the dreadful night of Halong Bay..

After diner there really wasn't much to do except read or play games - which we didn't bring so we head to our cabin on the first floor.  I was quite tired and fell asleep about 9:55 and I usually go into a deep sleep right away. And Lauren  was up reading.  About 30 minutes later Lauren wakes me up to inform me that she hears rats or mice in the walls.  I listen and too hear rats squeaking and  like gnawing at the walls right on the other side of the wall where our heads a re.  This would be close to one of Lauren's worst nightmares, so I suggest to her to put her head on the other side of the bed as she does.Then we hear the rats run - run through the walls and on the ceiling.  Although I wasn't perfectly pleased it didn't bother me as long as I didn't see them.  So she said what should we do?  I didn't really think we could do anything but t the boat was full, it was late and there was nothing for us to do/go.  So I put my earplugs in and my eye shade on as Lauren was adamant to lie there awake all night terrified of them coming out of somewhere.  It was difficult to sleep as there was a boat near by doing karaoke and I had been so startlingly awoken.  I slept some but no deep sleep and did continue to hear the rats until we finally got up about 7.

caves

It was misty/foggy and since no one told us what time breakfast was... actually let me step back no one told us anything.The driver who driver 3+ hours from Hanoi and then back again to the Hanoi airport didn't speak a word of English.  There was a group of 5 Germans and they had a tour guide that spoke German on the boat and the boat crew could just say the basics, such as what exactly we were eating and some other common phrases.  So after breakfast which we were obviously late for, we did explore these amazing caves, then when we returned to the boat, the guy who went kayaking with me asked me how we slept I told him that we didn't.  I said rats and then acting out rats and  by the look or lack of expression on his fade wasn't at all surprised there were rats in the walls.
at this point we still owed $55 USD of our payment which they had asked for yesterday and in hindsight we were glad that we didn't give it to them yesterday as it was our leverage.  We got the manager on the phone which told us it was our fault for not saying something last night and since they did not hear anything from our boat they thought all was fine.  We indicated that  it was late and we didn't know there was someone on duty 24 hours a day as no one told us anything about this.  (the other guests were told that 2 more Germans were joining their boat)  We never knew what was going on.  No one told us anything.  But one of the men who served us food said to me - in broken English and charades) that all 5 crew men need to stay in one room and it's beside the diesel engine which is a horrible smell, so they usually slept in the dinning room and one guy- the captain slept in the small cockpit.
So the guys on board kept telling us that we needed to give the $55 US to them . We initially tried to to say for compensation we shouldn't have to pay the rest.  Then the German tour guide got involved and literally said they these  these crew members  have no money and he was sure  between the two of us we had $50.  And then said we could go to the ATM when we got off the boat.  and we DPT saying no that they need to charge Lauren's credit card which she used to pay for the rest of the trip.  As Lauren is going to dispute this.
So finally when they realized we were not budging we docked and someone from the boat company came on and charged Lauren's credit card.
After diner there really wasn't much to do except read or play games - which we didn't bring so we head to our cabin on the first floor.  i was quite tired and felll asleep about 9:55 and I usually go into a deep sleep right away. And Lauren  was up reading.  About 30 minutes later Lauren wakes me up to infrom me that she hears rats or mice in the walls.  I listen and too hear rats squeeking and  like gnawing at the walls right on the other side of the wall where our heads a re.  This would be close to one of Lauren's worst nightmares, so I suggest to her to put her head on the other side of the bed as she does.Then we hear the rats run - run throught othe walls and on the celing.  Although I wasn't perfectly pleased it didn't bother me as long as I didn
t see them.  So she said what should we do?  I didn't really think we could do anything but t the boat was full, it was late and there was nothing for us to do/go.  So I put my earplugs in and my eye shade on as Lauren was admannt to lie there awake all night terrified of them coming out of somewhere.  It was difficult to sleep as there was a boat near by doing karaoke and I had been so startledly awoken.  I slept some but no deep sleep and did continue to hear the rats until we finally got up about 7.
It was misty/foggy and since no one told us what time breakfast was... actually let me step back no one told us anything.The driver who driver 3+ hours from Hanoi and then back again to the Hanoi airport didn't speak a word of English.  There was a group of 5 Germans and they had a tour guide that spoke German on the boat and the boat crew could just say the basics, such as what exactly we were eating and some other common phrses.  So after breakfast which we were obniously late for, we did explore these amazing caves, then when we returned to the boat, the guy who went kayaking with me asked me how we slept I told him that we didn't.  I said rats and then acting out rats and  by the look or lack of expression on his fade wasn't at all surprised there were rats in the walls.
at this point we still owed $55 USD of our payment which they had asked for yesterday and inhindsight we were glad that we didn't give it to them yesterday as it was our leverage.  We got the manager on the phone which told us it was our fault for not saying something last night and since they did not hear anything from our boat they thought all was fine.  We indicated taht  it was late and we didn't kow there was someonone on duty 24 hours a day as no one told us anything about this.  (the other guests were told that 2 more Germans were joinging their boat)  We never knew what was going on.  No one told us anything.  But one of the men who served us food said to me - in broken English and charades) that all 5 crew men need to stay in one room and it's beside the diesal engine which is a horrible smell, so they usually sleep onin the dinning room and one guy- the captain sleeps in the small cockpit.

