In My Book There Were Too Many Wonders To Count: Halong and Further South

May 20, 2014

In My Book There Were Too Many Wonders To Count: Halong and Further South

Halong bay is a four hour drive outside of Hanoi.

And one of the new 7 natural wonders of the world.

When I climbed onto the bus and made my way to a seat. There was a huge gangster looking man, with a dark scruff that covered his lavish double chin. His bag was in the seat next to him. I asked if I could sit down. He didn't even look at me. But there was a clear No that was expressed.

Our tour guide was named Tiny T and he spent most of his time amping us up about partying on the boat.

"Who wants to party?"

"We going to have a good time tonight?"

Our boat, with lovely white table cloths and wine glasses, had our group of dirty backpackers wondering if they were actually on the right boat.

There was also a large sign claiming Halong Rarty!

Straight off, we were assigned room mates for the night. Tiny handed me our key and pointed to my gangster friend.

Oh shoot.

I went up to him and said,

"Hi, I think we're roommates!"

"Noh I don't knowh! He no tell me."

"No, I know, we are roommates."

"Noh I don't knowh!"

*with a De Niro style shrug

"No he told me, this is our key!"

He sized me up and then went to talk to Tiny T to see if he could get a room transfer.

We were going to be, just the best of friends!

That day we cruised out into the bay.

It had a timeless feel. With the lush green limestone mountains stacked behind each other or jetting up like ancient, antisocial skyscrapers.

We explored one of the biggest caves in Vietnam. It was lit up with blues and reds. Tiny would point out stalactites that looked like a monkey or a "finger" pointing out from the rock.

But if you looked close enough, or used you're imagination or were on enough drugs, they all looked like something.

We hopped into kayaks and paddled around the pillars and into small water caves and passed small floating villages.

Our group was a wonderful mix from all over the world.

My roommate never got less scary but I just got the feeling I was on his good side.

He woke me up with a very loud "Guuud morning."

Sitting in a chair staring at me.

"Breakfast."

After breakfast he had me read him the questions on our tour survey and fill in the answers.

My next stop in Vietnam was Ninh Binh. Two hours south of Hanoi.

For $12 I got a private room with my own balcony. Total splurge but after a few weeks in dorms it's nice to take a break. And be able to sprawl your shit out everywhere!

I went out to Tam Coc.

The halong bay among the rice fields.

I took a row boat through the peeks. The rowers paddled with their feet and my Vietnamese paddle boat buddy asked me if I could sing.

"No, haha can you?"

"Awe no, well a little."

She pulled out her iPhone and started singing along "I won't giv up on uu, even if the sky falls through."

A little awkward but also sweet.

Boat buddy

On my motor taxi back home I observed the Language of the Horn Honk.

There's

the Woah you almost hit me

the Don't you even think about pulling out in front of me

the Hey hottie

the Thank you for not hitting me

and

the I haven't honked in a while and don't what to forget how

Just to name a few.

Dinner was fried yellow rice with beef and sour vegetables. The cooks sloped rice out of the pan and smoked cigarets.

I sat on my balcony, with the curtains blowing inward. The next door neighbor pruned his bonsai and the hotel owner sat in his chair checking his finger nails, as the day faded away.