Fat heads on Bus boat bus.

Hanoi was literally a ray of sunshine. It is the capital of Vietnam and the second largest city. Our first impression of the city was that its smaller stature lent it a relative air of calm and tranquillity amidst the familiar strain of motorbike horns. Still craving sun and sea we left for our ultimate destination, Ha Long Bay. We were informed that we could get to the gateway to the thousand fold cluster of island on a bus boat bus combo to Cat Ba Island for a very reasonable fee. We jumped into a taxi made for midgets, which caused some passengers to experience feelings of gigantisism that none of us could explain afterwards.
As our tiny little taxi neared the bus station different men started shouted our destination to each other like it was an order in a fish market, and even though we were early we were shepherded onto a bus that we were told was leaving that very minute. The cunning bastards. We quickly realised we were on the wrong bus but settled back to watch the beautiful sights of the industrial outskirts of industrial Hanoi pass us by. On arrival in Hai Phong, possibly the ugliest place in Viet Nam, we were set upon by a bubbling babbling crowd of motorbike taxi drivers. Hearing Tim’s outrage at their prices in Vietnamese they were disgusted at our refusal to be ripped off as we looked for a taxi. Not to be deterred their quick exchange with the taxi driver meant we were taken to a different location, where women began shouting that this was the last bus to the island. Deja vous ringing in our ears. Dazed and confused we were hustled towards the waiting bus that would take us to the boat and the next bus in the dizzying relay of transportation. I was spitting disgusted rage all over them at their price, which dribbled pathetically down the bus windows as we sped away.
Luckily our life’s savings meant that we were treated to the fast boat and we made it to Cat Ba City before night fall. The City is a strip of identikit tourist hotels and restaurants all offering the exclusive offers for boat trips, climbing or kayaking tours. We booked a three night two day boat trip from the man who had been following us all night, an excellent recommendation, and waited to see what we’d let ourselves in for.