Hanoi 16-19 Aug

Played cards while waiting at the budget terminal. Our flight was delayed so we had about an hour of bridge / dai di. Elaine commented that we don't even have to go overseas to have fun. We create our own fun.

Our first meal in Hanoi. Some street side food stall.

Our first proper dinner, which we ate at 10 plus at night, thanks to the plane delay. Had pho. Our order was probably the last order. We were lucky they were still open, if not, no dinner.

1st floor of our hostel. This was where we played mahjong. haha.

Our hostel. HI Hanoi. Not too bad but air con for the big rooms aren't cold.

On our way to the mini bus to Ha Long Bay. We look so tourisy...

Gina, acting cute.

Us at the, um, jetty before boarding our, um, cruise ferry.

In the dining room of the cruise ship.

Pretty bad pic taken of us looking into the sun. To the right is the "cockpit" of the ferry.

And we're off! To cruise around Ha Long Bay.

Same picture, different perspective.

Sui, with our guide. I forgot his name. Anyone?

Yes Debs, we're in Vietnam!

Me, petting the turtle's head, supposedly for luck.

Tired, sweaty and oily at the end of our caving experience. The interior of the cave was cool but extremely humid.

Act cool.

And this, is our cruise ship.

Swimming. Around the ferry.

Observing the fishes, and other weird sea creatures, in the fish farm. And extremely engrossed by them.

Elaine and I in our room. The air con leaks!!

Canoe Series 1: Jac and Debs

Canoe Series 2: The Es. Elaine and Eunice

Canoe Series 3: Suyi and PJ

Canoe Series 4: Me and Cheryl. We were the best team. hahaha...

Back in Hanoi, life goes on. I like this picture cos it captures the fast pace of life that moves around this fruit lady. Thanks Debs for the pic.

Debbie and I sharing a mixed fruit thingy.

The mixed fruit thingy. I don't quite know how to describe it. Hmm, mixed fruits in a glass?

Painting clay figurines at a night market. This was what Elaine and I ended up doing when we went to the night market cos both of us didn't really feel like shopping and we had 1 1/2hours to burn.

St. Joseph Cathedral, Hanoi. First opened on Christmas Day in 1886.

Um, Jac? We're in a police station... So funny, we look like we're in a school principle's office or something. Oh and they don't have a photocopier, don't even have carbon paper, Cheryl had to write out her report twice.

Jac takes a shot while the rest of us looks on. Thanks PJ for the pic.

Navigating through the streets of Hanoi.

Most of us were suffering from heat exhaustion and possibly dehydration. The fish dish wasn't as nice as it was supposed to be.

Debbie and Cheryl look like they are being crushed under my weight. They were so scared of the cyclo ride, they kept giggling.

So unglam. Sitting on the floor in the middle of the Hanoi airport. And that concludes the Hanoi trip. Too short I think. So, where to next??

Gina