Halong Bay-Hanoi, Vietnam: 10May07

This was merely a day for transportation from Halong Bay backed to Hanoi. i would catch a night train to Sapa in the night time. All people in our group who were going to Sapa as well took a package with tour agent. i am the only one who bought my own train ticket and would arrange my own tour.

i sat beside of Sarah in the van and we talked quite a bit then. She was a very cheerful lady at the same age as me. She and Jason are from Wales, England. They already traveled for 3 months and they would travel around Asia and Asia Pacific for one year! Well, UK pound is a very useful currency in terms of to travel. :) She said they saved for 3 years for this one year trip. They were the second person/couple i met who is doing something like this. Save and travel.

For the long train trip at the night, i rewarded myself with a dinner at a nice vegetarian restaurant. It was expensive in Vietnam standard and the food was so sos. But the ambient was good. Half way eating, then i suddenly realised that just now, i paid the ten times price for the one hour internet. Instead of paying 3500 D , i paid 35000 D. No wonder the shop keeper looked kind of blur a bit when i paid him. Anyway, this was just around SGD 4, so not a bit deal. i would be more careful next time.

The most annoying event of the day was, when i was at the train station, someone just grabbed my train ticket and 'forced' me to use his service. Basically he guided me to the platform and my seat in the train. This was something that i didn't need at all and i didn't ask for! He demanded 10000 D, i gave him 8000 D then. A lesson learnt when i go to India later. Always remember my platform and coach number so that i do not need to hold my ticket in hand.



Transfering from small boat to big sailing boat.
There are boatman selling fruits and titbits.



Good bye, Halong Bay.
Sailing back to the main land.



Hanoi Old Quarter at night.



MONEY MATTER:
1.) Food: 91000 D
2.) Transportation: 15000 D
3.) Others: 73000 D