We left Hanoi bright and early, after a quick detour to find a pharmacy. It’s a four hour drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay, through miles and miles of this:
It’s interspersed with some countryside which abruptly returns to concrete. We saw drained rice paddies (it’s the dry season now) and fields of many different crops. I noticed something interesting here – the Vietnamese (and Cambodian) definition of a city block is different to ours. I think because ours is less by the idea that every property has a driveway or dinner form of car access. Here, for example you see a row of shops with a gap that leads to a school or a set of buildings inside the block, that have no direct street access. Not sure why, it’s like a mini biolage inside a street block.
We got to Halong Bay for lunch, and had lunch on the boat we’re on. It’s great. The boys days the boat reminds them of Murder on the Orient Express. It’s all plush fabrics and dark woods.
It’s winter so not ideal timing for being here but it’s still been interesting, scenic and fun. And I think my man-flu is getting better… Holding thumbs for tomorrow.