Sorry for the-long-time-no-post, I've been busy all the time, so much stressful with the job, with the people around ... i'll make a story about it later, but now ... its time for part two, let me finish my debt. Last time i wrote about Hanoi as Tour of Duty part 1. Jeezzz how long it has been since the first one? hahaha pardon me, i am not a full time blogger, lucky to those who write blog entire time, specially if they are endorser, they should have a very happy life.
Anyway, my english is very bad, pardon, but i create this post dedicated to my new friend, Donna Nguyen.
So, when visited Halong Bay, i joined a tour from Hanoi. I booked couple weeks before, the tour online via the Sinh Cafe tourist agency. So, at the time i booked, someone email me the information regarding the procedure, when and where i should register for the upcoming tour, he gave me an address, so i took a look in google maps ... "hmm easy okay" that was my thought at that time, not so far from the Eco hotel. But when i arrived Hanoi, i was confused to death ... there were so many Sinh Cafe spread all over the corner of Hanoi street, and at that time i didn't know the name of the street either. So I asked the tour hotel admin whether she can help me to find the correct tour agent. Anyway, Her name was Ngop (N.G.O.C) ??? she spelled her name like that and i faced another confusion ... eh you know what i mean righ? haha ... you also trapped in confusion ... hahaha, pardon for not-so-funny-me, now is eleven to midnight, lil bit sleepy meh.
So continue, Ngop said to us that, not all the Sinh Cafe that we saw all over the street was the real agents, later she delivered us to the real and genuine tour agent and we did the registration, even at that time i still felt uncertain, but glad when the next morning, at 8 am, the real and genuine Sinh Cafe bus picked us on time. So here is the address of the real one, if you face the problem like i faced
Sinh Cafe 52 Luong Ngoc Quyen St - Ha Noi
In the morning, after the bus strolled around almost 1 hour after i got in, Donna got in, she was solo traveller. She sat at front of Vietnamese old ladies, they were group of six. I thought there were friends, but they were just acquaintance . I sat on the left side, Donna sat on the right side at front of my row near the window. Donna, my friends ... i have to tell you this secret all this long that i had to keep it, only me and Riri who knew this. Its really hard for me to told it when we met, so ... i will tell you now. So here is the secret, i would like to tell you ... that the lady with the curly hair sat behind you, she raised her feet on the window when she nap. Her feet was right behind your head, maybe just separated few centimetres from back of your head ... so if at that time you felt nausea, or smelled something really weird that made you unconscious at that time ( i saw you a lil bit unconscious along the journey) ... now you know the answer hahaha.
Anyway, journey from Hanoi to Halong Bay, it took 3.5 hours with the bus speed that i experienced that time, and with no brake pedal. I mean it, i faced alot serious problem with Kopaja and Metromini in Jakarta, or maybe Bus Antar-Kota-Antar-Propinis in Jalan Raya Lintas Sumatra ... but this bus worse than ever! Not only the bus that i rode, but all bus that i saw there with the same insanity, couple times i felt wanna jump from my chair to avoid i-thought-it-will-collided moment, seriously very nervous journey. Experienced with their guts, no wonder they won the war. I arrived Halong Bay around 12 pm, direct to the boat for lunch, and sailed through Halong river.
Halong Bay is one of Vietnam UNESCO Heritage site, so came here its a must. As i was there, i could imagine all the karst hill was like a dragon hump. Felt so serenity when i sailed through the river. Halong Bay famous of its freshwater pearls, its beautiful item, not expensive, so it suitable for souvenir. The tour program, was only one day tour, include lunch, kayaking, and went to grottoes ... the cave with magnificent stalagmites, but i didn't remember the name.
i got hypnotised just only sit and stare all the karst hill. Lucky the weather was very friendly.
This is the boat wharf, where tourist can do kayak or paddle boat
Hey Donna, this is a very cool pict, don't forget ok!
Kayaking through caves like this, i felt so magical ... really adventurous. How could not thak to God, for His beautiful and majesty creations.
The cave, grottoes illuminated by coloured lights ... so beautiful and breathtaking views .
Where the sun rays came in, like a stairway to heaven.
must take a cool picture of us eh!
Halong Bay from exit dor of the cave.
Well, that's a wrap for my Halong Bay tour. Really true adventurous moment, thought it was my first time doing kayak, but that was not bad but just slow, maybe because uneven distribution of weight on the kayak, i sat at front of the kayak, and i got hippopotamus at the back ... hahaha.
And finally, I just wanna say thank you to my God, for granted this moment to me, and hey Donna, if you read this, don't forget my offer, come to my country so many beautiful things here such as Borobudur temple, Bali, komodo island, Cinta Eco Resort Gorontalo, etc ... so many things can be seen, if you have time off course, be my guest.