So the guys on board kept telling us that we needed to give the $55 US to them . We initially tried to to say for compensation we shouldn't have to pay the rest.  Then the German tour guide got involved and literally said they these  these crew memm=bers have no money and he was sure  between the two of us we had $50.  And then said we could go to the atM when we got off the boat.  and we dkept saying no that they needto charge Lauren's credit card which she used to pay for the rest of the trip.  As Lauren is going to dispute this.
So finally when they realized we were not budging we docked and someone from the boat company came on and charged Lauren's credit card.

The food was good and the formations were incredible.  Like many people said you only need  to be on one night (even the Germans said one night is just enough). 

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Fri. March 29

Check out and pick up at 7:30 to head to Halong Bay.  It's nice we are in a private car for the 3+ hour drive but there are no seatbelts in the back and the driving is just a tad scary for my liking and to know there are no seat belts... well....
The amount of things the Vietnamese can pile onto their motorbikes is really quite impressive!.

We arrive at Halong bay city about 11:30 and take some time.. ok.. here I am typing on my wireless keyboard with my laptop propped up as I look down and see a woman in a large rowboat selling  goods, it's all a little surreal.

We get on our Junk Boat called Bien Ngoc 10.  There 5 Germans on board - they have been travelling for Vietnam 3 weeks - and tonight is their last night.  
Now I don't know exactly what I was expecting but this was not exactly it.  It's just fine but not exactly what I was expecting.  We had lunch which for me was a huge variety of fish, my view was the by-passing rock/mountain formation.  Epic!

Next we went to visit a Pearl Farm.  I learned that they use oyster shells frome Mississippi River to chip off the pearly inner sheels into small cubish  pieces and then  with a machine round them into small balls.  Next they use the oysters here  and extract some of the pearl tissue which live inside the oyster to sort of pregnant it and put it into another oyster that is 3 years old  with the hopes it will form into a pearl.  It will take 2 more years to grow the pearl.  And that's why it's called a cultured pearl.  And that is why they are expensive.  A person has to manually open the oyster and put in the cultured pearl!
A visitor learning about the pearls chose an oyster and someone broke it open and there was an oyster there but they said they could not use it because it was faulty as it had a brown blemish on it. 

Then we had a choice to either to climb to the top of treetop hill or go kayaking.  So I decided to go kayaking as I wanted to continue my - how many places can I kayak!  Thought to overlook this natural wonder of the world would have been good - maybe Lauren will share her photos.

After we dropped everyone else off at the hike, they brought me to another area.  One of the ladies on the boat (they were all here last night too) said they had gone kayaking yesterday and they had to follow a guide and sign your life away.  Me - I was handed a life jacket and then pointed to a boat.  I asked if there was a guide and they said no but then one of the guys which works on the boat said he would come with me and got in the boat.  We had a quick paddle across the way where he showed me a cave.  We got out  and I walked around and saw the stallemites and staglegtites.  Then we went around a few rock structures and you could see the shell fossils clinging to the rocks.  The rock is quite porous - I think it is limestone.

snacks?

So these women in these rowboats selling 7-11 stuff, snacks, water, beer, wine, etc.  smart idea.  However I had already purchased my beer from the boat not knowing that is what these ladies do.

Halong Bay is a UNWSCO World Heritage Site - it spreads acrose 580 sq.miles with more than 2,000 pinnacle-shaped limestone and dolomite coutcrops.  According to legend, the bay was formed when a gigantic dragon - ha long means descending dragon - plunged in the Gulf of Tonkin and created all these myriads with the lashing of its tail.

