Back to Hanoi

 

Our last day in the beautiful area of Ninh Binh before heading back to Hanoi for our overnight train to Hue. Before we leave, a Sampan boat down one of the local rivers in Tam Coc. Local women row the Sampans. They are normally farmers, but use this as an opportunity for additional income. They make the most of it by selling their home made gifts at the furthest point of our journey. They are incredibly strong and skilled. The oars women nonchalantly use their feet to row, with ours making the occasional phone call while rowing. The river took us through natural waterway tunnels carved over millions of years into the rocky landscape.

A two hour car drive back to Hanoi for a chance to eat before our overnight train journey to Hue. 

England had a 3pm start time in their T20 World Cup semi final against India. We found a local sports bar to watch England unexpectedly cruise to the final next Sunday. Then a quick trip to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before heading to the station. Leo met us at the station to ensure we made the right train. He has been amazing and a great contact if anyone wants to travel around Vietnam, He has his own travel company and is working with overseas customers to build tailor made holidays. 

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum 

                                      

We arrive in Hue at 11:30 tomorrow morning, good night all. 

Tam Coc Ninh Binh

 

We woke early in our bungalow (Tam Coc Horizon) in Tam Coc Ninh Binh. We had arranged to meet our guide, Leo, for a 06:30 cycle ride to view the local sites. A beautifully warm morning, with the Sun rising. It seems that the day starts early in Vietnam, the local children were already outside with their school bags and the farmers already tending their Rice fields. 

 

The scenery and wildlife is stunning. A Kingfisher sat on a power line and we cycled past many flowering lilies in the lakes and rivers, The area is beautiful and rugged. Vietnam is a country which has been involved in many invasions and conflicts over the last 1000 years. The Chinese, Moors, French Japanese and then most recently the Vietnam war involving the Russian, Chinese and Americas from the 55 to 75. We passed an area which was used to train their soldiers when they fought the Moors. They were trained in how to fight in the woods, water and the hills, both night and day. An environment very different for overseas soldiers. While beautiful, its a landscape which the people of Vietnam have used to their advantage for the last thousand years. A beautiful country, but one which needs ingenuity to survive. But given all their conflicts, what comes across when you spend time with them is how positive they are. Their culture is half glass full. They are also incredibly hardworking. Their country is changing fast as they modernise and become a manufacturing world power. It’s clear that this is not without its challenges. They only opened their borders to the west in 1995. Talking to our guide Leo, he has seen massive changes in this time, which gives him concern. Tourist resorts are springing up as money comes in from the cities. It will be interesting to see how this area changes over the next 20 years. 

Our cycle took us to various places including one of their many temples;  Bich Dong Pagoda built in 1428. 

Bich Dong Pagoda

After our morning ride, it was back for breakfast and a few hours relaxation around the swimming pool, before our next cycle ride to the Han Mua Peak, which is a 500 step climb to look over the Ninh Binh region. The idea was to sit at the top while the sunset, but unfortunately the weather was overcast, so we we needed to look at the views without the sun, but still stunning. 

                                            

After our 500 steps climb, there was only one way to finish the day, dinner. A cycle back to Tam Coc to eat in the recommendation of the day from Leo. Father Cooking, serving amazing local food for an amazing price.

Bai Tu Long Bay Islands

Bai Tu Long  Il

Our journey took us 3 hours drive from Hanio to the port of Ha Long to join our overnight cruise to the area of Bai Tu Long Bay, which is a coastal area made up of hundreds of islands and islets. It is part of the Ha Long Bay islands which is an UNESCO world heritage site and has a total of 1969 islands. An amazing and beautiful place, which is a perfect setting for a James Bond closing scene. It’s difficult to describe in words, so leaving to pictures rather than words: 

Our lead for the journey was the very energetic Sunday (his Nickname), whose objective was to keep us busy and entertained. Our fist adventure was Kayaking, paddling out among the islands to find a secluded beach. Once there we could swim freely in remarkably warm water.

After a good nights sleep, we had another early morning. Our guide, Sunday, offered a 6am Tai Chi for beginners lesson on the top deck as the sun rose. This was followed by breakfast and a tour of an island with a hidden cave called Thiem Cohn Son Cave.

                                                  Our Guide Sunday - who wanted to make it a funday.. 

 

The cruise finished around midday, just in time for us to say goodbye to our new friends and meet our new guide called Leo for the journey to Ninh Binh, which is an inland area of beauty, with Paddy Fields surrounded by amazing scenery. 

