back in Hanoi...

Up for breakfast at 7 and then at 8 we went on the tender a short trip to a rowing boat station where we transferred to a boat for just us and our four French travelling companions. Under a low arch and into a sort of enclosed bay for a few photos, then back on the boat by 9. We had to check out of our room at 9.30 then the boat engines were fired up and we cruised around - parallel to the coast, and in fact in sight of Halong City the whole time. Not exactly in the middle of the bay!

We were called for lunch - at 10.30!!! not a huge meal thank goodness, but all to fit in with the boat company, we were back at the dock by 11 and in the bus on the way back to Hanoi five minutes later.

Just before we got off the boat we were presented with an envelope on which was written ' tips for the boat chips'. We assume it should be boat chaps? Anyway, yet another tip to pay. Minor rant here - the Rough Guide says the country doesn't really have a tipping culture, but we have found we had to give tips left, right and centre - 3 bus drivers, 3 boats, cyclos, hotel bell boys as well as our guide - we reckon we have paid out around $140 just in tips. Fairly eats into your spending money!!

Plenty of scooter spotting on the way back, and plenty of weddings - we've seen loads of brides and wedding receptions. Into the city and passed a huge long mosaic of the country's history beside Highway 1 - it is 3.7 km long, I wonder if it is the world's longest. Must have taken years to do.

There is a small lake not far from the hotel, via the Old Quarter, with a nice red bridge with a pagoda at the end. We wanted to have a walk there and take a few pics. There were lots of young girls and guys getting pictures taken, we don't know if they were graduation pics, engagement pics or what, but we enjoyed watching them posing etc. We also saw two old men in baggy shorts doing a bit of tai chi.

The most poignant was today's blip. This old lady was squatting on the pavement, people milling around her, with a tiny tin can full of hot coals over which she was cooking an ear of corn. We couldn't see any others around her. It seemed unlikely she would be cooking it for herself in such a public place, so we think she must have been cooking one ear of corn to sell, to make a few dong.

Out for our last dinner with our guide Hai and Bill and Lola. Bill got out of hospital yesterday and is much better. They are heading to Halong Bay tomorrow. We are all set for our flight home tomorrow. It has been an amazing journey - tiring and exhilarating - but I think we are now ready to rejoin our real world.

back on this day in 2004 I was enjoying a very different adventure.

Final scooter diary:
Poly bags full of goldfish
One extremely big bonsai in a pot
A mass of chrome display shelving
2 lots of piglets in baskets...