Hanoi & Ha Long

sin chow! long time no chit chat...

I'd like to say my lack of updates is a direct result of being too busy, but that would be false and unfair to people who depend on blog posts to gauge if I'm still alive (family, god etc.)...yes god reads my blog inbetween business meetings.

A lot of people on the road say that there comes a point, usually after a month or so, that your interest in your own blog starts to wane as you get absorbed by your trip and just can't be bothered with the recollection of already fuzzy memories. I hope I won't casually slip into that bracket and let this board collect virtual dust.

I believe the last post was from Vang Vieng, which is crazy because it's been a good two weeks. One thing about SE Asia is that you can take a wad of money, throw it at someone and make things happen. This is what I did for my vietnam visa, dropping a cool 60$ for same day return, which actually took two days. Money well spent. I caught the bus into the capital of Laos, Vientiene, which is, once again, a quaint but bustling former french colony town. Not a horrible lot to do I'm afraid, with a 11:00 curfew, but I enjoyed some delicious baguettes by the river as I contemplated my next move. Already having my visa, the next question was how did I want to get to Hanoi, Vietnam.

Option 1 - 20 hour bus ride with a 5 hour stop over at the border while we waited for it to open
Option 2 - 1h30min flight with an in flight meal

We're talking a difference of 18$ vs 140$ and which one did you think this frugal independent traveler took? If you guessed the cheaper one you would be wrong, as I marched into a booking agency and asked them to get me on a flight that day at 2:00. Why you ask....still not sure myself...but mostly because I don't think there is enough valium I can safely take to knock me out for a full day, as well the popular moniker for the cheaper option 'The Death Bus'.

Making friends on the plane, we got a taxi to the backpackers circuit to plunker down and recharge, although Hanoi is a massive city, almost on par with bangkok, and I really wish I could make you see the sheer chaos that is these streets. No one really follows traffic lights, if there is any, there are more scooters than humans, somehow, and the number one rule is the bigger vehicle has the right away. Finding out the dorm rooms were full, we hopped over to a hotel for a whopping 8$ a piece with air con, hot shower and HBO! A little slice of heaven.

Day 2 or 3 here, with sleep in my eyes and little ambition I threw another wad of money at the reception desk and said get me to Ha Long bay! For anyone that hasn't heard of it, it's this eerily beautiful bay on the east coast of vietnam that is crawling with tourists, fisherman, birds of prey and deserted islands. Again, being frugal, I sprang for the deluxe tour, which included three incredible meals a day, our own house boat, a multitude of scandalous parties and watersports. Here's a short list of the goings on, and if anyone's in the neighborhood I highly recommend doing this because I had the time of my life!

-Jumping of the boat in the perfect temperature salt water
-Brushing up my wakeboarding skills (bailing incredible hard while attempting a sick 180 bro)
-Skinny dipping with phosphorant algae, although I don't know if actually was that or the moon reflecting of the water (drunk fool)
-Sneaking through underground caves making a gollum voice (preccccccccccious.....)
- Kings cup/Ring of Fire/Beer Slut with some debaucherous results that probably don't fit into the context of this blog.

This tour really depends on the guide and the people you're with and we lucked out on both. really good posse, we all got on well and no one got punched or drowned! Bonus. There's adverts everywhere saying 'Ha Long party guide, do YOU have what it takes' Basically, these guys do 4 or 5 of these tours a month, cruise around the ocean with accomodation, drink and food included and ring the gong when it's time to eat. Sound amazing? I'm sure it is, but the other side is having to smile, get liquored and pretty much repeat the exact same conversations 27 out of 30 days a month. Our tour guide was on his last run, probably for sanity's sake if not to give his liver a break.

Tanned, hungover and with a gaggle of new friends we weasled our way back into Hanoi where I've been living groundhog day for...god knows how many days. Wake up, coffee and a cigarette, internet, have a chat with people outside, try and learn some vietnamese and then up to the roof bar for dinner and two for one beers. It's great, but being stuck in a time loop for anything is a bit shit, so it's almost time to get out of dodge. Luckily my escape is imminent, as that same tour guide and I are buying motorcycles on thursday an working our way down Vietnam easy rider style...I don't think it's enough time to grow a handlebar moustache but I'm trying my very hardest. Hue, Hoi An, couple of random spots, sell the bike in Saigon and on to Cambodia this month...budgeting is out the window, but my pace through these countries is way faster than I planned so Less time = more money spent....yaaa.

I will fight the LIBS (Losing interest in the blog syndrome) as I work my way down, and maybe even get some photos up! Happy 'World No Tobacco day' everyone! Josh out.