Hoi An, Say What You See - 8

 Morning delivered another beautiful day, and a 3-hour coach drive south to Hoi An via the city of Da Nang.  It seemed strange to see all the shop signage and road signs in Roman Letters, but that is what Vietnam has adopted.  They were ruled for nearly a thousand years by the Chinese, who forced them to use Chinese characters for their written language.  This made expressing themselves in written form very complex.  When they gained independence from the Chinese, a missionary came through Vietnam trying to sell Christianity, but had much better luck introducing a phonetic alphabet that could easily be used to express Vietnamese words in written form.  It's an amazing world, isn't it?

Our journey south followed roads with the sea to our left and heavily forested hills to our right, which we were informed was the Ho Chi Minh Trail.  This is the footpath used by the
Vietnamese liberation forces to move people and supplies south to the front line in the war with the USA.  I was corrected by our guide, who advised me that the puppet government in the south, fighting against the North, coined the phrase Viet Kong, meaning Vietnamese Communist, a term never used by “True Vietnamese”.  It is evident from some of our guide sessions that they are a friendly people, but fiercely independent and proud of who they are and what they have achieved.  Their biggest threat? Interestingly, they see this as the Chinese, which is why their law prevents only a Vietnamese national from owning land.  

History lesson over, but this trip is full of insights from a very different perspective, which is wonderful and gets me to reflect carefully on my Eurocentric education or is that indoctrination? Hmm!  Anyway, nice lunch stop with a sea view offering poles protruding above the waterline in every direction, these are used to cultivate oysters.  Our journey only offered a glimpse of Da Nang because Julie and I fell asleep and missed the coastline littered with modern high-rise buildings.  Worth mentioning, new buildings everywhere, as the free market is rapidly creating a middle class with money to spend on waterfront property.  This is provided by two companies, Sun and Vin, with Mr Vin also providing a multitude of other products and services, including cars, both petrol and electric.  Watch this space for a Vin coming to a town near you.

Our hotel was described as the best available near the city centre.  This is important because in Hoi An, petrol and diesel cars can't drive beyond a certain point towards the city centre.  The main choices are an electric golf buggy, taxis, or you can use the Grab app to book a seat on the back of a scooter.  No thanks!  We had some issues with our hotel, but it was within walking distance of the Hoi An waterfront, which more than made up for my head injury.  Oh, did I not mention that?  Our toilet and shower are next to each other and share a sliding door.  While waiting for the shower to warm up, Julie left the toilet and slid the door into the side of my head.  Dangerous design if you ask me.

If you only visit one city in Vietnam, this is the one. We love it here.  The core of the city runs along either side of a river, and the last few blocks are for pedestrians only.  To be warned, most scooter riders think they are pedestrians, which can catch you unawares.  Of all the cities, this is the one for shopping as it is home to the factories that produce clothes for the world.  First tour on arrival was to a business that can make any suit or dress for you overnight, a service quite a few of our travelling companions made use of.  The traders are friendly, and when you say no thanks, they leave you alone with a smile, not pushy at all.  After our sundown welcome drinks and go home food (god the canapés were awful) at the hotel, we headed deeper into the city as darkness fell.  We were eventually confronted with the river illuminated like a Christmas tree.  Hundreds of boats providing rides for tourists, each illuminated with colourful lanterns, are stunning.

The next morning, we had a walking tour, exploring a mixture of temples, gardens and bridges hidden amongst the restaurants and shops.  The stories behind the different dragon sculptures are always interesting and evidence of the Chinese influence on Vietnamese culture.  What was also evident was that Hoi An is two cities as it feels so different in daylight than it does after dark, but very safe to wander around, even the tiniest, darkest back streets and alleys.

Included in this stay was a massage on both our full days, which we made full use of.  It was nice to have the tour through the streets, which gave us confidence to roam on our own and then return to a full body massage to flush away the aches and pains of the day.  My massage was provided by a lady who was at most 3 feet tall, if that, but she had fingers stronger than a stone mason.  Painful at times, but nice.

The highlight of our trip was the cycling, farming, and fishing tour, although putting Julie on another bike through the streets of Hoi An did have me a little worried.  Difficult to believe that within a few blocks we were in open countryside surrounded by paddy fields with water levels managed by sluice gates dotted across the landscape.  We also cycled past farmers wandering past with their water buffalo, and it felt like we had slipped back 100 years.  