Dinner on the boat

Hanoi, Vietnam

Tues. March 26

Lauren on the streets of Hanoi

Departed Changi at 8 am and landed in Hanoi 10:30 am (Vietnam time... 3hours later).  Driver was there to take us to our hotel - Hanoi Elegance Diamond Hotel right near the Haon Kiem Lake.

Nice room - 2 double beds.. even has a laptop.  Bottled water is about 80 cents for a small or $1 for a large.  A can of beer... $1.80.
We had lunch at their rooftop cafe - me I had a 3 course meal of spring rolls, Pho - their well-known chicken noodle soup and some ice cream and a drink... all for $12.

on the Sunbeam Bridge, Hoan Kiem Lake

 Then we went walking around the area.  Now we had heard it was quite difficult or a skill to cross the roads as there are no traffic lights and pedestrians don't have any rights, so the receptionist gave us this advice....don't step back, don't look left or right, and go at a slow pace.  OMG its like frogger but miraculously they all just go around you.  motorbikes everywhere and honking, honking, honking.

Since the lake is so close to us, we went there first, walked over the famous red bridge to the temple on the island on the other side.  It was said that a large tortoise appeared from the water having a magical sword on it's back that this emperor took to ward out the Chinese from the lands of Vietnam.  So one is always on the lookout for another tortoise in the waters.

The sidewalks are really not for us to walk on it, it's more for the motorbikes to park on so most of the time people are walking on the roads.  Each street is sort of for a different speciality.  We went down a street that sold seamstress supplies, buttons, ribbons, yarn, batting, material, etc.  Then another street had all kids things - strollers, toys, clothes.  Then another one had all automotive "garage" stuff.

We found St. Joseph's Cathedral and went in for some peace, cooling and reflection.  Since the French were here for a long time, thus the cathedral.
Continued on and found a spa which we took upon us that we needed a $14    1.5hr. pedicure and leg/foot massage.  Then went out for a relatively late dinner.  Chatted with 2 Aussies whom just had been to Saigon and Hoi An and low and behold, they stayed in the same 8-room boutique hotel that we will be staying in while we are in Hoi An. 

Wed. March 27
We walked down to see the Opera House and on the way found the "Orchard St" or "5th Avenue" of Hanoi.  I bought a Pandora camera charm and then saw the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel.

Then we continued and went to the Women's Museum (with the entrance of a whooping $1.42 fee).  The Vietnamese women are strong not only physically but mentally.  They are the ones carrying the poles with baskets on either end selling stuff on the road, as well as bicycles full of stuff to sell.  During all the wartime times they were not only tending to the children, rearing them and educating; they were also planting and harvesting rice (we know how back-breaking that is); as well as they in the production of needed wartime things; and were part of armies.
As we were leaving the museum we noticed a Japanese doll exhibition and so went in.  We could try on kimonos - so we did!

Next stop the "Hanoi Hilton" - prison Hoa Lo Prison Museum.  Vietnam's take on how the Americans were treated seemed 'a little different' than John McCain's version.  He was there for 5.5 years; 2 years in total confinement.  
After a lot of walking and somewhat depressing visits, we had lunch and then walked back to our area and got 1.5 hour massages for only $58! 
Dinner we went to fantastic place called Green Mango.  I had a glass of red wine, a delicious stir-fry chicken and cashew nut dinner and split the apple crumble with Lauren all for $12.  There was an event going to raise money for a girls' orphanage in  Vietnam at the back of the restaurant with a live band, so we checked it out for a while and then headed home.  (And of course because I changed purses and had been carrying my umbrella around all day, and now didn't have it - it rained!

Thurs. March 28

Breakfast with a nice couple from Australia who gave us some good advice for the day - though the masoleum line is extremely long, the line does move quickly.  And recommended a restaurant which we end up going to for dinner tonight - Green Tangerine.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The line to enter the mausoleum was quite long but it was under cover and did keep moving along.  You were not to have any drinks and you were to turn in your cameras before entering but I just kept mine in my purse.  I thought I would use my time wisely and read while I was in line but I was told by a guard that that was not allowed. 
So Ho Chi Minh had instructed in his will to be cremated but when he did the government over ruled this will and didn't cremate him, so now everyone can view hi as he was embalmed.  He is in a large pillared marble buiding  with 4 guards that stand around him.
We then tour the grounds of the President's Palace and then saw the one-pillar pagoda.  

