Vietnam - Hanoi and Halong Bay

* Im now back in Perth until Wednesday. Hoping to sit here for a few hours and update my blog and finish adding photos to facebook!*

As soon as we arrived in Vietnam Dionne and I were completely confused by the currency. I had no idea how much money I needed so got 600,000 dong out at the ATM, which turned out to be only $35, whoops. Then, in true Vietnamese fashion, we got seriously ripped off by a taxi driver. It didnt help we couldn't figure out for ourselves how much he was actually charging us, but by the time we got to the hostel...after being driven to a different hostel we didnt ask for... I had already spent all my dong. We paid more for the taxi than I would ever pay for a taxi at home, and he was STILL arguing with us for more money. We were like 'You've got to be f**king kidding mate, we've already paid your yearly wages!'. Grrr.

Anyway, shit happens, I was pretty pissed off but really just had to get over it. Thank god our hostel was awesome, and we were greeted by some Aussie guys who made us feel right at home. We booked an overnight tour to Halong Bay through the hostel because it was called something like 'rock hard, rock out tour' and promised it to be a whole lot of drunken fun, with the possibility of nakedness. haha.

We set off the next day for 3 hours to Halong Bay, when we got on our boat I was stoked! I thought it was quite possibly the most luxurious place we had stayed our whole trip...until we got our room... Me and Dionne got the room right above the kitchen and beside the engine. SO it was like an extremely noisy sauna. And our shower head didnt work so we had to use the tap and a cup to wash ourselves. Lol. But to be honest I was more concerned about dying of toxic fumes in my sleep.
During the day we went kayaking, the boat had taken us to a place none of the other boats so it was so amazing because I've never heard a place so quiet! A few of us jumped off the roof of the boat which the boys soon discovered wasn't so much fun for their bits. Although I kept jumping because we all know how much Emily loves to jump off high platforms.

During the day a lady in a little boat came around selling bottles of Vodka for 80,000 dong, which is about $5!!! I don't mean a small bottle, I mean a decent sized 40% vodka.

So, we had to get some of that! Later that night when we started drinking it, we realised why it was so cheap, it was DISGUSTING. And even though I haven't really had Cocacola since sometime last year, I felt it was the only thing to drown out the taste at all. We tried playing drinking games but there was way to many of us to know what was going on. At some stage during the night a few of us, including myself, thought it would be smart to jump off the roof of the boat again, drunk and in pitch blackness, knowing from the day that there are jellyfish lurking. And of course, all 4 of us got stung. I was the luckiest, my sting didn't bubble up like the others.

The breakfast they provided the next morning was not really sufficient enough to soak up all the foul vodka, and most of us went back feeling pretty under the weather.

That night Tom, Mike, me and Dionne went out to find a restaurant that was in the Lonely planet and couldn't find it so ended up at some random place where the boys ordered Pigeon! Yum. Ive got some lovely photos of the boys eating Pigeon head.

The next day we went to see Ho Chi Mihns body but unfortunately it was closed sooo we went shopping and I bought a HEAP of stuff, too much stuff to take to the states so I'm going to have to leave it in Perth :(

Best thing about Hanoi: Hanoi Backpackers
Worst thing about Hanoi: Taxi drivers, the heat and only being able to eat spinach and rice.
Verdict: Done Vietnam twice now, don't need to do it again!

Compared to Thailand...
Best things: Food, friendly people, plenty to do, amazing shopping, easy to travel, beautiful country.
Worst things: The afternoon rain, although I learnt to love this too!