Vietnam & China 2008
Halong Bay, Vietnam
3/17/08 We got up early in the morning for breakfast and then our guide picked us up in front of the hotel. Halong Bay would be a four-hour trip from the city through the Vietnamese countryside. After exiting the cluttered chaos of the city, we were driving through...
Hanoi and Halong Bay, Vietnam
3/16/08 The flight to Hanoi was short and both airports were very small. Another friendly guide was waiting for us once we arrived. We were off to explore another city! I peered out the window as we drove along and came to this conclusion: Hanoi Rocks! This city is...
Hoi An, Vietnam
3/15/2008 After a leisurely breakfast of Pho and eggs, our guide picked us up at the hotel around 10:00. Our destination for the day was Hoi An, Vietnam, a UNESCO world heritage site. The place is centuries old and well preserved. It contains a mishmash of different...
China Beach, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam
3/14/18 We are met at the airport by our new guide. She is a young girl, about my age, speaks English well, and appears to be friendly and relaxed. She leads us to a van parked outside, adjusting her gait to match grandpa's slow shuffle. We find a driver waiting with...
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (Saigon)
Ho Chi Minh City is insane. As our guide said, "There are 10 million people in the city and 10 million motorbikes." The traffic swarms everywhere and motorcycles come from all directions at once. The streets are narrow and lined with tall green trees. Shops...