Then we got in a taxi and went to visit the Temple of Literature.  This was built in 1070 during the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225).  Founded in honor of the Chinese philospher Confucius.  There were school children there and some high school graduates getting their pics taken.  The set up reminded me (thought on a much smaller scale) of the Forbidden City as there buildings were similar and you walk out one building to another courtyard with more buildings around it.
Then we hailed another taxi which brought us back into town near St. Josephi's Cathedral to have lunch (at La Place) and begin our shopping.  We bought Longchomp bags and browsed around at the heaps and heaps of things to buy.

Water Puppet Show

  Then we headed back to ur hotel for a shower and rest.  Next we went to the famous  Thang Long Water Puppet show at 3:30.  I had heard good reviews of it and we had just about front row seats.  The puppets are all in the water like marionettes but now on strings moved by poles and things underwater. The puppeteers are behind some bamboo walls and the  choreography and talent is really impressive.  Afterwards we continued our shopping for sunglasses, more dresses/skirts and such.  I got a beautiful silk skirt that the lady altered for me while I was at dinner.  And then I got a fun, colorful wrap skirt. Early to bed as we had rise early to head to Halong Bay.

Christmas and New Years 2012

Monday December 24 - Christmas Eve and beyond!

Packed up and checked out. I had only about 1.5 hours to kill before the bus was to pick me up to drive me back down Queenstown so I rent a bike to expedite my trip to and from town. Walked around a bit and had lunch at a cafe.  Connexion Bus service picked me and then had to pick up another lady from the cafe in town. Mrs. Forbes - as I was sharing this story of Mrs. Forbes to Kerry and her parents and Elaine tells me that she knows the story because this lady's story was on TV. Anyway this lady lives in Queenstown and was formerly an artist and liked to go different areas to paint her landscapes. Well she is 91 years old and gets I this bus shuttle everyday at 9:30 arriving at Queenstown 10:30 goes to the same cafe RelishCafe and sits in the exact spot and orders the exact item. And the shuttle that I took at 1pm picks her at the cafe and brings her back to Queenstown and she does this every single day. 

Kerry and Tony (dad) boogie boarding

Had an uneventful flight back to Auckland and was back at the Peirces by 7pm for Xmas Eve dinner. 

Christmas Day - had breakfast, opened our gifts and then had Xmas lunch with the Peirces plus Kerry's brother Scott and his wife Brooke, her parents and her grandmother. 
Boxing Day - it rained.  Next day we packed up our cards and went to their cottage - which they call a bach - which is pronounced batch.  The bach is only an hour away.  Great sandy 4km beach with sand just like Goose Rocks Beach in Maine!  We were busy going on walks with Chloe the dog, going on hikes, boggie boarding on the waves, BBQing and reading.  

New Years Eve - returned to Auckland and went to a friend of Kerry's friend's house for dinner and good fun. 

Jan 3 - Spent another great day with Sarah Gray.  I am so glad I was able to re-unite with her.  We have so much fun together.  We spent the day at the Women's International Tennis tournament - ASB Classic.  

Wine Tasting - Wanake - Central Otago

December 23-24

Lake Wanake

A nice sleep in and woke up to a beautiful view of Lake Wanaka.  Had breakfast and then walked the 25 minutes around the lake to the town of Wanaka. Larger and busier than Te Anau but the town shops and cafes were parallel to the waterfront rather than perpendicular as in Te Anau.  Met my tour at 1pm in town. Tour was a wine tour through the Central Otago region. There was a young couple from Iowa Kelly and Coda (2.5 month newlyweds) and than another newlywed couple from Hong Kong. 

We went to 4 wineries well-known for Rieslings and Pinot Noirs as this region is along the 45th Parallel south of the equator  similar to 45th parallel north of the equator where it falls in the Bordeaux area of France and in Northern California / Oregon area  in the north. 

The first one we went to was the Rockburn Winery - I enjoyed Three Barrels Sauvignon Blanc, Spitfire Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir (2010), and  Twelve Barrels Pinot Noir.
Then we went to Akarua Winery - I liked the Pinot Rose, Riesling  (2012) and the Pinot Gris (2011).  And Akarau RUA Pinot Noir (2011). 
Next we went to Mt. Difficulty Winery and they had a restaurant attached to it  and it reminded me of Linden in VA.  here I liked, 

The last one we went to (just before they closed) was Northburn. And they matched their wine tasting with food!  I liked the  Pinot Noir (2009). 

