Vietnam

Hanoi

 In Vietnam an orchestra of incessant vehicle horns, moto engines, roosters... and random Christmas music can be heard through all hours. We veered towards the little red plastic stools and our tummies agreed to the aroma that steamed out of the large vats of soup. We ate beef pho and Chinese doughnuts in the vicinity of locals in the busy city of Hanoi. Bliss is letting all of my senses surge into a deep, visceral level of all that surrounds me.

Caving

 Kayaking Halong Bay

Monkey Island

The weather changed rapidly to a cooler climate upon a two night cruise to Halong Bay, Monkey Island, and Cat Ba. Days of kayaking, cycling and trekking up a cliff overlooking a gorgeous beach with other guests made for a worthwhile time. Bliss is getting to know people along the way who are on journeys of their own.

I probably shouldn't have been riding the statue at the old Emperor's tomb

We are certainly banking bus hours with some as high as 17 hour trips down south. Traveling from Hue to Hoi An, we drove through a five minute long tunnel and suddenly the cloudy skies were lifted for the bright sunshine that greeted us at the other end of the tunnel. Bliss is knowing that the ethos of a new city awaits at the end of every long bus ride.

 Hoi An

With its custom clothes tailoring, painted yellow concrete buildings, hanging baskets, paper lanterns and bird cages hanging from trees and floating candles along the night's river bed, Hoi An became an instantaneous favourite. Bliss is remembering all the small synaesthetic details of each place as there's such a lot of world to see.

 Marble Mountain

With only a modest two night stay, we moved on quickly to see the rest of the country and ventured off on a half-day trip to Da Nang to see Marble Mountain and China Beach. Bliss is jumping through the breaking ocean waves and feeling the sand sift through my toes in the sand. Wanting more beaches, we spent another two nights in Nha Trang where my favourite moments included sitting in the silhouettes of palm trees and catching up on reading and writing.

 Arrived Nha Trang at 5am so we watched the sunrise

 Busy Ho Chi Minh City

 

Bee making her way through the war tunnels

 

Ho Chi Minh/Saigon was a good way to end off our sixteen days in Vietnam. We sang karaoke (I'm probably coming home more Asian than ever) and squeezed through claustrophobic tunnels that were once used during the war.

Flying off to Thailand tomorrow. Blissssss.

Pam  xx