http://joyolneyfamily.blogspot.com.au
Hong King & Vietnam - September 2018
Robyn and Joy had planned this trip for a year. As Joy was still using a walking stick she needed wheel chair access through the airports, a total of 10 ups and downs. We arrived into Hong Kong for 3 nights and made the most of our time there. We took the hop-on-hop-off bus, went up Peak Hill, and visited Aberdeen with lots of sampans. We took a flight to Hanoi where we did several day trips out from Hanoi.
Joy celebrated her 75th birthday overnight on a junk on Halong Bay. We took a 7 hour bus trip to
Sapa where we visited
Cat Cat Village one day and
Ta Van Village the next day. Robyn did a 3 hour trek. Looking for lots of different experiences, we took an overnight train from Hanoi to DaNang, staying at
Hoi An. While there we took a day trip to
Cham Islands. Next a flight to
Ho Chi Minh City where we stayed a few days and visited
Ho Chi Minh Tunnels and Mekong Delta.
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| Joy waiting in a wheel chair in the departure lounge in Melbourne. |
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Valentino and Nick looked after us very well on our Qantas flight to Hong Kong.
They knew Sven Laurensen, Hayden's father-in-law.
We enjoyed champagne, extra nibbles and a pamper pack.
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Wheel chair access through Hong Kong Airport.
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Kowloon Airport, Hong Kong. It was so clean.
Where was everyone? The train was behind sliding doors for safety.
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We stayed at BP Continental Hotel and enjoyed a good breakfast.
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| Robyn with B.P.Continental Hotel in the centre background. |
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| Each day we took a 15 minute walk through Kowloon Park to the Harbour. |
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Big Bus Tour around Hong Kong.
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| Floating Restaurant, Aberdeen, Hong Kong. |
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| Aberdeen, Hong Kong. |
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| Aberdeen, Hong Kong. |
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High Tea at B.P.Continental Hotel, Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong Harbour.
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Robyn bought chopsticks at the Temple night market.
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| Temple Night Market at Hong Kong. |
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Temple Market, Hong Kong.
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We caught the Peak Tram up Peak Hill.
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Joy and Robyn overlooking Hong Kong from Peak Hill.
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Lunch at Peak Hill (Wine from our Qantas flight & egg from breakfast!).
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Joy at Repulse Bay. She was there in 1973.
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The day we left Hong Kong we walked from Hotel to the wharf before going to the airport for Hanoi.
Robyn did a stirling job with the cases as Joy was using a walking stick.
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Hong Kong harbour from the ferry.
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Excelsior Hotel where Joy started in 1973.
(tall building right hand side with small oval windows dotted around).
Joy was taken by wheelchair through Hong Kong Airport which involved taking a train from one airport to another.
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| We boarded a Hong Kong Airlines flight to Hanoi. |
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King Dink & King Le Temple at Hoa Lu Tam Coc.
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Eating goat & elderberry for lunch. After lunch Robyn went for a bike ride.
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Ngo Dong River in Vietnam.
Robyn rowed the sampan down Ngo Dong River while on our Hoa Lu Tam Coc tour.
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Sampan on Ngo Dong River.
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| Traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam. |
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| Traffic in Hanoi, Vietnam. |
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| Dinner at Vietview Hotel, Vietnam were we stayed on 3 different occasions. |
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Luxury bus to Halong Bay.
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| Staff welcome us as we arrive on Perla Dawn Sails, our overnight junk to sail on Halong Bay. |
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| Bedroom on Perla Dawn Sails |
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| View from our cabin. |
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| Joy enjoyed the view on Halong Bay. |
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| Lunch on board. |
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| Joy relaxing on Perla Dawn Sails |
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| Robyn on board Perla Dawn Sail on Halong Bay. |
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| Joy on Perla Dawn Sails on Halong Bay |
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| Perla Dawn Sails on Halong Bay. |
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Robyn & Joy went swimming.
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Sunset on Halong Bay.
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Sunset on Halong Bay.
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Happy 75th birthday Joy.
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Next day we went Kayaking on Halong Bay.
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Morning tea the next day!
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Cooking demonstration on junk.
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Lunch on Perla Dawn Sails.
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Joy & Robyn on Perla Dawn Sails on Halong Bay.
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Our friend from NSW.
