We've been in Halong Bay for just a night and I've had an amazing one- everything so far has just been captivating and incredible on this trip; I'm feeling lucky to have booked onto it!

So after our connection in Hanoi, we got the bus straight to Halong Bay... I say straight there but in fact, what actually happened was that because Marissa had a nightmare with the Asian style toilets on offer, the rest of the group had to hang on on the bus for her to find some werstern style facilities before we could leave. I'm sure that she won't mind me naming and shaming. It's been quite a running joke that her fussiness might land her in a sticky situation where she might actually stumble across an Asian style toilet in Southeast Asia. Hilarious.

Once we finally reached the bay, it wasn't long (or as long as we waited for Marissa) before we headed back out again to do the ever so popular kayak tour around the bay. We headed out to the open water by boat where we were greeted by a spread of food and drinks. I don't even want to go into detail as my stomach weakens at the thought but basically, we got to watch Kim dissect and eat a fish head- including the good old juicy eyeballs,VOM! He seemed to enjoy it too- it's a thing in his motherland, Cambodia- not for me thanks!

Halong Bay as facinating as our tour guide Wat described it to be was sprinkled with a network of sea houses where some of the poorest Vietnamese call home. It was surreal- dogs running out of the huts to greet us as we set sail in our kayaks. I risked it and took my phone out wrapped inside of a plastic bag. needless to say it was risky business as it rained but I got some bloody good snaps!