After the wine tasting and driving along the river near Cromwell an area popular for pitted fruit thus the gigantic plastic pitted fruit structure we returned back to our accommodations. We asked John our tour guide for restaurant recommendations and he suggested to Alevate and nicely called and made reservations for us, Kelly and Coda asked me to join them for dinner. S we had dinner there overlooking the lake and watching the sun set and then skirted over to Patagonia for an ice cream!

Kayaking Milford Sound

Sat. Dec. 22

good way to start a day!

Was checking out and getting picked by 6:30 am, the whole gang from yesterday plus a brother-sister from USA and a girl from Germany also joined our trip. 
It was a perfect day. The scenery to Milford sound was spectacular!  We saw a rainbow!  There were wild lupines everywhere, gorgeous dark purples, light purples, blues, pinks and even some yellows. 

all my layers on!

magnificent!

sailing back!

There were very windy roads. The tunnel that Sarah had told me about did have a traffic light to control people entering it safely and supposedly this is only I use during high peak seasons. There is 15 minutes interval light switching times. 

Altogether there were 24 of us but then we put into 3 groups of 8, each with a guide - Nicole was my guide. After changing into our black thermal pants and long sleeve tops, it looked like we wearing long johns, we then had to put on a vest, the splash skirt, the peachy coloured wind jacket and the the PFD.

The kayaks were doubles and so I was with this girl Stephanie from Germany who was wearing wedged dress sandals as her water shoes and had never kayaked before, needless to say I had to do a lot of work.  She would be considered a lily dipper. There kayaks had rudders on them which was my most difficult as my feet kept slipping off the pedals and it was close to impossible to re-position them. 

We paddled by the 163 meter tall waterfall called Lady Bowen Falls and then up the coast of these large rocks called Stirling Falls.

Lady Bowen Falls

However the paddle was good and the views incredible! And the weather perfect!  After lunch we had a tough paddle out to the middle of body of water against the wind but then all rafted together and held a sail up and sailed back the way we came. 

I quickly changed and Luke the driver drove me up to the Milford sound bus/boat terminal for me to catch my bus which did go back through Te Anau and then on to Queenstown. 

I was a little concerned about how I was going to get to Wanaka as I arrived in Queenstown at 7:45 and the last bus left at 5:30pm. But Mark had arranged a driver to pick me up and drive me to Wanaka.  Barbara was quite pleasant and I was able to stop at a few places to take pictures of the scenery and the lupines. But that taxi ride cost me $160 bucks!

South Island - NZ -Te Anau

Te Anau - December 20-22

Road to Te Anau.  GREEN
So much undeveloped land, flat land sheared and un-sheared sheep
Mountains on either side with the water to my right 
Then flat green land some with cows - black Angus, some black and white ones all beef cows
Pens of deer, random!
But mostly sheep!

Aside:  Te Anau is an ancient Maori name which means 'Cave with a current of swirling water.'

Lake Te Anau

Te Anau has the second largest lake  but deepest lake in NZ. 
Fiordland National Park - NZ largest World Heritage Site. 

see the helicopter on the right?

In the afternoon, I went to the Fiordland Cinema to see a wordless movie, only music that showed the fiordland from a helicopter. 

Just before 8pm, I got on a ferry that took me across Lake Te Anau to see the glow worm caves.  The caves are about 12,000 years old and is still being carved out by the force of the river ("Tunnel Burn")  that powerfully flows through them. These caves are part of a 6.7 km four-level limestone labyrinth. 

postcard photo

Glowworms 'fish' for food by dangling as many as 70 "fishing lines" which are 20-150 mm long and covered with thick sticky droplets of mucus.  The glowworm's light is produced as a by-product of excretion. 

Friday 
Got up early for my 7 am pick up to take me to Milford Sound for my day of kayaking  Then went and picked up a couple from Netherlands and an adult family from France. It was a very foggy and rainy morning  Then we had a problem...... The road to Milford sound was closed due the rain and the rain has been causing the rock in the mountain just past the tunnel to slide down, thus the closure of the road. So we all had a few choices of what to do and we were all able to postpone our adventure until tomorrow. And therefore I didn't really do much today.  Walked around town and then I did go see Skyfall in the 52 seater movie theatre in town.