Hello Australia!

So excited to reach Perth! I’ve been planning this part for months as we are staying with our friends who moved here a couple of years ago. So lovely to see Clare again, and for Martha to play with Isaac her old nursery friend again!

We arrived very early in the morning after very little sleep overnight on the flight so first course of action was to go to bed for a couple of hours! We were back in the land of the living by the time Isaac got home from school so we went to the park for a play – very relaxing!

Goodbye Vietnam (again!)

Today we left Hanoi and Vietnam, flew back to Hong Kong, then flew to Perth.

I liked the Cu Chi tunnels because they were dark and exciting. I also liked the kayaking in Ha Long Bay because it was in a beautiful lagoon and it was fun.

Sam

It was very busy and there were motor bikes everywhere. But there were some nice beaches!

Martha

We managed to travel a fair amount in Vietnam, with coming back again after Cambodia – it was like coming home the second time, familiar money, sights and language! What will I remember in years to come? Meeting up with my mum and my niece in Ho Chi Minh City was brilliant, so that’s my number one memory.

Everywhere we went the people were really friendly and welcoming. I feel that I know so much more now of the history of the last 100 years in South East Asia – we really do not get the full story in western schooling. I’ve realised how Western-centric (if that’s a word) my knowledge of history and politics in this region was – I certainly don’t know everything now, and I’ll look forward to learning more on future visits but I learnt so much, it’s been great!

Angela

I found Vietnam to be very friendly, beautiful and full of interesting history. There is so much more that we didn’t see so I would love to come back and explore some more.

Mike

To Hanoi

Today we left our hotel and went to Hanoi. We took a long bus journey to get there. When we got there, it was very busy and noisy.

We went out for tea at a curry place and had a massive naan bread!

Then we went to a night market and while we were going home we saw a stage with really loud music. There was dancing and singing.

Ha Long Bay

(Note: We left Da Nang yesterday and flew to Hanoi and then drove to Tuam Chau which is where you catch boats to Ha Long Bay.)

Today we went on a boat. It was call Huy Loc. It was big and there was an upstairs where you could see the view. We also saw rocks shaped like a dog, cat and a parrot.

We stopped and went in a large cave full of stalactites and stalagmites. They were amazing.

Then we went to a lagoon and daddy and I went kayaking. I wore a life jacket and got an oar. We travelled under a cave and I learned how to steer, but my arms ached. I enjoyed it.

Then we went to Ti Top Island. I swam in the sea. I swam to the buoy which was the furthest people were allowed to swim. The water was cold but I got used to it.

Then we got the boat back to the marina.