Day 35 - 1st jan We've set the alarm early......6.50 and we are both up.... Looking forward to leaving this dump well behind.... Destination - Dong hoi - 210km. We pay our bill and make for the bike but there's an issue.... The frame that carries our bags pretty much falls apart as we load it up.... Great !!! So much for a early start. I leave Shiree in the guesthouse carpark and go off in search of help.... One very good thing about Vietnam is that your ...

Day 34 - 31st dec Today we are up at 8 and eager for a early start.... Today we are going to spend the whole day on highway 1 heading south... We grab a large breakfast in preparation for the day ahead.... Finding good food in Vietnam is proving a little tricky so we eat whilst we can..... Whilst shiree's packing up the last few things in the room a take myself off to get some fuel.. The fuel gauge on the bike doesn't work properly and neither does the speedo s...

Day 33 30th Dec Alarm fires off at 6.45 and we're up, packed and down stairs by 7.03 More cornflakes with egg on toast, served by the most attentive girls in Vietnam.. As soon as we finish we load the bike up and tie everything down tight and we are off... 90 km ahead lies our destination.... Ninh Binh. Setting off involves us using a very busy roundabout that's built into a flyover that's outside our hotel, this involves us using the old quarters roads ...

Day 32 Today is a lazy day... It's our last in Hanoi and we've seen everything we want to see.... We just wonder the streets and end up having lunch on tiny plastic stools cooking our own meat on a camping stove that's in a plastic table that's a foot off the ground.... The meats really good, as is the veg that came with it.... It all tastes good and we enjoy this meal, watching the works go by at a child's hight.... I've decided I want to get all our gear on...

Day 31 We wake up and walk to the top deck for another great breakfast.... We could get used to this type of life style quite easily... The boat starts moving pretty much as soon as we sit down.... It's taking us back to Halong..... Today's our last day, and we'll both be sorry to get back into the minibus.... Our little piece of luxury has been well needed and will come in stark contrast to some places we may yet end up staying in.. The trip back involves goi...