Trekking and training

Hi everyone, 

Sorry for the lack of updates we have been having a great time trekking around Mai Chau and exploring Ha Long Bay. 

Last time we updated, we were on the bus heading to Mai Chau. It took about 4 hours to drive 150km because of the road conditions here. We had lunch at a local home stay and then started our walk. We walked 8km the first day in the rain to get to our home stay where we all slept in the same room and had fun playing games. The next day we walked 23km through the mountains and villages - we were very thankful that they offered foot baths for us at the homestay we stayed at that night. Pip and Thom were dressed up in traditional Hmong dress as well. The local people that live in these villages are from the Hmong tribes which originally came from Thailand, Laos and South China. 

Our last day we had about 5km walking back to where we had lunch on the first day and then another lunch then another 4 hour journey back to "home" aka the bamboo hotel in Hanoi. We had an awesome tour guide called Viet whom the kids just loved. 

 

 

           

 

   

 

  

Back in Hanoi we confirmed our trip to Ha Long Bay. The next day we were picked up from the hotel and headed for another 4 hour journey in the bus out to Ha Long Bay. We stayed in a 4 star hotel which was a welcome treat and enjoyed a six hour cruise out into the bay and also some kayaking. Some of us went to the night markets and picked up some more bargains and then we went to some more markets in the morning. Interesting and shocking to see how some of the animals are treated - you can buy your chicken so fresh here it is still clucking... lots of live chickens wrapped up in plastic bags being taken home! Ha Long Bay is just beautiful though. 

 

 
  

 

 

 

Surprise, surprise we went back to Hanoi for a final night before catching our 16 hour overnight train to Danang. We had a bit of an administration day where Tyler was very successful in scoring some sweet accommodation in Danang for us. Some of us went out to try an egg coffee in the morning - delicious!! It is like an uncooked meringue mix on top of coffee or you could have it on hot chocolate. We also went to check out Hao Lo prison which was set up by the French when they invaded Vietnam. Much to our delight, in a city of 10million, Viet was showing another New Zealand family around the prison.  

 

Sourced transport to the train station and we left at 8.10pm . We were in carriages with six people each and bunks stacked three high. Lots of card games and experiences meeting cockroaches! 

 

     When we arrived in Danang we met our translator, checked into our hotel and spent the afternoon being orientated with the street child care centre we will be working at for the next four days. We are going to be painting rooms, stair wells, fixing bikes and helping out with the cooking. Viet told us that Danang is the most liveable city in Vietnam and so far it has been a nice reprise from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi! 

Off to the centre at 9am tomorrow - have just been out for dinner and now just having some down time at the hotel before a much more comfortable sleep. 

Weather is definitely a lot warmer! Meant to be 80% humidity tomorrow.. we will see how we cope! 

Chau, 

Pip and Brendan