After our pleasant train ride, but not so pleasant four am arrival, we sleepily got off the train in the country's capital, Hanoi. We dumped our bags in the hotel, and had a few hours nap and a much needed shower, before setting off to the magnificient Halong Bay. A fourhour bus journey and we arrived - there are way too many buses on this trip for my liking, but at least we get a good view en route.

Even from the shoreline. it looked amazing, we were finally here at Halong Bay, the wonder we had all been waiting for, one of the highlights of the trip, sure not to disappoint.

Halong Bay - a mass of 3000 individual islands rising dramatically from the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, are a sheer wonderment. With our our boat and crew, we set sail for four hour long boat ide around the islands. I can't even describe them to do them justice! It is just a beautiful spectacle.

Soon after boarding our boat, we were served with a delicious seafood lunch. Batterd squid, fresh fish drizzled with chillis and lemon, chips, rice and stuffed crab, which was devine set us on good stead for the afternoon ahead.

Floating past the most picturesque scenery, the vegetation covered islands just keep on amazing. Just as you think there is open waters, another island rises out of the sea. We also passed the spot where there is a setlement in the waters - for those of you who saw the Top Gear Vietnam Special, this is where they stopped at the bar.

A little further on, our boat moored in the middle of the gulf and harboured against a rock. It was time to swim. The boys instantly raced up to the top deck to jump off the boat, and us girls more cautiously followed. Standing on the edge, looking at the water from below from this height felt pretty daunting. he whole 'edges' thing again was haunting me. One by one, people jumped off, some nervous, but still going for the plunge. Edging futher, I closed my eyes, jumped, and screamed until I was deep under water, emerging and spitting out the salty water I had just swallowed. It was great, I loved it and wanted to do it again,. But instead we swimmed for a bit, before climbing back up to the top deck. Strangely, I felt even more nervous second time around, and it took me a good ten minutes to jump. When I finally plunged into the waters, I decided I would stay put this time. We swam, and drifted in the current, before looking up and seeing that the boat was moving. The boat was moving away. And we were still here in the water. I used all my swimming skills to power past the current and past the propellas of the boat which were puching us further away. It was such hard work, but we made it to the stairs, yet some people had to be dragged out. Exhausted, Icollapsed on a sunbed on the topdeck, surrounded by the beauty.

Our next pitstop were some caves. Although the ceiling was mightily impressive, as were the stalegtites and mites, the cave was ruined by coloured lighting and a fake geiser. This is certainly not what we wanted to see, in this beautiful world heritage site, afmed for natural beauty and majesty, makes you wonder why it would be ruined by pink and green lights in a cave. One can only wonder.

Back onboard we sailed back towards the mainalnd, as dusk was beginning to slowly wind it's spell over the rock formations. A fantastic day was had all round, and it made it even better as reached ou hotel to realise we had a spectacular view of the bay, and made it just in time to capture the sun falling behind the rocks. Perfect.