All I want is a large cup of coffee, or two, maybe three. The Vietnamese coffee is real good butit’ss practically served in a shot glass. Anyways, Megan and I made it to Hanoi and spent or first night in the Old Quarters. Hanoi is much like Saigon, but people don’t seem to get up as early. Its a bit difficult to get a cup of coffee before 7 a.m. After staying just the first night we headed to Halong Bay for a three day, two night boat and island excursion. Heading out on the water you are immediately introduced to hundreds of massive, limestone karsts randomly jutting out of the sea, covered in foliage, and teaming with birds. It was quite a breath taking site.

Not too far into the cruise we stopped to get off on a very small island with a beautiful cave. Inside it looked like someone had set off the world’s largest mentos and coke experiment. Good times! It had absolutely massive rooms.

Soon after we saw the cave we reached a small floating fishing village between several karsts where we got to kayak all around. There was this magnificent rock with not much of a base pertruding from the middle of a cove like area. We found out that the rock was featured on the Vietnamese 200,000 Dong.

That evening we enjoyed the company of a few Germans. We have had a blast with the multitude of different people we have met. We enjoyed a comfy night in a little cabin on the boat. The next morning we arrived at Monkey Island where we enjoyed more kayaking, small hikes, and some monkeys. We had a nice beach bungalow, mosquito net included. Through this entire excursion we ate like royalty, and I must say the fried calamary was yummy! Couldn’t get enough! Megan and I both got to try oysters for the first time and they were also quite good. The following day we sailed back into harbor to head back to Hanoi. A most curious thing keeps happing when we do this. We have gotten room 302 nearly every time we book a hotel. It has been 4 times in a row if you don’t count the tour. Crazy! Yesterday, in Hanoi, we made a trip to the Museum of Ethonology. It was a very interesting and well-done museum of the varying cultures and tribes within Vietnam and throughout Southest Asia. We got to see a massive boat reminiscent of old Indian war canoes but it was actually a racing boat that was retired because it won many races and was considered very powerful. The museum also had full size models of different types of home structures from different cultures, with huge differences between them.

This afternoon we are heading to Sapa, so we are stoked as it is going to be amazing!  Also I uploaded some more photos to the gallery.