Leave from hotel at 8.oo pm for drive to the world-famous Halong Bay.
3and a half hour drive in very uncomfortable bus through a sadly very polluted industrial area. The air quality is truly appalling.
Air clears slightly as we catch the first sight of the iconic limestone rocks and cliffs out in the bay.
Once off the bus we are sheperded away from our fellow bus passengers as we are apparently on a superior cruise( never like to mix with hoi polloi !).
The Dolphin Cruise junk is very well appointed although there is some problem with the toilet and our fellow passengers come from various parts of the globe, including France, India, Russia and the UK. Fortunately, the two girls from the UK are not cricket fans as Aus have imploded at the MCG.
Arrive on board junk in time for very nice lunch, after which we proceed to the heart of the rock formations in Halong Bay. The bay exceeds all our expectations and we enjoy spectacular views of the limestone cliffs from the vantage of a very impressive cave high up on one of the peaks.
Around 5.00 pm we all venture out on a kayaking trip in the bay, hugely enjoyable even if a rather wet experience.
Craig is the last to get back to the junk ( he has a reputation to live down to ) with darkness falling. He then regales us with a report on his kayaking experience which apparently included paddling through raw sewerage! Given his experience as a water engineer we have to assume he recognises a load of sh.t when he sees it!
Good dinner back on board follwoed by passable attempts by the crew to do some kareoke and some truly pathetic offerings from the passengers. Our cause was not helped by the fact that the songs were in such a high key that even the castrati among the group were having some real problems.
Off to bed at 10.30.
The Obese Ferret
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