Halong Bay, Vietnam

Day 18

Up at 5.15 am for a 7 am departure. A four hour drive to Halong Bay. So interesting to watch the activity in the rice paddies nearly the whole way along the road.

Arrived, checked in, and allocated cabins for our overnight luxury cruise around the bay. We were just enjoying complimentary drinks when the news broke. Cruise cancelled, a typhoon is coming in. Indeed all cruises and day trips cancelled. An "I don't believe it" moment. We had been looking forward to this for months. Extra is a model of the junk we should have been cruising on.

We walked down to the harbour to see all the cruise boats leaving with no passengers, seeking out safe, protected anchorages in the bay.

Slow service, but we have all been given rooms overnight in a local hotel.

Sure enough the high winds increased during the afternoon, and heavy rain began. We decided to chill, and after struggling to find somewhere open to have dinner, are now watching the Wimbeldon Final. Well done to Federer on a record breaking 8th win.

Our excitement of the afternoon was trying to catch a tiny ghekko on the bed.