The first farm we visited had received a UNESCO award as it was totally organic and had created opportunities for school children and tourists alike to learn how to work in harmony with the land.  One example was their water tanks used for irrigation were filled with fish who enjoyed feeding on insects that ventured near the water and mosquito eggs, which are laid on still fresh water.  We were encouraged to try their methods of watering, tilling, and planting.  Fun and educational.

From farming to fishing, we left our bikes and boarded a boat to explore a fishing village, which was the home of our guide Viet.  Great young man who spoke better English than I and explained the life of the fishing communities on the banks, which had been his home and life until he decided not to follow in the family business.  When his brother made the same decision, his father sold the boat and nets to his neighbour, and the family tradition was no more.

Another educational and fun experience with demonstrations by locals who then offered us the chance to try, with limited to no success.

From nets to boats, which were more like giant round bowls.  The French decided to tax boats so the ingenious Vietnamese decided to make their boats round, not classed as boats by the French definition and therefore exempt.  First was a demonstration of how fast they could spin these little boats with two guests on board.  Then a trip into the jungle that offered narrow channels, which were developed by the Vietnamese army to lure American troops into areas where they could be ambushed.  Nothing so worrying for us, just the occasional palm-like tree frond used by the crew member of every round boat to make a sculpture.

The trip provided by Jack Tran Tours ended in a sumptuous meal cooked onboard and then a traditional dance.  Learned loads while having so much fun and would definitely recommend this tour when you come to Hoi An. 

Our day ended with another night walk by the river, enjoying the friendly atmosphere and picking up a few bargains.  A city to saviour and enjoy and a place that will be one of my highlights from this trip.

Today’s music clip reflects how we felt when the crew took us for a spin in the round boats: https://youtu.be/PGNiXGX2nLU?si=AZCn6Mmgt-xkYk33

No Whoway - 7

 I will spare you my whinging about the Vietnam Airlines flight; it was just 55 minutes, so bearable.  We landed at the very new-looking Hue International Airport, which, after two years, is still hoping to have a flight arrive from outside of Vietnam.  Our first stop was for lunch, and we were joining a monastery which was run by female monks.  They are based in a Pagoda, and as we moved from one room to another, we realised this was a large complex.  I have to admit, though, the covered swimming pool was a surprise.  It was a great introduction to the Buddhist religion, and after our vegetarian meal, we were joined by the Numero Uno Monkess, is that the right word, whatever she was, the boss and had been for two decades.

The monastery is completely voluntary, and monks can join or leave as they wish, as true Buddhists don't believe in forcing anyone.  They currently offer refuge for over 100 children, and the monks provide food, a safe place to live and an education.  Now the swimming pool I can hear you thinking.  The monks were so alarmed by the number of people killed when the rainy season brings floods, as very few can swim.  The pool was built so the monks can offer free swimming lessons to their children and anyone else in the area.  Wow, no monkey business going on here.  I should add that the food was great, but they are not open for bookings.  They provide this service for Scenic guests as Scenic financially support the Monastery.  Yet again, Julie and I are eating for a good cause.

As we continue on our journey to Hue, a couple of notable points.  The skies have cleared, and the humidity and temperature have climbed.  Tuan is very strict about suntan lotion, hats, and drinking lots of water, which is advice we are very happy to follow.  Humidity being so high also explains why so many wear face masks.  Nothing to do with sharing germs, but to reduce the amount of moisture they draw into their lungs.  Perhaps a useful word of caution to those who Vape.

We have also commented on how quiet it is, especially as this is billed as high season.  Well, the Gulf War has significantly impacted visitor numbers, Tuan believes, mainly because flight costs have tripled.  With regards to money, a word of warning, the currency is a bloody nightmare, with 35,000 Dong equal to just £1 or 75 US cents.  The problem is made worse due to only subtle differences in colour, they all have Ho Chi Minh on them and the dot denoting the move from thousands to tens and then hundreds of thousands is very difficult to make out.  So far the people have been very honest and helped while I was struggling to find the right millions needed to pay a bill.  Well, I think they have been honest.

We arrived in Hue at around 4:30 pm and checked into our hotel.  All accommodation so far has been amazing, and this looked no different, but we soon realised it was as those from Edinburgh would say, “Lace curtains and neh knickers”.  Quality is very superficial, such as thin room walls provide no so
und insulation and lighting so low in the bathroom, you look years younger.   My advice is that there is better than the Silk Path Hotel, but it's fine for one night, unless you want to frequent their casino.

