The last time a Pole was in Vietnam, he was being shot at. Things have definitely change - the Vietnamese we met were wonderfully warm.  This trip was always going to be great fun as we were joined by the adventurous Coolum Beach Williams clan (Dave, Judy, Odette, and Mila).  We rendezvoused in Hanoi and set-off on a 3 day cruise in the spectacular Halong Bay.  The bay features almost 2,000 limestone karsts and isles in various shapes and sizes.  Apparently, it has taken 500 million years of erosion to form the bay.

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Next, we caught an overnight train to the northern Vietnamese highlands.  Here we stayed in a small village called Tả Phìn, where the rural and sustainable way of life has hardly been affected by modernity.  We loved the walks, the paddy fields, the pot-bellied pigs, the food, and the cooler weather.  A particular highlight was the traditional herbal hot bath in a bamboo bucket.  We followed the local custom by going in naked.  When we got out, however, we looked like well-cooked red lobsters - but we smelled great.

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Our last stay in Vietnam was the old trading town of Hội An.  The city's historic district is a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15th century.  The shopping and food here was great.  We all had a fantastic time wandering the streets and cycling out to the nearby beach.

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