| Kayaking on Ha Long Bay. Photo by Indochina Sails | | | | Jolly Roger we did get to catch a glimpse of a |
| Megan and I finished our time on the SE Asian | | | | monkey which happened to swing down from the top |
| continent in style cruising around Halong bay on a | | | | of one the surrounding ridges to investigate the |
| luxurious Chinese Junk. Although we weren't at any | | | | commotion below. Back aboard the boat we settled |
| time under actual sail power it still had masts and was | | | | into our respective cabins to shower up for dinner and |
| quite authentic. We spent the afternoon sailing into the | | | | a spectacular sunset. After dinner we spent the |
| heart of the 2000 islands that populate the bay. We | | | | evening taking part in various drinking games and other |
| ate a delicious lunch served in traditional communal | | | | intelligent discourse. Eventually the night digressed to |
| bowls and then disembarked for a couple hours of | | | | feats of bravery and we began leaping off the top of |
| kayaking.(see picture) We kayaked through some | | | | the boat into the dark waters below. The following day |
| caves and into a serene cove which is only accessible | | | | we fought through varying levels of hangover and |
| through caves. Our trip was organized by two guides | | | | trekked up a slippery slope to the top off a |
| one a westerner from London who had decided to | | | | picturesque peak. Most of us didn't think that was |
| spend a couple weeks working for this company and | | | | good enough so we climbed up an ancient tower |
| the other a Vietnamese man named Viet they were | | | | tower which stood atop the hill. It was very very |
| both in their early twenties. Megan and I were | | | | rusted and had a nerve racking creak to it whenever |
| accompanied by 21 other backpackers from all over | | | | the wind picked up.(also it was missing two steps on |
| the globe we had Brits, Scots, Brazilians, Quebecois, | | | | of which the top step was about 120ft above the |
| Americans, and one guy from Mexico They were all | | | | jungle canopy. |
| ready for fun and really a great group of people to | | | | We are now in Indonesia, Jakarta to be specific and |
| spend a couple of days with. During our time in the | | | | are seriously contemplating a spur of the moment flight |
| cove some one managed to capsize there kayak | | | | straight to Bali. It's not that we don't like the city, |
| which wouldn't be a problem for a standard sea kayak | | | | although the rats are brave enough to walk to streets |
| but these were actually river kayaks and therefore | | | | in broad daylight, we just want to be in a fun beach |
| didn't float. It took 20 minutes and some delicate | | | | town for the final full moon of our trip which happens |
| footwork and razor sharp rock but it was eventually | | | | to be tomorrow night. |
| drained and back afloat. Although the delay put us | | | | We'll let you know if we make it by for now. |
| behind schedule and late for the rendezvous with the | | | | |