13 October to Halong Bay

We were picked up by Cham at 8am for the 3.5 hours drive to Halong Bay. ?This area was much drier than everywhere else we had been and for the first time we saw many people in the paddy fields harvesting their family rice crops. The area appeared to be more prosperous with many new houses being built along the way.

Much of the area is financed by coal with the mines owned by families. There are consequences as coal dust pollution coats the streets and houses. A bit of regulation would help. Apparently, people dig holes down to coal seams they don't own and steal coal so there is a market for stolen coal also. Don't know how that works???

We called in at a workshop for disabled people where they were selling huge and small stone carvings, jade, jewellery, silk clothing, embroidery pictures, etc. There was a group of disabled people making the embroidered pictures and they were amazing.

Halong Bay didn't disappoint. The weather was excellent. We were on a boat with another couple, Arap and Pollie, and we had seven people serving us. I've never been better looked after in my life. The food, mostly freshly caught seafood, just kept on coming. Of course, not to mention the stunning scenery.

We were taken to a cave high up in the side of one of the limestone protrusions (can't think what else to call them). This was a huge cave with lots of shapes highlighted as is common in such caves. Later, when we were hot and sticky we called in at a cove and had a swim. The water was freezing to start with but was just what the doctor ordered once we took the plunge.

Not much to write as we just chilled out and relaxed to wind down from our Gecko tour. Opportune meeting with Pollie however, as she is a physiotherapist. She pushed my kneecap down trying to get it back to the right place and also worked on my foot that had developed a rigid collar around the ankle since the fall - OUCH !!! - but there was a definite improvement almost immediately.









Our lovely guide, Cham