A special meal had been arranged for the evening, which was in a house owned by the grandson of a Mandarin, First Class no less.  He provided a brief talk on the family history as it related to the house, it's construction and even where his grandfather smoked his Opium Pipe.  The food was delivered in rapid multiple courses and all was delicious.  Fortunately, the sounds of our munching were disguised by a traditional band that played local and international songs.  A wonderful evening in a special location with a family proud to share their story.

Sleep must have caught up with us at last, because despite the thin walls, we slept through the night.  Oh joy!  A leisurely 7:15 am bags outside the room and off to the Mausolium of Vietnam’s last real king.  After his death, the kings that followed were called Bamboo Dragons as they were puppets of the colonial French masters and not popular with the people.

The tour was interesting, both in terms of the architecture, but also the locals who wore traditional clothes of high-born families and posed with professional photographers, some for pre-wedding and some for their social media accounts.

At the centre of the grounds was the tomb of the king, but wait, maybe not.  Buddhists believe that bones/remains must not be disturbed, as the spirit after death must return many times before reincarnation.  This, we were reliably informed, could take centuries.  So to ensure the king's remains were preserved, 5 coffins were prepared, with 5 burial parties all taking what may have been the body to different locations.  All those involved were also buried, so the true location could not be divulged.  This location was a tomb for the family to worship, and like us, they had no idea if he was inside.

After the Mausolium and gardens, we had a brief stop to watch how traditional hats and incense sticks are made.  What was more interesting was how they arranged the sticks like flowers to attract the interest of tourists and worshipers.

This marked our departure from Hue as we now headed via Da Nangh to Hoi An where we would stay for 3 days to gain exposure to more culture, the tailoring centre of the world and more massages.  Stay tuned

Our long road made me think of this tune.  Enjoy: https://youtu.be/LQiOA7euaYA?si=KiboPM5J8dawg-P6

Fast Food Hanoi Style - 6

 I need to start with a challenge from a reader regarding who has the oldest Dykes.  I am delighted to provide the following clarification:

The oldest dike (Opps I have been spelling Dike incorrectly) in the world was discovered in the Nederlands which dated back to the second century BC.

What an education you are getting, and it doesn't stop there.  On our drive back to Hanoi, we stopped at a charity organisation for lunch.  The charity provides both work for those who have been impacted by the chemical defoliant Agent Orange. This was sprayed across vast swathes of Vietnam by the Americans during the war.  Although designed to remove deforestation, it entered the bloodstream of both Vietnamese soldiers, villagers, as well as American soldiers. The really nasty thing is that the effects are passed on through the generations.  The money raised from the goods sold also goes to fund the charities that work with these communities, so Julie was shopping, and we were both eating for a good cause.  That's not the educational bit; the exciting thing for me was that they sold what they call weasel coffee.  It dates back to the Dutch Indonesia in the 1700s.  They established coffee plantations, but locals were prohibited from harvesting their own coffee. The locals “discovered” they could brew coffee from the beans found in the droppings of wild civets (a weasel-like creature).

Although the beans were hideously expensive, they did brew and sell the coffee at £7 / $10 a cup, and only for you, my lovely readers, I decided to try it.  Tasted nice, but I will not be replacing my locally roasted beans for these overpriced droppings.  One of my fellow travellers, when he found out I had tried it, said in his heavy American accent, “Well, Barry, you really are full of shit.”  So true.

We returned to the same hotel in Hanoi for just one night, but we were upgraded to the original part, built in the French Colonial days.  Another excitement for me was that our room was equipped with Japanese toilets, so many buttons to play with on the toilet is a blast.  Literally!  Our hotel was a residence for many senior embassy staff during the worst days of the B-52 bombing of the North, which provided the deputy manager with an opportunity to take us on a tour of the hotel bunker, which had remained lost for 20 years.  They played an actual recording made by an American journalist during a raid, and even just experiencing that was terrifying enough.

The highlight of our day was the option we selected, a Vespa Tour of some lesser-known dining experiences.  Flying through the heavy traffic after dark was a thrill in itself, matched by some of the places we ate.  At times, each mouthful felt like a scene from the Dear Hunter; I was never sure which mouthful, if any, was going to do me in.