Water buffalo enjoying their bath

So ends an an amazing, but whirlwind 24rs. A little sleep is needed as we have a 6am cycle ride in the morning 😏

 

Hanoi Vietnam

 

Our time in India is over. We took an over night flight via a very busy Vietjet flight from New Delhi to Hanoi, arriving at 5am. Before leaving Hanoi airport, we bought two pre paid SIM cards, only £11 each for 30days, offering local calls and 4 Gb data per day, which means we can stay in contact if we loose each other, 

We had a driver organised to meet us at the airport, which was about a 30 minute journey. Hanoi is a large developing city with a population of about 8.3 million. We have flown 3.5 hours east to a much more tropical country, but there are a number of similarities to Delhi. The first is the polution, a thin haze of smog sitting above the city and second is the dependence on motor bikes. Vietnam was controlled by the French from the mid 19th century until the 1950's, which ended after a long war with the French, then came the American Vietnam war. They now have their independence. It’s a communist country, but feels very relaxed. As we drove across Hanoi city at 6 am on a Sunday morning, it was busy with people exercising - Runninng, Cycling, Tai Chi and Badminton. We drove past the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which was busy with parades and people looking to pay tribute to their great historical leader. It feels like a country which has embrassed communism and not a repressed communist state, which is how the west tends to view communism. Our first guided trip was organised for 9am, which was not the best organisation after a night without sleep. After a quick a snooze and breakfast we met our enthusiastic guide who marched us off around the city. You have to be confident and brave as a pedestrian. There is a constant flow of cars and motorbikes. Pelican type crossings are at all the major junctions, but these seem to be advisory only, so our guide demonstrated the tecnique of gently holding out your arm and then walking into the oncoming traffc. Walk with confidence, don't stop and the traffic will find its way around you. A bit like Moses crossing the Red Sea. A little dsconcerting, but oh well, when in Hanoi.

Our guide could see we were tired and stopped for coffee. At this point she attempted to give us our first lesson in Vietnamese. She soon realised that she would need patience with her new students, but she seemed to be up for the challenge, even though we were showing no enthusiasm and struggling with English through our tiredness. 

For those interested, a few words: Hello : xin chào, Good bye : Tạm biệt and if you need a motorbike : xe máy.

Once our Vietnamese lesson was over we identified a restaurant for the evening for traditional Vietnamese Noddles. Beef Noodles - 130,000 Vietnamese Dong (approx £5 for us both).

As we are in Hanoi - the drink of the day, Cheers

Reflections on India before we leave

 

We had an in between day as we prepared for our overnight flight to Hanoi. To finish our time in India, we took a quick trip around the local hotel  area via Tuk Tuk; our first Tuk Tuk journey this holiday. Great value, 80 Rupees (about 80 pence) for two rides, exploring the upmarket Connaught Place and the Ugrasen Baoli deep well (we love a deep well).

       

Our journey around India’s Golden Triangle has been amazing. We have have been thinking about how we would try to explain what we have seen.  Some thoughts below,

• Our travel agent referred to India as Crazy Fun. This is so true. 
• It’s an incredibly welcoming country. We loved the people and we now understand the Indian culture much more. 
• It’s a country of extremes - We have seen both sides, poverty and affluence, but with an incredible level of contentment throughout.
• India is a country of noise:vehicle horns, whistles, talking, music, singing, dancing and it all goes on 24hrs a day. 
• They love a bright colour.
• The food is wonderful, but curry for breakfast is not for everyone.
• We need to eat more vegetable curry’s.
• There is no comparison between driving in the UK and India. Driving in India is mad (good horn, good brakes, good luck) but no road rage, so strangely everyone is much calmer.  
• While Health and Safety has a long way to go, there is a refreshing sense that it’s okay to take a risk.
• Beware, the business women are tough, don’t mess with them.
• All Sikhs are Singh’s, but not all Singh’s are Sikhs.

Before heading to the airport for our flight to Hanoi, our Cocktail of the day. Le Meridian Nero - Jim Bean, Kailua, Crème De Cacao,  Coffee, Lime Juice and Maple Syrup - very strange - but cheers..  

Completing the Triangle

Jaipur to New Delhi

 

Today we completed the last leg of the Golden Triangle. A 250 km drive from Jaipur to New Delhi. Our driver Lallu was early as usual and greeted us with his normal smile. He was always keen to please, The last 2 years have been tough for him, the tourist trade dried up during Covid times and we were his first customer since their lock down ended. I’m sure there was no Furlough from his company, so you can only wonder how his family survived. 

The journey took around 5 hours and relatively uneventful. The oncoming lorries, people strolling across the road and the occasional water buffalo wandering up the highway just seemed like a normal day in India. The surprise of the journey was a car getting pulled over by the Police for jumping a red light. An instant fine via a portable credit card reader and then he was on his way again. We did chuckle, you can happily drive your lorry the wrong way down a road, but if you dare to jump a red light, the police are there to fine you, 

Our driver Lallu and a Lorry travelling the wrong way down the road. 

Reflecting on our 500km car journey we did not see a single road accident. Rarely do we drive on the M25 without seeing an accident, so there something to be said for organised Chaos. 

As we approach New Delhi the blue sky is replaced by the smog haze over this sprawling city, It seems that the story of the smog coming from the field burning seems less probable, It’s an industrial city with millions of carbon burning vehicle’s. With millions of people in poverty, the country needs the industrial base, but it shows the global challenge we face if we are going to reduce carbon emissions. 

Our journey ends at the Le Meridian New Delhi. An American hotel for the night with running hot water, a pool and a gym, just what these two soft westerners needed. We have loved every minute of our journey so far, but it has highlighted how we take our life style for granted and how lucky were are. 

After mentioning being lucky; the drink of the day, Gin and Tonic with a dash of lime. Cheers