Vietnam - Hanoi and around

A flight in from Hong Kong was a novelty after all the train trips. The first thing that hit me was the it is worse trying to cross the roads, due to the amount of traffic, than it was in China. I resorted to holding Ian's hand every time (like a child), and being lead. Caught up with Azza for a couple of nights. For some context, Azza is my old London house mate Cyndi's (Ozzie) NZ boyfriend. He has been based in Hanoi for 7 months being a tour leader. He had already started his tour, but we still got to meet up. It was great to get some local knowledge, and quite frankly he was tickled pink to see us - as he hasn't had many visitors. One of the cultural experiences is to go and watch a Water puppet show. It was very interesting for the first half and then I was a bit over it. We were given a paper fan at the performance which I must say has come in handy since. We found ourselves looking in all the galleries. Consequently Ian bought a huge oil painting. The amount of trouble we had arranging via the gallery how it was going to be sent back to England....headaches...paying....them changing the price of freight......us trying to negotiate the gallery to pay for some of the stuff up and getting no joy....them then suggesting at the eleventh hour (and not before) about sending it by sea!!! All worked out in the end. To think what may have happened if we had not gone back to the gallery and his parents ended up with a huge extra cost at the other end. A must see (quite touristy but worth it experience) is a tour to Halong Bay. Bus to the bay, on a boat for 1 night - 14 people. Beautiful scenery - limestone cliffs, jumping off the boat, swimming. Met some lovely people - Julia and Graham from Qsland, and Steve and Laura from England. There were others who we didn't spend much time with but were also traveling for a long time and had similar itineries. We actually saw two of the couples in Thailand, and another numerous times along the east coast of Vietnam, traveling south. The tour can encompass staying on Cat Ba National Park - we actually stayed for 2 nights, (not the tour that they offer, but a tip is that if you just tell them what you want, they do end up accommodating you). Walked up a mountain (my fan was useful), over rocks and tree roots, kayaaking, swimming, and a free day for the beach. Experienced for the first time a disgruntled young postcard seller (of about 8 yrs old - girl) who I didn't buy from, who told me to "f" you, after I gave Ian money to buy something else instead! Couldn't believe it! Absolutely no concept of customer relations and word of mouth (from me) potentially effecting her future business! The other trip to take from Hanoi is to Sapa - North Hill Tribes. It involved an overnight train and then mini van for one and a half hours. Jason and Jacque stayed for only one night and we stayed for 3 nights. This is where we actually parted company after 2 months of traveling together. Jason for sure was fighting back tears - big baby! We trekked through rice fields and saw villages, waterfalls, new schools having been built and a teacher trying to convince a community that it would be good for their children to attend school - but the parents would want them to help in the fields. We hired motorbikes and rode 80 kms over the Tram ton pass. Luckily we had a NZ called Gummi with us, cause when we stopped for a break my bike was tampered with and he figured out it was the fuel switch. We met up with Julia and Graham drank some Sapa wine - mix of sherry and porto, which I must say was rather nice. We went to the English pub and had a good bangers and mash and the full breakfast went down a treat. There were local craft sellers with blue dyed hands from the material they made, and friendly girls who learn english from the tourists. We figured out why everyone we met were taking the bus south. Cause it is cheap as chips! We were going to take the train for the first part. It would have been US$20 each. We now have an open ticket that allows us to get on and off between the mayor towns all across Vietnam for US$21 each. Lets hope that I do not regret it as I'm not a great traveler in buses and cars, and this first leg is an overnighter, and I don't sleep all that well sitting up. My vices to try and combat this will be an inflatable pillow and wrapping my lavender insert (that is supposed to go into a pillow) around my head! Fingers crossed. Off we go down south.