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| Back to our 2nd stay at Vietview Hotel in Hanoi. |
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Our room in Vietview Hotel.
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Lady selling bananas in Hanoi.
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Boarding our bus - Hanoi to Sapa.
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6 hour sleeper bus to Sapa, west of Hanoi. There were about 40 passengers, upper deck and lower deck in 3 rows.
There were 4 seats along the back next to the toilet.
We had to take our shoes off and all seats were permanently in the reclining position.
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Sapa H'Mong Hotel. We used the mosiquite nets.
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View from our Hotel room in Sapa.
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Joy in Sapa and about to go to Cat Cat village.
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A tight squeese.
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We were about to climb down to Cat Cat Village.
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SoLo, our guide, Robyn, Ngo Linh from Vietnam but lives in Korea and Joy on Cat Cat Trek.
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| Buffaloes on Cat Cat trek. |
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| This little pig went to market. |
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| That was a long climb up those steps. |
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| Cat Cat Village. |
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| Cat Cat Village trek. |
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| More steps! |
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| I made it! |
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| The next day Joy was driven 1 hour to Ta Van Village where she spent about 2 hours walking around the village while awaiting for Robyn to complete her 9 km trek (3 1/2 hours). |
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Black H'Mong ethnic people on the way to Ta Van Village.
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Black H'Mong ethnic people on the way to Ta Van Village.
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Landscape on the way to Ta Van Village.
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Rice terraces on the way to Ta Van Village.
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These girls/women befriended me as I walked around Ta Van Village.
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Chooks in Ta Van Village.
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| Ducks in Ta Van Village. |
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| Drying in Ta Van Village. |
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The coffee shop where I sat while waiting for Robyn.
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| I bought 3 bags from these girls in Ta Van Village. |
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| While I was in Ta Van Village, Robyn embarked on a 3 1/2 hours 9 km trek with So Lo as her guide. |
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Landscape along the way on Robyn's trek.
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Robyn's trek.
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| Robyn's trek. |
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Rice terraces.
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Buffalos and motorbike crossing bridge.
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SoLo fed her baby along the way.
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Tomoka from Japan, Robyn and SoLo finally arrived in Ta Van Village.
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View of the mountain village on our return to Sapa.
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Our 1 hour trip back to Sapa.
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| Main street in Sapa where we had lunch. Our bus is parked & ready for us. |
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| Main street in Sapa. |
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| Mr PO snacks for our 6 hour trip back to Hanoi. |
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Dinner at the roadhouse on the way back to Hanoi.
Unfortunately Joy left her glasses on the bus,
so for the rest of the holiday Joy was without her glasses. |
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| $1,710,000 Dong = $100 Aud. |
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| Robyn & Joy had a rickshaw ride around Hanoi as Joy's sciatic was troublesome. |
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Hanoi.
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Joy in Hanoi.
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| Hanoi. |
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| Hanoi. |
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Joy talking to the Florist in Hanoi.
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Hanoi, Vietnam.
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| Hanoi, Vietnam. |
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Goodbye Hanoi. We enjoyed a real coffee at the railway station
before boarding our overnight train to Da Nang. |
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| Boarding train at Hanoi for overnight trip to Da Nang. |
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Breakfast on the train with the Conductor.
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Conductor smoking a bong.
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Level crossing from the train.
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Two ladies sitting on the station.
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| At a stop along our trip. |
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| View from the train. |
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| Conductor waves our train through. |
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| View from the train as we draw closer to Da Nang. |
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View of the coast from the train.
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| View from the train. |
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| View from the train as we are nearing Da Nang. |
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Packed up and ready to arrive in Da Nang.
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We arrived at Da Nang at 12.45pm.
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| Our drive from Da Nang to Hoi An, Vietnam. |
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| Our room at Kiman Hoi An Hotel in Hoi An. |
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| We enjoyed a time in the Kiman Hoi An Hotel pool. |
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Breakfast at Kiman Hoi An Hotel in Hoi An.
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We had a delightful day trip from Hoi An (Cua Dai) to Charm Islands which consists of 7 islands.
We had to register with Cua Dai Harbour Border Police before leaving Hoi An.
We sped through the water for 15 kms which was a bit exciting.
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Joy admiring the bougainvillea at Au Thuyen, Cham Islands.
