Upon arrival in Hanoi, Vietnam from Vientiane, Laos, it seemed I had entered an alien land!  A city of concrete…jumbled wires…a sea of motor scooters blind to the traffic lights…mass chaos with purpose…face masks creating a barrier from the dusty city…an assault on the senses with smells and colors.  Pure insanity!!

The seven of us, on this tour through GAP Adventures, were instructed on how to cross the street.  To walk–not run–to keep walking–that the drivers would go around us.  I felt like a duck on a shooting range.  Luckily, I have a spiritual grounding and realize that there are some things I have very little control over.

After being separated from the group while shopping that evening, there was a moment of sheer panic!  I didn’t know the name of our hotel.  The Tour Guide had given the information to everyone–when I was in the restroom–so I didn’t receive it.  But I found my way to the meetup spot…whew!!

I made arrangements to spend the night on a boat on Halong Bay in the China Sea and said my “goodbyes” to the group!

At $68 for the entire excursion–it was a small price for such serenity and beauty!

I went kayaking…

Had a nice glass of vino!

Although I had a six hour layover in Nagoya, Japan‘s airport, on my way home to Cincinnati, I had plenty to keep myself occupied with there.  It was a destination onto itself, with over 60 shops and restaurants and a spa!

Upon arrival at the airport, I met a girl named Andrea who had been teaching English in Hanoi for four months and was so fearful of crossing the street that she decided to move back home to Canada.

We went to the Spa together.  The women had their own hot tub, cold dip, sauna, and steam room area with a view of planes landing and taking off.  We didn’t have our bathing suits, but the other women were naked so…when in Rome.  It makes for a great story…”Naked in the Airport”!

This is Andrea and I at the Airport in Japan.

I returned home on Christmas Eve.  I hope you had fun following my adventure!

Related articles

• Hanoi (j8packages.wordpress.com)
• Ha Long Bay — in’SPIRE’ing and ‘MIST’ical – Halong Bay, Vietnam (travelpod.com)