Bean About the World: Day 9 - Halong Bay, Vietnam

Up early doors as getting picked up at 7.30. Upon check out more serious admin prevails. Realise I have lost my debit card and that I have left it in the cash machine last night. Now I know this sounds foolish but in Vietnam they give you your cash before they give your card back so in "auto cash withdrawal" mode I got my cash and walked away without my card. Not the best timing for the first time I have ever lost a card. Luckily I bank with a truly international bank. Or maybe not. New card needs to be delivered to my home address or a branch in the UK. Very useful. Luckily my two UK based PA's (aka Mum and Dad) help me sort the situation - THANK YOU. But still need to get my card delivered to Coventry. Really handy when on a boat off the coast of Vietnam.

Another five hour mini bus ride to Halong Bay. Everywhere takes an age to get to here. Customary gift shop stop along the way. Also for a private mini bus we had a lot of strangers in it!!

Got to Halong Bay at around midday but well worth the trip. What a day ensued. Lots of pictures coming!!!

To start with we are given life jackets for the boat to our boat. Very amusing that the bit where you may need the life jacket the most, climbing from one boat to another, they make you take it off and give it back. Not that we needed them anyway.

Arrive at our boat. Chartered all to ourselves.

Climb aboard...

And off we trot. Not sure about boats made out of concrete though!!

The trip starts with a 9 course lunch. All fish. We continue to eat like kings (and continue to get even fatter).

Halong Bay is truly a wonder of the world.

There are 1,900 Islands here and we will see 400 of them on our trip. The name Halong means 'descending dragon' in Vietnamese because it looks like a dragon descending into the water.

Quick fire photo round...

Passing the rocks that are on the Vietnamese dong, Vietnamese Dave (our very friendly guide) assures me of this but I can't quite see the resemblance.

After an hour or so the cloud burns off.

And we arrive at an island (man made beach) where we can trek right to the top. 479 very steep steps.

How amazing... Although I assure you aliens weren't attacking us...

View from the top. We were very sweaty but grateful of the exercise.

Our little boat awaiting our return...

Pretty good looking at the top of the rock

Back at the bottom we had a swim in the very cold water, then back to the boat. Apparently getting the best grade in the whole of Aston Business School doesn't equip you with the essential life skill of putting a life jacket on properly.

The Baywatch girls! (life jackets are the new breast implants)

Next up kayaking (this is what I had to get off the phone from pops for. I'm sure you understood!!). This was awesome.

I only wish we could have taken a camera to where we went. The most amazing place I have ever seen. We kayaked through a small tunnel into an enclosure surrounded by steep mountains. Breathtaking views. Just like the scene out of the film 'the beach'. Awe inspiring. We also saw loads of tiny monkeys with their babies. They were fantastic, swinging through the trees and clambering down precipitous cliffs that you wouldn't believe is even possible. Would never have thought monkeys could have got down them.

Back at the boat it was time for more swimming and diving off the boat. Aka love jump...

Len Ken...

Sunset on Halong

Parked up for the night in the middle of the bay. Beautiful with the back drops and the beautifully lit boats around us.

Drinks on the sun deck

Teaching us how to make spring rolls.

The results. From left to right. Dave. Lynne (lost). Aaron. Caroline. Nat (won)

Spring rolls served...

Dinner was exquisite. Another fishy feast. Lunch was 9 courses. This was 10. With breakfast (including breakfast pudding) it's been a 21 course day. Golfers couldn't even do better than this.

Having a try of Daves gift from Johnny from Hanoi. Lasted all of 1 min before we give up.