Holy Hanoi...

It's been several weeks since leaving Bangkok, a "big city" of SE Asia, so I had gotten used to some of the smaller communities of Northern Thailand and Laos. Then comes a slap in the face in the form of Hanoi---honking horns and manic motorbikes line the streets, making for some interesting street crossings as a pedestrian...throw in a dash of aggressive street vendors and a shake of scamming taxi operators....and WHALLA, you've got Hanoi!

After spending a couple hours in the market, seeking out a pair of new flip-flops and some reading material for upcoming bus rides, my negotiating skills are second to none. I wonder if I can put that skill on my resume when I come home?? I can see it now:

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EXPERIENCE:
*Bartering with vendors in large metropolitan areas of Southeast Asia.
*Successfully executed the "walk away" technique until vendor agreed on offered price.
*Mastered the art of placing large bills in one pocket and small bills in the other, thus perfecting the infamous "this is all the money I have" technique. Also known as the "empty pocket" technique.

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Tomorrow, I will head to Halong Bay (please Google the place and search for images, it's stunning) with a group of about 30 on a 3-day excursion.

Day 1 should include the 3-hour trip to the bay, followed by kayaking/swimming in the bay and further by viewing the scenery at hand at sunset.

Day 2, after spending the night on the boat, will include rock climbing on some of the rock fixtures extending from the bay. No better place to try my first climb than a place known worldwide for its rock climbing, right???

Day 3, after a night on Cat Ba Island, near Halong Bay, will be more or less travel back to Hanoi.

I hope to get some photos up when I get back......until then, take care everyone!