amazing they were. They'd also been lit up with different coloured lights, which added to the spectacle. On the way back to dry land, there were loads of opportunities for taking photos of local fishermen and the busy fishing fleet that is based here.

I've just had a couple of hours chilling out in my hotel room. I think that's the longest time I've had on this whole trip to rest!

We travel again tomorrow back to Hanoi - on a back breaking bus for 3 hours. Then it's 2 days in the capital city before I fly back to Bangkok and on to the rest of Thailand.