From the first restaurant, whose claim to fame was that Barack Obama had once eaten there, we went on a whistle-stop tour of the main sites.  Our final stop offered the opportunity to try a cup of the famous Egg Coffee.  We were delivered to the first floor of a coffee house with great views across the park.  The coffee is topped with sweetened whipped egg whites to balance its strong, slightly bitter flavour.  Delicious!  The whole experience was absolutely fantastic and would recommend it even for the faint-hearted.

We returned to our hotel at 9:30 and were told that our bags would be collected at 6:15 and departure at 7am.  Wow, so far this trip is certainly cramming a lot in.  Although we departed on time and arrived at the airport early, when our group were all lined up at every open check-in desk, bingo, none of us had a booking for the flight.  It took 20 minutes to fix, by which time all seats together had gone, so our little party was spread across the aircraft.  A first-world problem in the scheme of things, so all good and a full day's activity waiting for our arrival in Hue, pronounced Whoway.

Sorry on the musical links front, as no internet was available when I typed this blog on the flight to Hue, but more will follow, I’m sure.

How Long to Hanoi - 5

 Another great day with an 8:45 speedboat ride to an island where we collected our bicycles for the ride inland to a small fishing village.  Inland because cyclones in this area wipe out everything along the coast.  No electric assist and only one gear made some of the hills a little challenging, but a golf buggy was available for those too posh to pedal.  The ride was a great way to work off another sumptuous breakfast and help build an appetite for lunch, which was only a few hours away.  A few traditional homes had been protected for the tourists to view and listen to a short briefing on the island and their people.  This all made for a great morning excursion.  The only problem was that Julie took a tumble up one of the shorter hills on the way back, but fortunately, there was no serious damage.

The speedboat ride back to our ship was another chance to marvel at the limestone islands, some with holes running right through them at sea level.  Julie and I decided that after lunch, rather than participate in any other activities, we would chill on our balcony and enjoy the view, which I do not believe would ever fail to amaze.  One place we did pass was a beach with what I thought was a beach bar.  Turns out it was a temple built to celebrate the life of Miss Men.  She led a group of 8 ladies who dedicated themselves to helping the fishermen and their families recover when major cyclones hit.  The irony is that they were all killed when caught in an exposed position during a particularly bad storm.  She was held in such affection by the fishing community that they built a temple in her honour.

Now, as a treat from Scenic (a treat I have paid for in the price of the trip, no doubt), first a massage, which Julie and I enjoyed together.  The little lady had exceptionally strong fingers, but I did get a little nervous when she started working them up my thighs.  Only because Julie was in the same room.  When finished, we were in a state of total relaxation, which did not bode well for the wine tasting, which was generous to say the least.  I am sure it was only due to our relaxed state that we were unable to refuse the third and fourth rounds of refills.  They also provided nibbles, which just before our final 5-course banquet was obscene, but I ploughed on through the delicacies manfully.  I only wish when eating and drinking so much, I had reviewed the programme, which had a 7:30 am trip to a local floating fishing village.

Why is it that with jet lag, you only seem to slip into a deep sleep just before the alarm goes off?  Our last morning was no exception; perhaps the wine did not help.  We took a short boat ride into an adjacent bay, where fishing boats and floating homes were moored in the bay's curve, close to the steep cliffs.  

The homes were all mounted onto industrial-style blue chemical barrels, which provided their buoyancy, but they seemed a little precarious to be the basis of safety for you and your family.  Most homes had blue barrels supporting square frames that were used to house fish that had been caught in the nets, but were not yet big enough to sell.  The bay had been chosen for its shelter from bad weather, but they still had to head to higher ground when the cyclones hit. This is when I realised, everywhere we go, even here, each dwelling displays the national flag, yellow star on a red background.  Designed by Ho Chi Minh, the yellow represents the colour of the Vietnamese, and the five points on the star represent the five groups that are critical to the country.  Farmers, fishermen, traders, intellectuals and soldiers, with the red background representing the blood of its people shed in the struggle for independence.  Now a communist state and every house with a flag, I suspected it was a legal requirement, but no.  Our guide explained the people loved the flag and were proud to fly it.  For my non-UK readers, there are numerous descriptions of those who fly the flag of their country or the UK, but non of those descriptions are positive.  Hmm!  Perhaps another topic to explore over a glass of wine.

