Hanoi Tres (Cat Ba Dos)

Woke naturally at 6AM today (after early night). Blissful silence. Being in the country is great. Even if the motorbikes start early there is not enough traffic for beeping to be necessary.

Had non-vietnamese breakfast, which involved a heated debate as to whether I could have jam with my toast. "But you ordered the fried egg and bread, not the jam and bread. "I'll pay extra for teh jam". Debate resolved. Needless to say, I got the jam :-)

Tour bus collected us for short (slightly scary) trip to Cat Ba National Park. This included some faffing about as tourists boarded and then jumped off again to rush back and get stuff they had let behind. (Typical Aussies) Met local tour guide on bus. He spoke less English than the other guides, but enough, and was really very sweet. A true local, living on Cat Ba Island all his life.

The trek was 14km of advanced hill-climbing. It was much harder work than anyone present expected (except the guide). Flash and I were expecting to leave some of the group behind and have to wait for people to catch up. But we ended up with the uber-hiking group from... 'Nam. :S The group was generally a good bunch, although I am bugged about spending too much time with non-vietnamese. if I wanted to meet Aussies, I'd go to Oztrailier. ;-)

It was full on hiking with minimal stops. We are tired, and slightly sore. It was beautiful! In fact, I kept feeling like I'd come home, the whole way along. It was very similar to northern NZ bush. Especially the bit where it got all clay and wet and slippery. Although, the cement-with-stones trail most of the way was a bit foreign, and disconcerting. As was the variety of largish insects "very poisonous" along the way.

The lunch in traditional village was good food, and the village was great. We watched the process of quarrying (by hand) roacks, and turning them into fine gravel and sand for brick making! People still live like that???!!!

On the way back around the island (by boat) we stopped for a salt water swim. Only two people had togs, but at least 6 of us were in the water. :-)

We returned. Same room for the second night, that's a new one so far. Took a walk around the bay, harrassed by girls selling postcards. We "promised" to buy them if they saw us when we came back. They saw us!!! They also grossly overcharged us, which we discovered when offered the same cards by a boy. Apparently one should always buy from boys. They are less business savvy! I figured it was 10000D for the cards (standard price) and 45000D for the entertainment. :-)

On the way around we were approached by a bunch of local kids playing in the street. They had spotted my camera and I realised (after a few seconds of smiling incomprehension) that they wanted me to take their picture. I obliged! Posed photos of Vietnamese kids clowning around in front of a camera... a tourists dream. The digital age is wonderful, because then I could turn the camera around and show them the pictures of themselves, which is what they Really wanted. I'm so obliging. :-D

Flash collected video footage of gaudy flashing street decoration, to a lovely backdrop of over-loud sound-testing! Some festival tomorrow night, shame we won't be here.... :-S

Off now for dinner on floating restaurant on the bay. "What not eating at hotel? But you pay for it in tour.....". Heard good things about the food out on the bay... and it's floating!

Yay. So Much Fun!
GBFSB