27 May 13
Halong Bay cont’d from part 01 – on our second day we got onto a day boat and sailed further into the bay. We sailed for almost an hour before reaching the next destination for kayaking. I make it sound like an hour felt like forever. But that hour was the most peaceful and serene hour I’ve experienced in a long long time. No sound but the wind.
Told you there would be rocks on rocks on rocks, heh
This is the top deck where most of us sat around. As I’m typing this at my desk, there are about five different types of sounds around me. I never noticed how much noise I endure every day, it’s like I finally understand what peace means. In the sense of an environment. I thought I knew peace… but boy was I way off.
The captain anchored our boat here. Signalling it was time to get into kayaks and explore on the water.
We chilled a lot on the kayak, as best we can without capsizing, to soak up every peak and valley in the sky. In part 03 next, we explore lagoons and caves!
| Tags: 50mm/F1.8, halong bay, indochina sails, kayaking, kodak 400, nikon FM10, vietnam
21 May 13
Now onto Halong Bay, the main reason why we travelled to Hanoi. There are day trips or two-days trips to visit Halong Bay though we felt a 3 days 2 nights itinerary suited our preference better. We sailed on the Indochina Sails boat which we booked through Halongsapa Tours.
The drive from Hanoi to Halong took about 4 hours
Couldn’t wait to explore the deck and take in the sights!
Grumpy face but I wasn’t grumpy :>
Activities began after lunch and our first stop was Titop Island. Here’s the view from 200 steps up on a cliff.
Down on the beach and a bummer that it was too chilly to swim
Expect a lot more rocks in part two! Here in real life, I’ll be sharing news about Pomheads tomorrow. It will be ready for sale and I’m so excited!!
| Tags: 50mm/F1.8, halong bay, kodak 400, nikon FM10, vietnam
2 May 13
Took a walk around Gillman Barracks and these were some of the quiet spaces I saw.
The Naked Finn, looks like a great place to hang.
A standalone loo.
A little update on what I’ve been up to, I’ve been working on new products – hair accessories! – which I hope will be ready for sale end of May. I’m really excited and also a bag of nerves. It’s been a while since I last sold handmade work, and I miss it so much. I know people say it all the time but now that it’s happening to me, I can truly say I love making things with my hands.
Now, Ben & I are off to Hanoi for a week. Halong Bay, here we come!
| Tags: 50mm/F1.8, gillman barracks, kodak 400, nikon FM10
10 Apr 13
Before our guide took us to Maya Bay, our boat stopped here for a bit. According to him, this was where Leonardo Dicaprio’s character in the movie The Beach jumped from the cliff. So click click click went all the cameras.
So our boat pulls into Maya Bay and here’s the view from the beach…
And now here’s the view of the beach while in the water! Immediately this hilarious post by krisatomic came to mind and I had to do my Maya Bay version of it. Humans to beach ratio is way off, sadly.
Still beautiful tho, will have to suss out the less popular islands the next time. Till then, Krabi!
| Tags: 50mm/F1.8, kodak 400, krabi, maya bay, nikon FM10, thailand
4 Apr 13
On our third day in Krabi, we went on a half day tour to see this emerald pool followed by a natural hot spring. The group of us walked about 800m in the national park and arrived at this!
The emerald pool was beautiful! Like nothing I’ve ever seen. Getting in and out of the pool was treacherous though, gooey algae things all over the rocks. The water nice and cool, soft sand under our feet. I can’t even begin to fathom how something like this exists in the middle of nowhere.
Moving on, we made our way to the hot spring. Also made a friend – we gave him the name Mr Denver Nuggets (the one with the blue towel and hat) – cos duh, he’s from Denver! Anyway I knew I’d regret not asking him for his name or, introducing ourselves… I need to get better at that. I.don’t.know.what.I’m.afraid.of.really.
A hot spring! Once again, in the middle of nowhere!
I’m not sure if you can make it out that people are soaking themselves in these smallish ponds. The water was hot, no shite. It was awesome, out in the open like that. Maybe zap away 10-15 people and it would have been really really awesome.
| Tags: 50mm/F1.8, emerald pool, kodak 400, krabi, natural hot spring, nikon FM10, thailand, underwater camera