The village's surprise was the boats used to catch squid.  The lines for managing the booms that dragged the nets through the water looked very complex, but their fishing was done at night using a mass of LED spotlights to illuminate the water and attract the squid.  It is these boats we could see in the distance at night that looked like floodlight football stadium on the horizon.  

After our fishing village tour, we returned to our boat for breakfast, packed and departed back to Hanoi for one night before we fly South.  You will have to wait for my next blog to find out what our return stay has in store, but it sure sounds exciting. 

Halong is this Bay - 4

Our exploration of Vietnam begins with a drive to Halong Bay and a 3-day cruise of the amazing bay, which is littered with islands.  But more of that later.  Tuan, our guide, was keen for us to get the most from his bottomless knowledge and gripped the coach microphone tighter than a drunk karaoke singer.  I will spare you the 3-hour onslaught of facts and focus on the ones I found interesting or amusing.  First, Hanoi is based on the Red River which flows from China and this for millennia has been prone to causing terrible flooding in Hanoi.  “That is why”, Tuan announced, “we have the Oldest Dykes in the world.”

Now, a Dutch couple took exception to this, with a claim that Holland had some large and very old Dykes, much to the amusement of the less well-mannered members of our party.  The argument, however, was short-lived when we discovered Hanoi’s Dykes are over a thousand years old; what’s more, we were riding on one.  Now, China has been busy building numerous hydroelectric dams upstream on the Red River, and each one has been reducing water flow, with a number of impacts.  Good news, no Dykes now needed, as the river does not flood.  However, the slower flow rate is allowing saltwater from the sea to move farther up the river, progressively killing off many of the rare species.  The river water is now not high enough to reach the levels of the red soil on the higher banks, so the Red River is red no more.

We also had a long chat about Vietnam’s peculiar version of communism, but perhaps we can explore this over a glass or two of vino when we next meet.  Ten minutes from reaching the port for our Halong Bay cruise ship, we made what was described as a toilet stop, but turned out to be a shopping stop.  However, this one was excellent as we were taken through the process of how cultured Pearls are made and even got to see an Oyster opened up and being impregnated with a piece of clam shell, which would go on to become an Oyster.  Clearly a demonstration for the over-18s, but fascinating.

After being herded through the sales centre, we completed our bus journey and prepared to embark.  Now this required a few questions.  The most bizarre was deciding, from a range of samples, which scent we wanted in our room.  We chose wild orange, although we never found out what had upset it.

The boat is amazing, 20 cabins, maximum 40 guests and 42 crew.  Rooms, sorry, cabins are stunning, and the service is amazing.  Lunch is 4 courses, and dinner is 5 with lobster and soft shell crab, leaving Julie salivating like a rabid collie.  While having lunch, the limestone islands flowed past the panoramic dining room windows like migrating dinosaurs.  This prompted me to ask our guide, “Are we missing everything?”  The assurance was that it would be like this for the whole cruise, so relax and enjoy your meal; there are more than 350 of them.

During lunch, a crew member checked when we wanted our massage and kayak trip, which for us was influenced by a thing called Happy Hour.  5:30 sunset, cheaper drinks on deck, meant a 2:30 kayak paddle for us, and so glad we got to move close to the limestone cliffs powering from the waters at sea level.  Working off our lunch also made this a great activity, although I was in the back, which enabled me to allow Julie to carry most of the workload.  Dinner came round all too soon, but the food was so amazing I still managed to eat it all.  A wonderful day ended with meditation on the top deck under the stars, which was so relaxing that, 10 minutes in, one passenger started snoring.  Finally, 20 minutes of squid fishing, with the only squid caught by a member of the crew.

Only thing left to do was fall asleep staring out of our cabin windows at the stunning islands of infinitely variable shapes and sizes that littered our view in every direction.

https://youtube.com/shorts/0zCyw9N00fc?si=zzjSVwMpAB8tZNa6

Good Morning Viet-Kong - 3

Our Hotel, The Sofitel Metropole, is very nice and located close to the Centre of things in Hanoi.  We had a meeting booked at 5:30 with Tuan, who will be our guide for the next 2 weeks, so we dumped our bags in our room and decided to walk off our 15 hours of travel.  

