This is my first house viewing after I have made the decision to eat grass in order to have enough money to buy a HDB flat.

Above: Living Room View 1

The curtained area is where the other common room used to be but now it's like a store room. Doesn't make the living room seem any more spacious.

I've decided to share my house hunting journey in Singapore here! :)

Hello! Am back again with Day 4, Part 2.

On the way back from Halong Bay, we stopped at this handicraft halfway stop for toilet and (overpriced) snacks. No obligation to buy anything at all. But I was drawn to this when I was here on the way to Halong Bay.





Pretty damn amazing right! HAND-SEWN! With nothing more than creativity and a piece of paper as guideline.

I was contemplating which to buy when the bus had to go so I told myself, maybe I'll look again on my way back. So here I am again and then I discovered that I can actually bargain at this place!! So remember! Bargain!!!

And I bought these:





Looks great on a wall! It didn't come with the frame. I bought the frame from Ikea.

It wasn't cheap but it's a great momento for my trip here. :)

We arrived into Hanoi City about 4pm + and Mr. Trung at the Lucky Hotel was extremely kind to let us shower before we make our overnight train ride to Sapa.

I was really looking forward to it. Everything I have seen and read about on the Internet promises it to be something I have never seen or experienced before. People that still live in mountainous areas in tribes and wear clothes that are unique to their own tribe.

Super. Can't wait.

We had a couple of hours to roam Hanoi a bit before we had to go wait for the shuttle to the train station (Yes! The package I got from Lucky Hotel even includes the shuttle there! Be sure to ask for yours!).

So we went to shop a bit and DAMMIT!!! That very sewed drawing I vbought, is selling at a fraction of the price here!!!

And Kerk was telling me how if they are selling it in masses this way, it's NOT HAND SEWN!

*sigh*! Heart very the pain now!!



There the usual touristy stuff and the Hoan Kiem Lake... and the TRAFFIC of course!

Kerk has been nagging about eating KFC and so we went. It rained, so it was a relief to have some shelter at KFC.



Seriously, Singapore's KFC is better!!

We went back to Lucky Hotel, showered, bought some water, some snacks and readied up for the shuttle that was to come.

It was a cab and in the cab, there was this 2 other old couple whom I said Hi (rather chirply) to.

It was like close to midnight and the station was FULL of people!









I thought the above shot looks kinda lonely. Invokes a feeling of waiting, of longing. Pictures of empty train platforms seem to have this effect.

This train to Sapa is made up of many cabins. Each of these cabins have slightly different comfort levels. Livitrans, friendly train, tulico, pumpkin, TSC, Hara, Royal and the list goes on. I chose King's Express because it was recommended by Lucky Hotel's Mr Trung (whom yes, is thankfully reliable).





It was a comfortable 4-sleeper cabin. Make sure your choice has air con!! Ours did but as with all trains, the air con is never good enough.

The bottom beds are way cooler than the top beds! Slept so well at the bottom bed (on the way back). The top one is kinda shaky.

One more cheeky shot and we're on our way merrily to SAPA! :)

Day #4 started out early with a nice breakfast at Holiday View Hotel.

After that the Iranians requested that we swing by a store for them to purchase some alcohol. We were at the port belong long to await our junk back to Halong Bay for the end of the tour. :(



Along the way, the Iranians opened their alcohol and offered ALS some. After a drink or two, his whole face became SUPER red - causing more than a few people asking if he's okay. It must be irritating for him.



We sailed to where we kayaked the day before to change to another boat. It was a much nicer boat as well. During that transition, we saw the water taxis again.

Much to our amusement.

Guess what we were all looking at with much interest.



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Yes, the horror.



ALS got up the basket and wanted to row. He was accompanied by a very brave Duc (guide).



The basket was fast filling up with water...



And Duc decided to take over... :P

Check out the priceless video:



After that, we were served lunch and enjoyed the slow, quiet sail through the bay again.





Lunch was VERY VERY good! The best of this whole trip. We think it's because this junk is part of a more expensive package. Very nice!



Have a look - it is nicer than the first junk we took.



