It wouldn’t be a trip without surprises!
March 13th, 2024 Our last week in Vietnam was busy and full of memories – mostly pleasant. We wished our loved ones farewell for now, after a fun weekend that included family meals, relaxing at our hotel pool and spa, and driving electric cars - a staple for us in the evenings. Next we visited three cities over seven days, including an island and overnight cruise. Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consists of nearly 2,000 islets and a few islands. Vietnamese legend states that a dragon family was sent to protect the Bay from invaders. They spit out jewels, which turned into islands and islets, and disrupted oncoming ships. It is one of the most visited places in Vietnam, and the best way to enjoy it is via a small vessel or "junk boat"- as they are traditionally called. To get to Ha Long, we flew into Hanoi from Tuy Hoa and then took a three-hour taxi to our hotel. This was our initial visit to the city of Ha Long, and we felt as if we were in Europe. There were wide-open sidewalks, no street vendors, more cars than scooters, and architecture that was being developed to resemble European squares and plazas. Statues featuring Mozart and other famous composers lined city blocks. According to printed plans we saw displayed, fountains will soon adorn these statues, and apartments and brand-name stores will fill the ornate buildings. This touristy area of Ha Long is beautiful, yet it does not quite feel like Vietnam. This leads me to have mixed feelings about the vibe there, but without a doubt the Bay is a sight to be seen. The Ambassador, our “junk boat”, met all of our expectations and more. During our 24 hours onboard, we went on three excursions: a hike to the top of Ti Top Mountain, named after Titov- a Russian Astronaut who visited Ho Chi Minh there in the 1960s; a bamboo boat ride through Luan Cave; and a walk through Hang Sung Sot Cave. The meals were first class, with traditional Vietnamese dishes and other international fare. And a highlight, besides the picturesque and serene float through the Bay, was the group of Taiwanese tourists who would randomly break into dance…they were great! There was also a Vietnamese eggroll cooking class which the kids enjoyed and squid fishing was an option, though after dinner they were spent and ready to sleep. From the ship, we went to Cat Ba Island to enjoy two nights at a hotel resort. In light of the views and amenities, it was arguably the nicest place we stayed at in Vietnam, and for sure the most pricey. And of course that was where Drew and I succumbed to food poisoning. It wasn't the various street stalls in the past seven weeks but the five-star hotel! However, backing up a day, the trip to Cat Ba in itself was something we will never forget. The transfers to Cat Ba left from a different port than the Ambassador ship, so after leaving the cruise we took a taxi ride to the Tuan Chau port across town. From there, we knew there was the traditional ferry, plus some speed boats available. I hadn't planned beyond that, which isn't typical for me, but my Google search wasn't helpful. Upon arrival, we found the next ferry was leaving in three-and-a-half hours, so we opted for a 20-minute speedboat ride that could leave immediately. We paid the gentlemen at the counter – which was front-and-center of the port entrance. However, we had to walk 1/3 of a mile, with eight suitcases plus backpacks in tow, to get to the boat because they weren’t allowed to park near the day cruises. Our suspicion meters began to rise from there. We then walked down a very steep set of stairs, loaded the bags and bookbags, and hopped onto the small boat. All seemed well and funny by this time, with the wind blowing in our faces as we sailed back near the part of the Bay that we had just left that morning. A few minutes later, at low tide (ahh!...so that’s why the ferry only goes out a few times a day. You would think I was in the Navy before!)… the speed boat pulled up to a vertical wall with wet stairs that lie at least four feet above the top of the boat. The driver then said, “Go” with a smile – as if we could scale this wall without any assistance. He, for one, was not moving from the wheel. In my best Vietnamese, I gestured as if to say I didn't understand, and said “Not Cool”. He then spoke with some gentlemen, conveniently cab drivers waiting atop, who directed him to the rear wall which had a taller boat that we could use as a stepping stool. We were not so much concerned with ourselves, or the bags, or the kids… but my four foot eight, seventy-plus year young mother. After the fact, she admitted she was very close to telling us to turn the boat back around. However, like a champ, she stepped from one boat to the next and threw her leg onto the wall. The nice gentlemen grabbed her arms, and I supported her backside. By the grace of God, she made it up unscathed! We laugh now about the absurdity of it - still wishing we had a video to capture that moment – my mom jokes about that the most. At the time, my heart was racing just thinking of all the ways this could have gone wrong and thanking the Lord it didn't! We spent the next few days on Cat Ba, mostly enjoying the hotel. One night, the girls went to enjoy a hotpot meal while Lincoln was too focused on Lego building to be interrupted by dinner and Drew was suffering the worst effects of the food illness. Upon leaving the island, we took a traditional ferry at high tide through a different terminal – the way back was much smoother, safer, and less anxiety-provoking! In Hanoi, we enjoyed pho, bun cha, and seafood at some of the most well-known street vendors in the city – all places we thoroughly enjoyed last year. The kids had waffles with strawberries and whipped cream at their favorite breakfast joint. We revisited "Train Street"- a railroad nestled between homes turned cafes and, this year, saw the excitement of a train passing through the narrow space. Lastly, we finished souvenir shopping and reminisced about our favorite memories from this vacation. Just when we thought the curveballs were behind us, we had tidied up and went out for one final bowl of pho – really good pho! – and a xich lo ride on our last night. Thank the Lord, my mom ate a late lunch and thus opted to stay in and finish packing before the big flight. About 20 minutes after the four of us departed, a pipe burst in the bathroom! If she hadn’t been home to alert the staff immediately, all of our luggage, goods, and probably my laptop which was charging on the ground, would have been soaked. However, we were fortunate that besides the bathroom and a little water that ran under the bed nearest the door, nothing was affected! My mom didn’t even let us know so we could enjoy our night out. The hotel staff informed us they were fixing the issue when we leisurely came back a few hours later. All said, we thank God for this opportunity, thank you for reading, and all of our friends and family for your encouragement and support during our travels!