Under my skin and in my heart ....we love you Vietnam....bye for now

Good Morning Halong Bay

Can you guess what it is yet?

Waking up in Halong Bay has to be one of life's sweeter moments.  We drank strong coffee, ate good food, bathed in the beautiful views and shared more memories with our companions as we all began our "goodbye" phase.  The chef gave us a demonstration of his superb skills from the previous evening and yet another example of how this wonderful race of people just keep throwing up gems!  What skills!!

Carrot Net or Vege Flower?

We weighed anchor and slid past those misty, wooded rocks.  The sea was tranquil, but a fine mist of rain was falling from the leaden skies.  Back on the bus everyone was slightly subdued, lost in thoughts.

Anyone that has travelled with me has seen this pose

Julia insisted on including this one of my knee and it's
attendant Vietnamese Road Gunk

I stared at my wife, fast asleep in the seats next to me and wondered at all we had seen in South East Asia.  From the fantastic to the atrocious; from wonder to wonder, learning to learning and pleasure to quite intense pain on a Vietnamese mountain roadside.  We had certainly left part of ourselves here.....me in particular!









As if on cue, two particularly poignant songs popped up on the iPod and I stared at the countryside rolling by my window and sank into a very content reverie.  First up, our good friend Frankie S. dropped by to croon "I've got you....under my skin"....and I smiled.  It was too good to be true.

Then along comes that squeaky voiced specialist Gene Pitney with "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart".....well, if THAT isn't a sign WHAT is?  Hmmmm?

Either way, in two songs I realised that

a) Vietnam was my (and Julia's it turns out) favourite country in the world right now
b) I would never ever forget our time in this marvellous land.....from the moment we set foot and shook Mr. Lam's hand, to the crazy Chinese New Year's party with new found friends in Saigon, to mountain crashes and Vodka meals in Da Lat, Vietnam had delivered the goods on EVERY level

That evening proved the theory again.  After an excellent and chilled "private" afternoon wondering the streets with my wife, visiting post offices and wholesale markets stuffed to the rafters with Chinese tat (how romantic I hear you say!), we all met again for our final meal.  Night-time in Hanoi is very different to day-time.  Somehow it seems more vibrant.  The locals are all dressed up, seeing and being seen.

The meal was tucked away upstairs above a souvenir shop.  Ask me to find it again I'd laugh in your face.  Ask me if I WANT to find it again....I would sob and say "HOW?"....because it was great food.  The girls went to the loo (through the kitchen) at one point, apparently that took the shine off the food!  Still, best not to look at the kitchen in Asia as it's never going to make you smile and say "Wow, that place looks really hygienic!"

We said our thanks to Chi and I was asked to give a little speech and present our parting gift.  Then we split up - some heading off to the "Water Puppet Show"....others (us included) to the pub.  After our brush with Vietnamese "Opera" a show involving puppets, water and long tracts of classic stories in a language and culture we don't understand...well......you do the math!

The pub was better.  Let's just leave it there.  And we did.

Next morning there were hugs and kisses, promises to keep in touch and visit each other, then the group moved on.  We did too.  As with Saigon, we had booked another hotel for a couple of days, to unwind and pamper ourselves.  It was lovely to be able to relax in a huge comfy bed again.....to get a good internet connection and update our blog...to welcome civilisation with open arms.

He really isn't making much effort is he?

Asian B&Q

Traffic Cop and his "pokey stick"

They really don't want you to go down there :)

We did a short walk in Hanoi the next day, taking in some sights and learning that a "Happy House" is not only a clean toilet on the road in Asia, but also a restaurant by a lake.  We learned that Julia is viewed as a celebrity by certain young Asian girls and we learned that we were ready to move on.  Julia learned that she needs to be careful when wearing skirts as an old lady carrying her wares balanced on either end of a stick neatly caught her stick on her skirt and almost took it with her!

I wonder who they thought she was?

The birthplace of all those birdsnests they hang from telegraph poles!

There is some beautiful French colonial architecture tucked away in Hanoi

Next day we searched and searched for some traditional dress for Julia.  The ladies in our lounge all had a uniform that was traditional dress, but in lace not silk.  Julia loved it and having spent the morning in vain looking for a shop that might sell one, we even asked if they'd sell us a uniform.  Clearly this is not the thing to ask in such a hotel!  No no no sir!

The lovely ladies asked the tailor who makes them to come across to the hotel and measure Julia...and she  did......within the hour!  Does this country every stop giving?  So with the prospect of a souvenir when we reached Sydney, we packed up for the final time in Asia and went off to the airport.

Saying good-bye to some old friends

Next stop Australia and 3 weeks in Sydney with friends and family.  Having spent so long with total strangers who became good friends, it was now time to relax with those we knew and enjoy ourselves.

Oz here we come!