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| Fish drying on the pier at Au Thuyen. |
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Boarding our speed boat again to go to another area.
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| Robyn & Joy went swimming from the speed boat. |
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Speeding off to another location.
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Joy at Bai Bac beach where we had lunch, a swim and time to relax.
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To relax on the deck chair was greatly appreciated.
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We ride back to the mainland was fast and exciting.
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Joy bought some pineapple from a lady at the harbour terminal.
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Driving back to our Hotel.
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We found a very friendly restaurant not far from our Hotel.
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| Wheelchair access through Da Nang airport. Waiting for our flight to Ho Chi Minh City. |
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We flew with Vietnam Airlines.
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Staff on flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City.
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| Wheelchair access at Ho Chi Minh City where they used a hoist to lift Joy down. |
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Our driver from the airport to our Hotel.
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| Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City in the rain. |
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Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City.
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Elois Hotel in Ho Chi Ming City.
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| Ho Chi Minh City by night. |
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| Asian Kitchen on left. |
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| Alley way to Asian Kitchen. |
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From roof top at Elois Hotel.
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Breakfast at Elois Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City.
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| "Hand Handcrafts" established in 1976 after the Vietnam War finished to give the wondered work. |
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Great Holy See Temple.
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| Great Holy See Temple. |
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Lots of monkey at the Temple. One tried to grab Robyn's camera/phone.
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Tanker used in the Vietnam War.
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| Helecopter used in the Vietnam War. |
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| Plane used in Vietnam War. |
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| Robyn in Cu Chi Tunnel used in the Vietnam War. |
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Robyn entering into Cu Chi Tunnel.
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| Joy coming out of a tunnel in Cu Chi Tunnels. |
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| Robyn & Joy help the soldiers carry a patient. |
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Mark & Ferdie from the Philippines befriended Joy.
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| We were treated to arrowroot. |
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| It was hot and we had been underground. Water coming from a strip of bamboo. |
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Our friends from the Philippines - Mark Beato, Clif & Mary Ford, Charlene Monje,
Lezyl Carandang, Ferdie Tayao. |
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The next day we went to a Monastery & Mekong Delta
and guess who was on the same tour - Mark & Ferdie. |
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| My Tho & Ben Tre Monastery. |
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My Tho & Ben Tre Monastery.
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Sleeping Buddah - Robyn, Charlene, Joy, Mary, Ferdie, Clif, Lezyl, Mark.
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Laughing Buddah.
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| Mekong Delta - Robyn, Joy, Ana, Erickaa, Kennth, Lezyl, Charlene. |
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| Robyn's "Titanic" moments on a sampan on Mekong Delta, Vietnam. |
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Our guide, Nguyen Thi My Linh and Joy.
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A delicious lunch while on Mekong Delta tour.
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| Nguyen Thi My Linh making coconut candy. |
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Robyn and Joy drinking snake wine.
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Mary & Clif Ford, Robyn & Joy on sampan on Mekong Delta.
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Spare a thought.
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Joy was ready to sit down!
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We enjoyed hot honey tea.
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| Three and half hour bus trip back to Ho Chi Minh City and time for a leg massage! |
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| Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City. |
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Breakfast at Elois Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City.
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Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City.
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| Railway Station at Ho Chi Minh City. |
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| Girls trying to cut down on their luggage. |
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| We gained some of their excess. |
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Oh to be horizontal at Ho Chi Minh City Airport.
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| On board Air Asia from Co Chi Minh City to Kuala Lumpur where we transited through. |
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| Wheelchair access means one is first on and last off. Our friendly Pilot was very friendly. |
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| Passengers sleeping at Kuala Lumpur airport. |
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Wheelchair access within Kuala Lumpur airport.
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| Skybus in Melbourne. |
Robyn and Joy enjoyed their time away in Hong Kong and Vietnam and with plenty of variety. Joy had been suffering from Sciatic pain since May 2018, with two holidays booked - one a cruise Brisbane to Cairns and this one to Hong King and Vietnam. We decided to still take those holidays with Robyn's support. Joy was using a walking stick and was in a lot of pain but managed. She was always glad to get back for a lie down or a seat in the bus but overall glad we made the decision to still go. It was like having a baby. The pain at the time was hard going, but after it was all over I have lots of very positive memories.
If you have any comments please email Joy Olney - joyolney@gmail.com