In the centre of Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake, which is close to our hotel and provides a walking circuit that provides a great way to shake off the travelling cobwebs.  The streets, although busy, felt very safe, and the people on the whole seemed very friendly and not at all pushy when trying to get you to buy stuff.  The lake provided a cool breeze, leaving us with a strong desire to try the local craft beer.  There’s a surprise I here you shout.  Hanoi even has a place called Beer Street, which is filled with craft breweries and bars.  Guides know it as Beer Street, but Street and Google Maps show it as Luong Ngoc Quyen.   

We made it back just in time to meet our fellow travelers and it was very quick and easy to rule out those we would need to avoid.  The rest we would require a little time to figure out, but one couple I sense is going to be a real pain.  The tour details were kept brief, and Tuan will only cover the following days' events.  Which was great, as jet lag meant I was struggling to even remember my name by this point.  I do however remember him telling us that Tuan is Vietnamese for handsome, all I can say is his mother loves him.

Dinner was provided in a local restaurant in what they call family style, where sharing plates are placed between groups of 4 or 6 to serve themselves.  After dinner, we had another list of those who clearly had big appetites and should be avoided at dining tables that required sharing.  However, we spotted a couple who “don’t like foreign food” and just picked what they were offered.  Our new dining best friends.  The food was excellent, and Scenic has made a great start.  But it is still only the first evening.

Friday delivered our full day in Hanoi, with a choice of tours for the morning.  Being the cultural type, we selected the historical tour which featured heavily on the grounds and palace of the kings who predated the French colonial rule.  From what we saw, the French were pretty brutal and intolerant of those who should challenge, as evidenced by the prison for political prisoners, which included its own guillotine.  This was used up until the 1930s as evidenced by the photos of heads in baskets that were put on display to deter others.

Back to the palace tour, which was clearly the top location for very young school children to have their class photos taken before they leave infant school.  It made our day as the children all wanted to say “Hello” in English, and as they got braver, returned for a series of high and low fives.  So much laughter and smiles from all those innocent faces was heart warming.  An interesting observation for this communist state was the difference in uniforms.  At one end, white silk gowns and at the other, blue track suits.  Seems like the communist dream still has “some pigs more equal than others”.

Our tour finished at the Hanoi Hilton, supposedly named by American prisoners of war because they were treated so well by their captors.  Very interesting, but certainly left me with confirmation that history is written by the victor.  Well worth a look if you come to Hanoi.  

We used our free time in the middle of the day to take a walk to Train Street, so called because they have bars that run on a narrow strip of land
between houses but at the side off three tracks.  An amazing experience and very popular, so get train times from your hotel as they change daily and if you don’t want to walk, cabs are about $2 each way.

We had a nice walk back which was interrupted by Julie observing two Hanoi pedestrian challenges.  Firstly, you can’t walk on many of the pavements as that is where the population of 10 million park their 7 million scooters.  Where the path is completely blocked your only choice is to walk in the curb.  While doing this Julie was clipped by a scooter that got just too close.  Next, where no scooters park on the pavement, it is usually because it is seriously uneven, with cable hatches left up or even where bolts that used to hold a street light are left protruding.  It is this latter hurdle that took Julie’s legs from under her and she went down hard.  Only damage was her pride, thank goodness.

 

Our first evening adventure was billed as an electric car tour of Hanoi during rush hour.  However, our electric cars turned out to be golf buggies.  We all piled onto the 6 waiting for us and hit the streets, which were pressed tight with scooters of all states of repair.  Although most junctions were equipped with traffic lights, it seemed that the locals treated these as advisory, the same with one-way streets and lane discipline.  Add to this that most are also trying to text while weaving past anything that offers an opportunity to progress, and you are faced with what looks like chaos.  Having said that, on our 45-minute tour, we only saw two crashes.

 

We departed our buggies at the water puppet theatre, the only one of its kind in the world.  Having sat through 55 minutes of it I am not surprised.  Created by farmers working the paddy fields, they developed the use of puppets that, although above the water, were controlled by poles that projected underwater from a screened area behind them.  The introduction by two traditional Vietnamese singers was so high-pitched, loud and wailing, I thought initially I was having an episode of tinnitus.  Also, the puppet novelty wore off very quickly, and I am ashamed to say, even though I was in the front row, I nodded off.

The evening closed with another group meal and a briefing on our departure to Halong Bay tomorrow.  Shit, bags outside at 7:30am?  I thought this was supposed to be a holiday.