Heading to Ha Long Bay...

Well the $4 extra for a first class sleeper back to Hanoi on the overnight train last night paid off. I slept pretty well...big blanket, fluffy pillow, water, flushing toilet AND soap at the sink..woo hoo! :)

I shared the 4 person cabin with 3 other Vietnamese folks. hmmm was a bit paranoid I will admit since I was on a top bunk and my big bag was stored on the bottom underneath the other beds...drug smuggling into my bag..I kept envisioning such arrests at the train station after hearing about some crazy stories from my Iraeli and Spaniard friends from my Sapa Trek....

Anyway, made it back to the hostel after bartering for a $2 taxi ride back to the hostel. The staff are so amazing here....gave me a towel to shower, water fruit, and are packing a lunch for the 3 1/2 hour bus ride to Ha Long Bay.

There is so much amazing fruit in this tropical place but the one tough thing is that you can't really buy one or two pieces of fruit. You ask for one banana and they will grab 2 bunches for you and you probably end up paying the same for both right?! haha

People I've met keep making a comment about how my traveling experiences through Asia will be different simply by the way I look. I agree and am tempted to dress up like a local and learn some of the native tongue to see what prices and such I get.

Very very interesting....

So I got one night on the junk boat and then one at a hotel with my package. Exploring Cat Cat island, kayaking, swimming and more are some activities. Its looking a bit cloudy so will see how we go with that! I've spoken to many who have gone on the trip and they have not swam in the water. I think I'm gonna jump in and do it!