Part3 - Cat Ba, Halong, Hanoi and beyond.

So we spent the night on Cat ba island and we were woken at crazy o clock to go to "monkey island". Breakfast was the usual vietnamese/english affair - bread, butter, jam, cucumber and noodles.

Then we hop in the bus and from there onto a smaller boat to the island, where we climb up the dodgiest (so far) little track to find monkeys, about half way up we have nice views and some of us decide that monkeys may not be worth the effort. 20 minutes later the rest of our tour return sans monkeys. The weather had been too bad and the monkeys were not out today. So instead we return to the overcast beach to collect shells and coral (already dead).

The morning ends early as no monkeys and no desire to swim in the grey water. We return to Cat Ba and have a wander around the town by the hotel but its pretty small, quiet and half closed as its out of season.

That afternoon we visit the national park on Cat Ba and climb to the viewing platform - now this is the dodgiest path I've ever climbed, with half attached metal ladders, rocky outcrops over nothing and mud slides everywhere. After an hour battling our way to the top we arrive at the viewing platform. It has a sign saying maximum load 5 people - b*****ed if i'd put five people on it. Claire assures me that the slats at the top didn't cover the whole floor, it was rusted as anything and it swayed in the wind. View from the bottom was nice though.

By the time we have slid back to the bottom its time to go for our night on the boat. It was a great evening; first we went swimming (more jumping and falling than actual swimming) but the current round the boat was pretty strong. Afterwards there was a nice dinner and a good opportunity to chat to some other people - nearly spoilt by the crews attempt to get us all to do karaoke - luckily that didn't last long.

Next morning we were late for breakfast (a personal best as it was 10yards from my bed) and we spent the morning pootling back to the harbour through the islands.

We got back to the hotel about 5pm and we are glad to see Tony (the hotel manager) who has made hostel letter head for us so we can claim on our insurance - legend. I shoot out for some memory cards so we can back up the photos and Claire settles down to helping the hostel do their website for trip advisor.

By the time we leave the next evening we have backed up over half our photos, posted them home, had lunch and added reviews, pictures and info to the hostel website. Not bad considering I didn't get out of bed til 11:50 and we left at 4pm.

That evening we have the sketchest dealings with bus drivers but somehow end up on the right bus to Laos.

The next morning (5am) we roll up to the Laos border. We have to wait til it opens at 7am and on our way through we have a bit of a panic attack as we realise we have no money and no visas. Thankfully there is a little booth with a chip and pin machine (maybe the only one in Laos). Also on the way through they take Claires passport into another room to inspect it and they refuse to give mine back until I have put a centre parting in my hair (and as Claire says try to look chubbier).

After that two hour squeky bum time we are let into Laos where we are greated by brekfast - a lump of really sticky rice and half a can of spam (Yum)

Team P