Rice Paddies, North Vietnam

Day 19

Woken several times during the night with torrential rain and wind. Glad to be on land not sea. So disappointed not to see Halong Bay properly. As we checked out, we found out all today's cruises are also cancelled. The typhoon is expected to last at least another 24 hours.

A four hour drive back to Hanoi airport. We passed by so many paddy fields.
"Planting rice is never fun,
Bent from morn till the set of sun.
Cannot stand, cannot sit,
Cannot rest a little bit."

The storm continued this afternoon. Torrential downpours as we waited for our one hour flight to Da Nang. We took off on time, but the turbulence was perhaps the worst I have ever experienced. Quite scary.

We are staying on an island in the river. Another quality hotel, with a lovely pool. Grand piano in the foyer. Large jack fruits on the trees. You need a tutorial just to use the loo, lots of buttons to press in order to spend a penny. It even has a heated seat, as if that is necessary, it is 31C.

Da Nang is much cleaner than Hanoi, newer buildings, more ordered. A seaside resort. We dined right beside the beach at a seafood restaurant. I avoided the shellfish and squid, did brave it trying some eel.