Trip to Vietnam!

For my summer holiday at the end of July, my friend Laura and I flew to Vietnam for an 8 day adventure! We booked our trip with an Australian tour company called Gecko's, and travelled with a group of about 12 people along with our tour guide.

HANOI - Crazy City of Motorbikes!!

Seoul is like a walk in the park now compared to the CRAZINESS of the streets of Hanoi. I have never seen so many motorbikes, bicycles, and people moving in all directions. I had my first experience of true culture shock when our bus from the airport just dropped us off in the middle of all this chaos. They pointed in the general direction of our hotel, and drove off. There we were, two tall blonde haired foreigners with big backpacks wandering through the streets trying not to get hit by motorbikes, and being stared at by the locals.

HANOI - City Tour

Ho-Chi-Minh Mausoleum. Apparently his body is inside this building in a glass case.

Presidential Palace

Ho-Chi-Minh's House (1954-1958). He lived here because he felt the Presidential Palace was too big.

Ho-Chi-Minh's House-on-Stilts (1958-1969). He moved again because he wanted to live simply and modestly.

One-Pillar-Pagoda (designed to resemble a lotus blossom).

HANOI - Water Puppet Theatre

HANOI - Christie the Tourist

Catholic Cathedral of Hanoi

Cyclo ride

Christie with conical hat trying to blend in.

Traveling to Halong Bay - People Working the Rice Fields

Traveling to Halong Bay - "Doll House" style buildings and Live Pigs

HALONG BAY - Boat Cruise

HALONG BAY - Evening

HALONG BAY at Sunset

HALONG BAY - Sleeping Under the Stars on the Upper Deck

Traveling to Sapa - 8 Hours on the Sleeper Train... each way!

We got on the train and went to sleep.

Beautiful SAPA!

Other "Doll House" style buidings.
View from hotel room

Christie and Laura on hill tribe trek

SAPA - Princess Christie (felt like one with my mosquito net!)