How long in Ha Long?

Hello from ASIA!

We were so thrilled to get to Vietnam and grateful to have had some deep rest time when we did. We spent the last few days on a little boat in Ha Long Bay where we kayaked, drank watermelon juice, swam and explored the various cave structures in the UNESCO area of the Bay. After being so tired due to the go-go-go in Africa, we slept and slept and slept on the boat. It’s been fun to be back in Asia for the first time since pre-COVID.

We’ve walked the tiny streets of Hanoi’s old town and become accustomed to walking in the street alongside scooters, bikes, buses and cars. There are sidewalks, but they are chock-full of parked mopeds. There is a lot of trust between drivers and pedestrians here and although it’s quite busy, I feel very safe, which is lovely. The shops that line the roads primarily look like storage facilities, and they roll up their metal garage doors during working hours to sell their wares. Market vendors are usually selling one type of item- toys, fruit, meat, snacks, wrapping paper, etc.  The streets are helpfully named things like Fruit Street or Paper Decoration Road.

It’s been a treat to try many street foods like bahn mi, sugarcane juice, Vietnamese donuts, fresh coconuts, lotus nuts with sticky rice and egg coffee. We’ve also discovered a new treat- coconut coffee- which has been delightful. An average lunch for the three of us is less than $10, making Vietnam quite a deal once you arrive.

After Winter for a few weeks in Africa, the 95 degree heat hit us hard. We’ve enjoyed walking around, but we’re soaked after 10 minutes outside as it’s so humid. On the boat in Ha Long Bay, our Vietnamese friends didn’t want to go outside because it was even too hot for them. Hilariously, our teenager who avoids showers like the plague has taken more showers in Vietnam than she has on the rest of the trip. 

We’re thrilled that our dear friend David is arriving into Vietnam late this evening. Tomorrow, Josh and David take off to Malaysia and Cambodia for a week to explore and adventure. Luna and I head south to Hoi An, where we have a week full of artisan workshops including lantern making, bookbinding, macrame and leather working. We love learning, and experiential learning with locals when traveling is a favorite. We are excited and ready to embark on a Mama-Daughter trip.

We’ll be in touch in about a week! xo

Carly