And wait! Before we say bye to Halong Bay, ALS had to be fined! For the paddle "flap" of course!



Good bye, Halong Bay!



If you missed my earlier editions about my Hanoi Trip, you can click here for more! :)

I don't know how I found time for this but, I did!!

GO READ MY POST HERE AND VOTE THUMBS UP! :D

Ok, back with part 4.



Good bye beautiful Lan Ha Bay.

So after we had lunch, we were "shipped" to Cat ba Island to check into the Holiday View Hotel. There were many choices of accomodation on the island but it's a small island. Holiday View was adequate.



Here's our room. :)

Catba Island really isn't very exciting. We were given free & easy time after we checked in. So after a nice warm shower, we wasted no time checking out the little town - all of which easily covered by foot.

As I wandered along the narrow lanes that made up of the island, I wondered how people could live here. Who can you sell to, to make money? There's nothing here. Besides the market, spots of KTV joints here and there, a handful of souvenir shops... there was nothing esle.



This is the local bus I guess. Poor chickens were being transported on top of the very dirty looking bus.



We really had nowhere esle to walk or see or do after awhile.



We got back after a long walk - more to pass time and to get to know our German friends better.

It was dinner time and we were hungry! :)



We were really fed quite well throughout the whole tour. This time, we requested for rice to be served first - for they always serve rice last. For reasons that escape me.



Here's a nice group photo of the tour group!

After dinner, the Germans and us went to check out a nearby beach. Bought some beer and went. I hate beer but well, won't die from drinking it.

We chatted and told jokes and laughed about how linear IT engineers think.

It was dark when we got back and settled in for sleep. :) And finally, the end of Day 3 after 4 parts! *PHEW!*

So finally with the morning's drama behind us, we moved onward to the second half of the day's itinerary.

Catba National Park

To say I expected what we experienced would be a complete lie.

It was everything I did not expect. I HAD SO MUCH FUN!

First the junk stopped quite a distance from the shore. Duc (the guide) said we had to take a local water taxi over to shore because it was too shallow for the junk to anchor near shore.

What comes to your mind when one says "local water taxi"?

Surely, it's nothing like a FRIGGIN' tar-coated basket RIGHT?!



Alas, it was.



It was wobbly. It was small. It was wet. It was scary (hey there were loads of barnacles below ok!).

And it was drizzing.

God, the tiny basket fit 6 peoople!!!



Truth to tell, we were in the mood for anything. So after the inital shock of it being a mere basket. We started picture taking - even though the distance to shore was like only 5 mins.



I really love this photo of Kerk and I, and, "water taxi driver/paddler". His raincoat colour made my picture so cheerful! Hehehe.

When everyone was on shore, we started our journey.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.



Up we went.



Down we went.







Check out how high we came from!



More downs!







Finally!



Notice the angle of ascend and descend. Note no handles except for tree branches. It was SUPER FUN!

Do note that it is very dangerous especially on that very day that we went when it rained the whole day, making every rock/mud/ground we stepped on, and every branch that we used for support, quite slippery.

And at the angle of ascend and descend we tackled, one slip could land you in more than just a troublesome situation! Everyone did take extra care with where they put their foot.

The whole hike till this point took 1.5 hours.

This last shot was where we thought was the END. So we took a "we made it" shot.

But Duc again told us happily that this is but the mid point. We were just done with the easier part. Now we have to climb the damn mountain again to get back to the other side of the beach. Nope, no roundabout way.

MAD FUN. Everyone MUST try this at least once in their lives!

And then we made our journey back.



Passed by Sadako's house and said hi.



Gosh, went up again...



And down...



More downs!



And finally, after another 1.5 hours we reached ground level. What Duc didn't tell us is, we had to trek quite a fair bit more (though on properly paved roads) to get to the junk. DUH.



I so look like a surgeon right? Bo bian la, I had to keep my clothes from getting wet from the light drizzle.





Hello water taxi again.



Kerk demostrates how tired we were.

Super fulfilling. It was now, that we started on our lunch for Day 3. What a LONG day eh!!

If you missed my earlier editions about my Hanoi Trip, you can click here for more! :)