'Nam-Halong Bay

(Read below: 'Nam-Hanoi' to follow sequence of events)

Eight AM came too early but I was amped for the trip. Down in the lobby we all gathered like lost sheep. Finally Viet, our hysterical Vietnamese tour guide, showed us to our bus. We reached Halong Bay after a short four hours and caught a skiff to the Jolly Roger, our sleeper boat for the night. We punched out of Halong Bay for a more secluded spot among the many islands there. We ate lunch on the way and got to know each other even better. With a group of 9 Aussies, 6 Brits, 3 New Zealanders, a German, a Pilipino, an Irish, and a girl from Copenhagen (not to mention the older crowd of 5) how could we not have fun? As soon as the boat anchored down in our gorgeous bay for the night, we busted out the Spedo’s for a swim. We had a blast launching ourselves off of the boat before going on short kayak and enjoyed the spectacular sunset that took place thereafter. Only a few hours into the trip and I was already in heaven! Life on the seas isn’t bad and I definitely could spend some time living on a boat.

Since it began to cool off, we stayed inside most of the night drinking and having a good time. I couldn’t believe that despite our well represented group from around the world, the common denominator would be drinking games. King’s Cup was a favorite followed by the box game to which pictures are worth a thousand words of explanation. Basically, we had fun :) Most of us crashed at a decent hour (like 3) but felt the effects of sleep deprivation the next day.

Breakfast was at 8am but was very nice to get up for. After that we parted with the Jolly Roger in search for the private island where we would stay. The first thought that came to mind when we pulled up to the island was a clip from the movie “The Beach” where Leonardo DeCaprio finds a secret civilization that lives on a paradisaical lagoon. It had a nice stretch of beach, volleyball net, rock climbing set up, and to top it off an old police boat turned wake boarding boat; heaven. The sun wasn’t shining but that didn’t damper my spirits. We settled into our huts and waited around for lunch while exploring the place a bit. Some chose rock climbing as their ‘activity’ while others waited for water sports. The boat was busted but within a few hours they had fixed it. There was extra room on the tubes so when it came time to tube I was all-in. There were four of us spread evenly among two tubes. The two girls on the other tube had never been before and were in for a ride while my tube partner and I were experts. However, our driver was a maniac Vietnamese ex-Nascar driver and had us in the water in no time. After toning it down a notch we splashed around and had some fun bouncing between tubes.

We got back and switched personnel for wake boarding. The first group were decent, only one of whom had done it before. I was in the second group with two beginners as well. The two English blokes running the joint were dumb as bricks and just as thoughtless. They gave little instruction so I tried to help where I could. Finally it was my turn to which I enjoyed supremely. I never thought I’d find myself behind a boat in Vietnam doing what I love most. It was refreshing to get my water sport fix even if just for a bit. We got back onto the island, chilled to the bone, but were able to warm up with some coffee (which by the way is delicious in Vietnam). We played some games like volleyball and freeze tag to warm ourselves up and thoroughly enjoyed the never ending humor of one another. The Brits were very sarcastic and witty (I called them the ‘funny boys’) and all were good sports with the jokes. My favorite was Mickey, who had a lazy eye, long curly hair, and an accent thicker than Fat Bastard himself. He took most of the jokes (deserving so) and was non-stop entertainment with his random comments and un-athletic attempts at volleyball. He was a good man but easy to tease.

We enjoyed a nice BBQ dinner consisting of various sea foods under candlelight. The generator had provided its last flicker of light just in time to get dinner cooked, but failed to provide us with electricity for the rest of the night. I was perfectly fine with the primitive state. It was very peaceful and invigorating to get back to the basics on some primitive island in the middle of nowhere. We made a bonfire to keep warm and sat around telling stories, playing guitar, singing improvised versions of whatever, and of course drinking. We were in our own world of paradise and for a few moments, everything just slipped away. Everyone was tired and for the most part, went to bed early. We would have another early morning the next day. As I fell asleep to the sounds of lapping waves on the beach, I couldn’t help but thank my lucky stars for everything I was experiencing. I was making international friends, enjoying the sports and activities I love, and most of all, giving thanks for the ability to do them all. I am a blessed man and am forever grateful for all that He has provided me with.

The meal gong had rung aloud around 7:30 and we stumbled out of our huts. We ate breakfast and said fairly well to this island of paradise. It was a quiet ride back as we reflected how much fun we all had together. Once we returned to the hostel, we reluctantly split to find arrangements for the night but had planned to meet up later. We had just grown that close on the trip. I unfortunately had to split that night back to the border but was able to have dinner with the crew one last time. We exchanged information and hugged good-bye with heavy hearts. The trip was short but sweet and I can only hope to keep in touch with some of my new-found friends. My adventure back would be long but the recent memory of good times would bring peace to my heart. Traveling is a deep passion of mine; its one of those rites of passage for anyone who is a human being. It’s human nature to explore, meet new people, and push oneself to their limits. This past trip had provided all three and has further energized my soul to live life to the fullest.

Pictures: See link in post below